Tag: North East Current Affairs

Assam Current Affairs – August 22-28, 2020

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Assam Current Affairs & GK – August 22-28, 2020

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of August 22-28, 2020)

August 2020 Current Affairs Monthly PDF  |  Assam 2020 Yearbook  | July 2020 Quiz Monthly PDF

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August 22, 2020

68,000 MSMEs in Assam to get aid under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan

  • Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowaltold that 68,000 MSMEs in Assam to be benefited by the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. He also reviewed the implementation status of the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme for MSMEs of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
  • The chief minister urged the MSME owners to take advantage of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat initiative and to play their part in work towards achieving economic progress of the state.
  • The state government had held meeting with the banks to facilitate collateral free loans to 68,000 MSMEs in the state.
  • Assam’s farmers could sell vegetables worth Rs 852 crore and fish, meat and eggs worth Rs 150 crore during the lockdown period, Sonowal stressed on the need to become self-reliant in agriculture and allied sectors by increasing production.
  • Assam has been able to fulfil its own requirement of fish while also exporting fish to neighbouring states and he highlighted the earning of more than Rs 11 crore by women self help groups through production of face masks. 
  • A package of Rs.3 lakh crore was announced for helping the MSMEs under Atma Nirbhar Abhiyan by the central government.
BBC-Hindi document series features Assam’s feminist movement pioneer Chandraprabha Saikiani
  • The BBC Hindi has featured the story of Chandraprabha Saikiani, pioneer of the feminist movement in Assam in its short documentary series.
  • The BBC-Hindi document series will feature ten women who have contributed to strengthen the democratic system, raised their voice on women’s rights and worked as social reformers.
  • Sakiani fought against patriarchal structures that prevailed in society during her days and opened a primary school at the age of 13. She also played role in the freedom movement and in the Congress.
  • Saikiani raised her voice against stigmatisation of women at the Nagaon session of the Asam Sahitya Sabha.
  • She was a single-mother at a time when it was something unbelievable in Assamese society. The documentary also speaks about the journey Saikiani undertook throughout the State on a bicycle to create awareness among the womenfolk about their rights in society.
UAE honours Indian businessman Firoz Goulam Merchant for philanthropic work
  • The UAE Ministry of Interior honoured Indian businessman Firoz Goulam Merchant for his exemplary community services. The excellence certificate and citation was handed over to Merchant by Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.
  • Merchant, the proprietor of Pure Gold Jewellers, launched a philanthropic movement called the Forgotten Society in 2008.
  • Spearheading this initiative, Merchant worked tirelessly with several correctional institutions to identify debt-ridden prisoners and assisted them in repaying debts to the tune of millions, thereby securing their release and providing free air passage to their respective countries.
UP to launch One District, One Product to benefit state’s farmers
  • The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has announced that it will implement ‘One District, One Product’ (ODOP) scheme for the farmers in the selected 45 districts of Uttar Pradesh. The scheme is expected to benefit lakhs of the farmers of the state.
  • Agricultural products will be selected on the basis of agro-climatic zone, product quality, taste, aroma, nutritional and medicinal properties, and export potential. And farmers of the respective districts have been recommended about growing specific crops.
  • The scheme will help in making agricultural produces like gram of Bundelkhand, Chitrakoot, Hamirpur, Mahoba and Sonbhadra, the millet of Badaun and fresh vegetables of Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar famous across the country.
  • Agricultural products like ‘Kalanamak rice’ of Siddharthanagar, banana fibre of Kushinagar, banana of Kaushambi, jaggery of Ayodhya, aamla of Pratapgarh, pulses of Balrampur and Gonda, desi ghee of Auraiya, handicraft made of wheat stalk in Bahraich etc. are included in the ODOP scheme.

August 23, 2020

Jorhat gets cleanest city in the Northeast region
  • Jorhat has been conferred the Swachh Survekshan 2020 award for the cleanest city in the Northeast region under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
  • The selection was from among urban areas which had a population between 50,000 to 1 lakh. The population of Jorhat covered by the Jorhat Municipal Board as per the 2011 census was 71782.
  • Apart from Jorhat, four more Assam cities Tezpur, Diphu, Sivasagar, and Karimganj have secured positions on the list of cleanest cities.
  • Under the 25, 000 to 50,000 population category, Mokukchung in Nagaland won cleanest city in the Northeast Zone award.
  • Jiribam in Manipur bagged cleanest city in the northeast zone in below 25,000 population category.
New Green Subsidiary proposed by NTPC
  • Govt of India power generation company NTPC proposes to set up a wholly-owned subsidiary to house its growing renewable energy portfolio so that more focus is brought into the business that holds the potential of being the next growth engine for India.
  • NTPC had installed a generation capacity of close to 63,000 ME. It has 5,000 MW of commissioned renewable energy projects
  • It proposes to have 32,000 ME of renewable energy capacity under its hold by 2032. Of the 32,000 MW renewable energy capacity, nearly 10,000 MW of solar capacity is proposed to be commissioned till 2022.
  • It aims is to take up renewable capacity to 30 per cent of its total operations by 2032.
  • It is also looking at expanding hydro operations and setting up 2,000 MW of nuclear capacity.
Uttar Pradesh partners Israel to resolve Bundelkhand Water Crisis
  • The Uttar Pradesh and Israel governments signed a ‘plan of cooperation’ to resolve water crisis in Bundelkhand region of the state.
  • The India Israel Bundelkhand Water Project comprises three key components including water conservation, water efficient transportation and advanced water practices for agriculture.
  • The agreement has been signed for two years and will be extended later. The project aims to address water crisis in drought hit regions of Bundelkhand.
  • It will help farmers of the region with latest farming technologies, including drip irrigation, meant for water deficient regions like Bundelkhand.
Ministry of Skill Development partners with Ministry of Shipping
  • Union Ministry of Shipping entered into a pact with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) for skilling, re-skilling and upskilling of manpower.
  • The aim behind the MoU is to facilitate the manpower to encash employment opportunities available in India and global maritime sectors.
  • The MSDE will cooperate in development of course curriculum, national occupational standards, content, etc for cruise tourism, logistics, fisheries, ship building, ship repair and ship breaking, dredging, offshore supply chain, etc.
  • It will leverage existing infrastructure such as ITIs to train manpower required as per the skill gaps of the coastal districts.
  • Skill development of coastal communities is an important objective of the Sagarmala programme and a budget of Rs 100 crore has been allocated for coastal community development activities.
Indian Coast Guard launches Interceptor Boat ‘ICGS C-454’
  • Indian Coast Guard launches interceptor boat Interceptor Boat `ICGS C-454′, built by Larsen and Toubro.
  • The 27-meter-long boat has a maximum speed of 45 nautical miles or 83 kilometers per hour, and has excellent seakeeping, maneuverability and endurance range of 500 nautical miles.

FACTFILE – Indian Coast Guard (ICG)

  • The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is an Armed Force, Search and Rescue and Maritime Law Enforcement agency that protects India’s maritime interests and enforces its maritime law, with jurisdiction over the territorial waters of India, including its contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone.
  • It was formally established on 18 August 1978 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 of the Parliament of India.

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August 24, 2020

Assam to bring bill to protect state’s heritage sites
  • The Assam government has planned to bring a legislation to protect various heritage sites of the state.
  • The Assam Heritage (tangible) Protection, Preservation Conservation and Maintenance Bill, 2020 was prepared by the Directorate of Archaeology.
  • It will be placed in the next Cabinet meeting; and following its nod, the Bill will be presented in the forthcoming four-day Assembly session.
  • The Bill proposes to provide protection, preservation, conservation, maintenance, restoration, development and promotion of the State heritage sites and objects — other than those declared by or under the law made by Parliament to be of national importance or those covered under the ‘Assam Ancient Monuments and Records Act-1959’.
  • The heritage sites include xatras, monasteries, stupas, naamghars, masjids, dargahs, and churches besides socio-cultural institutions and habitation structures having traditional architectures as well as monuments and their precincts.
  • The Bill also includes artifacts, sculptures, paintings, handicrafts, and manuscripts that have been in existence for not less than 75 years.
Endangered Madagascan moon moth spotted in Nagaland
  • The endangered Madagascan moon moth spotted in Noklak deputy commissioner’s office.
  • The Madagascan moon moth is native to the rain forest of Madagascar. Although endangered in the wild due to habitat loss, it has been bred in captivity.
  • The male moon moth has a wingspan of 20 cm and a tail span of 15 cm, making it one of the world’s largest silk moths.
  • Madagascan moon moth is one of the beautiful lepidopterans. It is nocturnal and does not fly in day time.
  • Medagascan moon moths are spotted occasionally in the Indo-Myanmar region having a large forested area and rich biodiversity of flora and fauna.
Rajiv Kumar appointed as new Election Commissioner
  • Union government has appointed former finance secretary Rajiv Kumar as the new Election Commissioner of India.
  • A 1984-batch IAS officer from Jharkhand cadre, Rajiv Kumar has over three decades of experience in public policy and administration across various sectors.
  • He was designated as finance secretary in July 2019 and played a major role in merging 10 public sector banks into four.

FACTFILE – Election Commissioners of India

  • Election Commissioners of India are members of Election Commission of India, a body constitutionally empowered to conduct free and fair elections in India to the national and state legislatures.
  • Until 1989, the commission was a single member body, but later two additional Election Commissioners were added. Thus, the Election Commission currently consists of a Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners.
  • The decisions of the commission are taken by a majority vote.
  • Sunil Arora is the current 23rd Chief Election Commissioner and the two Election Commissioners are Rajiv Kumar and Sushil Chandra.
National Sports Awards 2020

Union Government has announced the National Sports Awards for the year 2020.

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award

  • Cricketer Rohit Sharma, Para-Athlete Mariyappan Thangavelu, Table Tennis player Manika Batra, Wrestler Vinesh Phogat and Indian Women’s Hockey team captain Rani Rampal will receive the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.

Arjuna Award

  • 27 sportspersons have been selected for the Arjuna Award for their outstanding performance for four years. Archer Atanu Das, Athlete Dutee Chand, Shuttlers Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy and Chirag C Shetty, Basketball player Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, Boxers Subedar Manish Kaushik and Lovlina Borgohain, Cricketer Ishant Sharma and Deepti Sharma, Equestrian player Sawant Ajay Anant, Footballer Sandesh Jhingan, Golfer Aditi Ashok, Hockey players Akashdeep Singh and Deepika, Kabaddi player Deepak, Kho Kho player Kale Sarika Sudhakar, Rower Dattu Baban Bhokanal, Shooter Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary, Table Tennis player Madhurika Suhas Patkar, Tennis player Divij Sharan, Winter Sports player Shiva Keshavan, Wrestlers Divya Kakran and Rahul Aware, Para Swimmer Suyash Narayan Jadhav, Para Athlete Sandeep and Para Shooter Manish Narwal. 

 Dronacharya (Life-Time) Award

  • Dronacharya (Life-Time) Award will be given to Dharmendra Tiwary for Archery, Purushotham Rai for Athletics, Shiv Singh for Boxing, Romesh Pathania for Hockey, Krishan Kumar Hooda for Kabaddi, Vijay Bhalchandra Munishwar for Para Powerlifting, Naresh Kumar for Tennis and Om Parkash Dahiya for Wrestling.

Dronacharya Award – Regular Category

  • In Regular Category, Dronacharya Award will be given to Jude Felix Sebastian for Hockey, Yogesh Malviya for Mallakhamb, Jaspal Rana for Shooting, Kuldeep Kumar Handoo for Wushu and Gaurav Khanna for Para Badminton.

Dhyan Chand Award

  • Dhyan Chand Award will be given to Kuldip Singh Bhullar and Jincy Philips for Athletics, Pradeep Shrikrishna Gandhe and Trupti Murgunde for Badminton, N. Usha and Lakha Singh for Boxing, Sukhvinder Singh Sandhu for Football, Ajit Singh for Hockey, Manpreet Singh for Kabaddi, J. Ranjith Kumar for Para Athletics, Satyaprakash Tiwari for Para Badminton, Manjeet Singh for Rowing, Nandan P Bal for Tennis,  and Netarpal Hooda for Wrestling. Late Sachin Nag will be confered the award for swimming.

Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award

  • Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award will be given to Anita Devi,  Col. Sarfraz Singh, Taka Tamut, Narender Singh and Keval Hiren Kakka in Land Adventure category. Satendra Singh will get the award in Water Adventure categoty and  Gajanand Yadava will get it in the Air Adventure category.  Late Magan Bissa will be confered the award in Life Time Achievement category.

Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar

  • Lakshya Institute and Army Sports Institute will be honoured with Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar for identification and nurturing of budding and young Talent.
Indian Govt issues ‘rules of origin’ guidelines for imports under trade pacts
  • The Union government has come up with guidelines for the enforcement of the ‘rules of origin’ for imports under trade agreements. The Customs (Administration of Rules of Origin under Trade Agreements) Rules, 2020 (CAROTAR) will come into effect on September 21, 2020.
  • The Department of Revenue noted that the ‘Rules of Origin’, by virtue of which a good attains origin of a country, have evolved with subsequent reviews of trade agreements and most trade agreements have moved from single general rule to specific rule for most of the tariff lines, with inclusion of vast array of processes which can confer origin.
  • The CAROTAR, 2020 has provided a form, containing a list of basic minimum information which an importer is required to obtain while importing goods under claim of preferential rate of duty.
IIT-Bombay awards degrees to student avatars, world’s first institute to do so
  • The IIT-Bombay held its 58th Convocation in which the personalized ‘avatars’ of students were awarded degrees from the ‘virtual figure’ of the Director Suhasis Chaudhari. It is the first instance in the world.
  • The Chief Guest of the prestigious virtual convocation was Prof Duncan Haldane, the Co-recipient of the 2016 Nobel Prize for Physics, and Stephen Schwarzman, Chairman and Co-Founder of Blackstone was the guest of honour.
  • Subhasis Chaudhuri also presented the IIT-Bombay’s annual report for 2019-2020, while Prof. Haldane and Schwarzman addressed the students.

Test Series for Junior Admin Asst (Assam Secretariat) 2020

August 25, 2020

India’s longest river ropeway inaugurated in Guwahati
  • Assam Ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma and Siddhartha Bhattacharya inaugurated the Guwahati Ropeway over Brahmaputra river, which is India’s longest river ropeway.
  • The ropeway project connects northern and southern banks of the Brahmaputra river and will take about seven minutes to take passengers across the river from North Guwahati to Guwahati.
  • The ropeway is 2km long and each carriage will be able to carry 32 passengers at a time.
  • The entire project has been built at an estimated cost of Rs 56 crore. The cable car cabins for this project have been imported from Switzerland.
Indo-Bangladesh inland waterway route trial-run on to begin in September 2020
  • The trial run in the Sonamura-Daudkandi inland waterways protocol route will start in the first week of September 2020.
  • Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority has given permission for trial run of voyage from Daundkandi (Cumilla) to Sonamura via river Gomati. The Gomti river was chosen for having sufficient water for movement of boats and small ships.
  • During the trial run, 50 MT cement will be transported in a barge from Dhaka to Sonamura. This is for the first time in history that any kind of goods will be reaching Tripura by ship.
  • The Sonamura-Daudkandi route was included in the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route that was signed by both High Commissioner of India in Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das and shipping secretary of Bangladesh Mohammad Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury at Dhaka in May month.
Nitin Gadkari calls for adoption of green fuel for public transport
  • Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways has called for adopting advanced public transport models, based on green energy such as biofuel, electricity and CNG.
  • Most of the State Road Transport Undertakings (SRTUs) are incurring huge expenditure on conventional fuels which are expensive and called for moving over to biofuels, CNG and electricity as transportation fuel. India is spending huge amounts on import of crude oil/hydrocarbons, which needs to be reduced.
  • As an example of successful workability of the use of biofuels and other greener fuels, Nagpur has started to convert 450 buses into biofuel-run vehicles and as many as 90 buses have already been converted so far.
  • Union Minister called for adopting the ‘London Bus model’ harnessing utilisation of private capital for better public transport and suggested that adopting double-decker buses by the operators will also improve the efficiency of public transport.
Tech Mahindra joins Niti Aayog to support women entrepreneurs
  • Indian IT major Tech Mahindra announced a partnership with NITI Aayog to empower women entrepreneurs in the country.
  • Tech Mahindra will provide mentorship, co-create solutions leveraging new-age technologies and support in partnership with the panel’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP).
  • Tech Mahindra and WEP will jointly focus on breeding new ideas, identifying gaps and providing technological prowess to develop innovative solutions for better positioning in the market and commercial success.
  • Tech Mahindra’s lab will support women entrepreneurs through joint research, building go-to-market strategies to drive their growth and by leveraging next-generation technologies to develop cutting-edge solutions.

 FACTFILE – Tech Mahindra Limited

  • Tech Mahindra Limited is an Indian multinational technology company, providing information technology (IT) and business process outsourcing (BPO) services.
  • It is a subsidiary of the Mahindra Group, the company is headquartered in Pune.
  • The company was ranked 5th in India’s IT firms and overall 47th in Fortune India 500 list for 2019.
Indian researchers develop eco-friendly lithium batteries
  • Researchers from Shiv Nadar University in Greater Noida and Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay have created environment-friendly lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries.
  • This innovation will aid the production of cost-effective, compact, energy-efficient, safe and environment-friendly Li-S batteries, offering a viable alternative to the lithium-ion batteries being used presently.
  • The Li-S battery technology has the potential to aid multi-billion dollar industries, including tech gadgets, drones, electric vehicles (EV), etc, that depend on such batteries.
Arjun Munda e-inaugurates ‘Tribes India Showroom’ in Mumbai
  • Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda e-inaugurated a ‘Tribes India Showroom’ in Indian Globe Chambers, Mumbai.
  • In a bid to boost sales and enhance tribal income in these challenging times, Tribes India on Wheels – mobile vans stacked fully with Van Dhan natural produce, immunity boosters and other tribal products – has now been launched.
  • These will take these products directly to the customer’s doorstep in 150 cities across the country.
  • In a solid push to the existing infrastructure, two production centres for Minor Forest Produce processing as a part of the TRIFOOD project, in association with MoFPI and NSTFDC are being set-up in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, and Raigad, Maharashtra – giving many thousands of tribals employment opportunities.

August 2020 Current Affairs Monthly PDF  |  Assam 2020 Yearbook  | July 2020 Quiz Monthly PDF

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August 26, 2020

Serological survey for COVID19 launched in Assam
  • The first serological survey in Assam was launched by the minister of state for health, Pijush Hazarika, in a bid to assess whether people have developed immunity to COVID19 or not.
  • The serological survey involves testing of the blood serum of individuals to check for the prevalence of antibodies against an infection.
  • The survey, titled ‘Assessment of Anti- SARSCoV2 Seroprevalence in Habitants of Assam: A population-based cross-sectional study’, is an initiative of an NGO in partnership with a diagnostics solutions provider.
  • Hazarika lauded the efforts of Padmapani Bora, an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer from Assam.
  • Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has advised states to conduct sero survey to measure COVID19 exposure among people using IgG Elisa Test (antibody test).
  • It can reveal insights into the immunity against COVID19 by detecting the presence of specific antibodies against COVID19.
  • National Health Mission, Assam has directed all deputy commissioners of the districts in the state to support the study.
E-auction portal to boost trade of GI tagged ‘Kashmir Saffron’
  • To promote trading of GI tagged ‘Kashmir Saffron’ the Department of Agriculture under the aegis of India International Kashmir Saffron Trading Centre (IIKSTC) has created a PAN India e-Auction portal in collaboration with NSE-IT.
  • The saffron growers of Kashmir valley and buyers across India have been requested to register themselves as “SELLERS and BUYERS for E- Trading on the e-Auction portal www.saffroneauctionindia.com, so that hassle free e-Trading between registered Growers and registered Buyers is ensured.

FACTFILE – Saffron 

  • Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the “saffron crocus”.
  • It is believed that saffron originated in Iran. Iran produces some 90% of the world total for saffron.
  • Saffron has long been the world’s most costly spice by weight, at US $5,000 per kg or higher.
Kerala’s first-ever Dragonfly Festival
  • WWF-India Kerala State Office is joining hands with the Society for Odonate Studies (SOS) and Thumbipuranam for the first-ever state Dragonfly Festival in Kerala, christened Thumbi Maholsavam 2020.
  • It is a part of the National Dragonfly Festival organised by WWF India, Bombay Natural History Society and Indian Dragonfly Society in association with National Biodiversity Board, UN Environmental Programme, UN Development Programme and IUCN-CEC.
Tamil Nadu women top the list of MUDRA loan scheme beneficiaries
  • Over 15 crore loans amounting to ₹78-lakh-crore have been disbursed to women borrowers since the inception of the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) with Tamil Nadu topping the list in availing the loan followed by women in West Bengal and Karnataka.
  • By March 31, 2020, women in Tamil Nadu had availed ₹58,227 crore loan from the scheme followed by West Bengal ₹55,232 crore, Karnataka ₹47,714 crore, Bihar ₹44,879 crore and Maharashtra ₹42,000 crore loan.
  • Loans under this scheme are extended to eligible borrowers for manufacturing, processing, trading, services, and activities allied to agriculture, which help in creating income-generating activities and employment.

FACTFILE – Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY)

  • Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY) is a scheme launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on April 8, 2015 for providing loans upto ₹10 lakh to the non-corporate, non-farm small/micro enterprises.
  • These loans are classified as MUDRA loans under PMMY. These loans are given by Commercial Banks, RRBs, Small Finance Banks, Cooperative Banks, MFIs and NBFCs.
  • The borrower can approach any of the lending institutions mentioned above or can apply online through this portal.
  • Under the aegis of PMMY, MUDRA has created three products namely ‘Shishu’, ‘Kishore’ and ‘Tarun’ to signify the stage of growth / development and funding needs of the beneficiary micro unit / entrepreneur and also provide a reference point for the next phase of graduation / growth.

August 27, 2020

AAI launches Krishi-Udan Scheme for marketing of Northeast farm produce
  • The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has launched the Krishi-Udan Scheme To facilitate the marketing of agricultural and farm products of the northeastern states outside the region.
  • Under the Scheme, the services have been started in the region and it is aimed to benefit the local farmers and villagers whose products have higher value outside the region.
  • The first domestic dedicated freighter of budget carrier SpiceJet from Kolkata bringing 5,800 kgs of air cargo landed at the Lengpui Airport in Mizoram capital Aizawl. In return, outgoing cargo flight from Mizoram, different types of local products such as orange, lemon, banana, ginger, pineapple and cut flowers were carried to Kolkata.

FACTFILE – Airports in Northeast India

  • There are 12 airports in the northeast – Guwahati, Silchar, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Tezpur, Tezu and Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh), Agartala (Tripura), Imphal (Manipur), Shillong (Meghalaya), Dimapur (Nagaland) and Lengpui (Mizoram).
  • Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport is the 11th busiest airport in India, by passenger traffic, aircraft movement and cargo handled for fiscal year 2019-20.
  • At 34th position is Agartala Airport, at 39th position is Imphal Airport and at 48th position is Dibrugarh Airport.
Neelakantha Bhanu Prakash is world’s fastest human calculator
  • Neelakanta Bhanu Prakash, 21, from Hyderabad, has been declared the world’s fastest human calculator after bagging India’s first-ever gold in the Mental Calculation World Championship at the Mind Sport Olympiad in London.
  • Neelakanta Bhanu Prakash, now a graduate of Mathematics from St Stephen’s College, realised early on that he had a natural tenacity for numbers.
  • He also has four world records and 50 Limca Book of Records.
  • Another Indian Aaryan Shukla taking the bronze medal in the junior category.
Russia’s Rosatom to make Nuclear-Fuel for India’s VVER-1000 Reactors
  • Russia’s integrated nuclear power player ‘Rosatom’ will make uranium-plutonium REMIX fuel matrix for India’s VVER-1000 reactors. The remix fuel will be made at the site of the Siberian Chemical Combine (SCC) — part of TVEL Fuel Company, a group company.
  • India has two functional VVER-1000 reactors and two more under construction at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu. Two more VVER-1000 units 5 and 6 will also come up at Kudankulam.

FACTFILE – Water-water energetic reactor (WWER) or VVER

  • VVER is a series of pressurized water reactor designs originally developed in the Soviet Union, and now Russia, by OKB Gidropress.
  • The idea of a reactor was proposed at the Kurchatov Institute by Savely Moiseevich Feinberg.
  • These were originally developed before the 1970s, and have been continually updated. As a result, the name VVER is associated with a wide variety of reactor designs spanning from generation I reactors to modern generation III+ reactor designs.
  • Power output ranges from 70 to 1300 MWe, with designs of up to 1700 MWe in development. The first prototype VVER-210 was built at the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant.
  • VVER power stations have been mostly installed in Russia and the former Soviet Union, but also in China, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, India, and Iran.
West Bengal launches ‘Krishak Bondhu’ welfare scheme for farmers
  • West BengalChief Minister Mamata Banerjee introduced a welfare scheme, ‘Krishak Bondhu’, for the farmers, which would support them in carrying out agricultural activities.
  • Most of the agricultural fields have gone under water due to the flood like situation. The distressed farmers should be incorporated in the 100-day work schemes immediately.
  • All the district administrators must ensure that rain water is pumped out of the agricultural fields so that farmers can resume cultivation in their respective lands.
  • Relief funds should be disbursed soon to those who have been affected in Cyclone Amphan.

August 2020 Current Affairs Monthly PDF  |  Assam 2020 Yearbook  | July 2020 Quiz Monthly PDF

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August 28, 2020

Assam to invest Rs 900 crore to set up skill development varsity
  • The Assam government decided to set up a Skill Development University at Mangaldoi with an investment of Rs 900 crore. The state cabinet has approved the Assam Skill Development University Bill which would facilitate the setting up of the university, first of its kind in the northeastern region.
  • The Assam Government has tied up with Singapore based ITE Education Service, for setting up of the Skill Development University.
  • Around 100 bigha land (16 hectares) would be allotted at Mangaldoi in northern Assam to set up the varsity.
Piyush Goyal launches national GIS-enabled land bank system
  • Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal launched the national GIS-enabled land bank system, which will help investors to get real-time information about the availability of industrial land and resources.
  • The prototype system is being developed by integrating the Industrial Information System (IIS) with state GIS (Geographic Information System). And will be developed further with inputs from states to make it an effective and transparent mechanism for land identification as well as procurement.
  • The IIS portal is a GIS-enabled database of industrial areas/clusters across the states. Around 3,300 industrial parks across 31 states/UTs covering about 4,75,000 hectare land have been mapped on the system.
  • The information available includes forest, drainage; raw material heat maps (agricultural, horticulture, mineral layers); multiple layers of connectivity.
Marieke Lucas Rijneveld becomes the youngest winner of International Booker Prize 2020
  • Dutch author Marieke Lucas Rijneveld won the 2020 International Booker prize together with their translator Michele Hutchison for the debut novel The Discomfort of Evening, a story of childhood grief.
  • At 29 year of age, Rijneveld is the youngest author to win the prestigious prize.
  • Rijneveld is the first Dutch author to win the prize and only the third Dutch author to be nominated, after Tommy Wieringa and Harry Mulisch.
  • Rijneveld’s book was a bestseller in Netherlands when it was published in 2018.
  • It is based on the story a 10-year-old girl named Jas, whose brother dies in an ice-skating accident and the family’s subsequent struggle with grief.
Delhi Govt launched ‘Healthy Body, Healthy Mind’ fitness campaign
  • The Delhi government launched ”Healthy Body, Healthy Mind” campaign for students confined to their homes as schools remain closed in view of coronavirus pandemic.
  • State Govt has started a YouTube channel on which every Wednesday, a video will be uploaded which the students can practice for the week to maintain fitness and make up for the loss of physical activity during the pandemic.
  • An online Entrepreneurial Mindset (EMC) Bootcamp organised by the government to inculcate entrepreneurial abilities among the students.

 

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Assam Current Affairs – August 15-21, 2020

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Assam Current Affairs & GK – August 15-21, 2020

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of August 15-21, 2020)

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August 15, 2020

Arunachal Pradesh CM launches “Challenge Entrepreneurship Programme” to boost economy
  • Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu launched the “Arunachal Pradesh Challenge Entrepreneurship Programme” to boost entrepreneurship among the people and to set up more industrial units in the state.
  • State government’s scheme “Chief Minister Comprehensive Roads Plan 2019 to 2024” would strengthen and broaden the road infrastructure in the state.
Itanagar selected for implementation of Central Govt’s Urban Forest scheme
  • Arunachal Pradesh capital Itanagar has been selected for implementation of the ‘Nagar Van’ or Urban Forest scheme by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (EFCC).
  • The ‘Nagar Van’ is a scheme being launched by the Union EFCC Ministry that envisages creating forests in 200 urban cities across the country on public-private-partnership basis. The Ministry would offer an initial grant of Rs 2 crore for fencing, maintenance and administrative costs of the earmarked land to be developed.
  • There are only two urban cities in the state – Itanagar and Pasighat – the state capital has been selected for implementation of the scheme this year.
Meghalaya CM launches ‘Restart Meghalaya Mission’ to revive State’s economy
  • A ‘Restart Meghalaya Mission’ was launched by chief minister Conrad K Sangma on the Independence Day, to revive the State economy, which has been hit hard due to COVID-19 pandemic.
  • This mission comprises a series of programs to support our farmers, and entrepreneurs and to build growth promoting basic infrastructure and services.
  • The Mission was based on the recommendations of the Chief Minister’s Task Force on the Economy on short, medium and long term measures for reviving the State economy, which has been hit hard due to the pandemic.
  • An amount of Rs 14,515 crore to be spent over the next three years for the Mission was also announced, out of which, Rs 7,839 crore has been earmarked for this year 2020-21.
  • Six programmes under Restart Meghalaya Mission’ include agriculture and its allied sectors, promotion of well-being and livelihoods in rural area, providing a one-time grant support of upto Rs. 10,000 for any new small business loans of upto Rs. 50,000 for small businesses and entrepreneurs under Chief Minister’s Support programme. Close to 50,000 people are dependent on tourism for sustenance and livelihood in Meghalaya.
PM Narendra Modi becomes longest-serving non-Congress Prime Minister
  • PM Narendra Modi on August 13, 2020 became the longest-serving non-Congress Prime Minister of India surpassing Atal Bihari Vajpayee and also became the fourth-longest serving Prime Minister of the country. Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Manmohan Singh are the three longest-serving Prime Ministers in that order.
  • The BJP in 2014 became the first party to win a majority in over three decades.
Jharkhand Govt unveils new emblem
  • Jharkhand Governor Draupdi Murmu unveiled the new emblem of the state in the presence of Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The new emblem reflects vision, renewed vigour and enthusiasm.
  • The new emblem has the Ashoka emblem enclosed within concentric circles, state tribal dance celebration motifs, the Palash flower also known as the flame of the forest and elephants.
  • The verdant green colour in the emblem symbolises the greenery of the state blessed with natural beauty and resources.
  • Elephants symbolise the state’s grand past, strength, and collective wisdom and resolve to move forward while the Palash flower also reflects the state’s natural beauty.
  • The blooming of the flower also indicates arrival of the spring season a harbinger of prosperity.
Centre to receive Rs 57,128 crore from RBI as Financial Year 2020 surplus
  • The Board of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the transfer of Rs 57,128 crore as surplus to the Central government for the accounting year 2019-20, while deciding to maintain the Contingency Risk Buffer at 5.5 per cent.
  • The Board reviewed the current economic situation, continued global and domestic challenges and the monetary, regulatory and other measures taken by the RBI to mitigate the economic impact of Covid-19 pandemic.
  • In the last fiscal, the RBI approved a Rs 1,76,000 crore dividend payment to the government.
  • The Reserve Bank decides on the amount of surplus or dividend transfer to the government based on its income during the period July 1 to June 30.
  • RBI earns via interest income on account of open market operations (OMOs), foreign exchange (FX) gains, and writing back of excess risk provisions. While its liabilities include issuance of notes and deposits held.

August 16, 2020 

  Hyderabad FC signs Assam’s Halicharan Narzary for Indian Super League
  • Start Footbal from Assam, Halicharan Narzary has been signed by Hyderabad FC for Indian Super League’s new season. The player has joined Hyderabad FC from Kerala Blasters.
  • The midfielder has penned a two-year deal with the Hyderabad FC till the end of the 2021-22 season. Narzary has played at the top level for seven teams in the last decade, with four of them in the Indian Super League (ISL).

BIOGRAPHY – Halicharan Narzary

  • Halicharan Narzary is from Kokrajhar in Assam.
  • So far he has made a total of 59 appearances in the competition.
  • Born in 1994, Narzary began his career in 2010 with AIFF’s developmental side Indian Arrows which plied trade in the I-League.
  • He joined NorthEast for ISL’s third season in 2016 before turning out for I-League side Shivajians FC a year later.
Manipur to set up 1st Medicinal and Aromatic Plant hub
  • First Medicinal and Aromatic Plant (MAP) Hub will be set up at Sunushiphai area in Manipur’s Bishnupur District.
  • State Health & Family Welfare Minister L Jayantakumar Singh led officials team have visited the proposed site of the MAP hub at Langjingmanbi Forest Reserve of Sunushiphai in Bishnupur district recently.
  • Manipur State Medicinal Plant Board, MSMPB, will ink an Memorandum of Understanding with the LYS Agency Private Ltd. Kwakeithel, Imphal West District, to start the project.
  • The project will consist of a Distillation Unit, Processing unit and a catchment area of 5 acres of land to grow different varieties of aromatic and medicinal plants of high value.
PM Modi’s 10 major announcements on India’s Independence Day
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi made 10 major announcements on the occasion of Independence Day from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Delhi.
  • PM announced the launch of the National Digital Health Mission scheme to revolutionise India’s health sector.
  • This scheme will give health cards to every Indian, with immediate effect. Every Indian will be provided a health card. All test, disease, medicines that were prescribed including information of doctor, date of medication, medical reports will be contained in this one health card.
  • Prime Minister Modi also informed of new National Cyber Security strategy has been prepared in the country, to counter the security threats and in cyber world.
  • PM also said that three vaccines for the coronavirus are currently in the testing phase. After approval from the scientists, the stage is set for mass production of these vaccines in the country.
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) will be expanded, to be ensured across 173 border and coastal districts of the country. Nearly 1 lakh new NCC cadets will be given special training under this campaign.
  • Selected Island, including Lakshadweep will also be connected by submarine optical fibre cable. Work is underway to introduce new development schemes in selected islands.
  • Every village will be connected with optical fibres to provide Internet facility. All villages in India will be connected in the coming 1,000 days.
  • PM Modi announced Project Lion for conservation of Asiatic Lions and Project Dolphin for the conservation of dolphins.
  • To revolutionise the infrastructure in India, a plan has been prepared to connect whole India with Multi-model Connectivity Infrastructure. Investment of more than Rs 100 lakh crore is required for this purpose. Nearly 7,000 projects in different sectors have been identified.
  • PM stressed on strengthening and expanding relations with the neighbouring countries. India’s neighbouring countries are to be linked with the partnership of security, development and trust.
  • PM Modi announced a plan to eradicate pollution from the cities. A special campaign with a holistic approach is also being undertaken to reduce pollution in 100 selected cities.
Himachal CM bestows civil services award to Rural Devt Director Lalit Jain
  • Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur awarded the prestigious civil services award to Lalit Jain, Director, Rural Development and Panchayats, for his work for the self-help groups.
  • Lalit Jain is a 2011 batch IAS officer who started his stint in Himachal Pradesh as Block Development Officer in Paragpur. He started a number of self-help groups to make pickles.
  • As Deputy Commissioner of Sirmaur, he got a chance to work and improve the lives of the rural womenfolk. He started the pattal project for livelihood promotion among the women that became a huge success as pattals made by the women were used in the Janmanch programme.
  • As the Director of Rural Development, Jain also continued with his focus on rural women through the state rural liveihood mission, the impact of which could be seen during the lockdown when women started making masks, PPE kits and sanitisers in various parts of the state.

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August 17, 2020

Assam boxer Lovlina Borgohain awarded Arjuna Award
  • Cricketer Rohit Sharma along with four others – para-athlete Mariappan Thangavelu, table tennis champion Manika Batra, wrestler Vinesh Phogat and hockey player Rani Rampal have been selected for India’s highest sporting award – The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.
  • Assam boxer Lovlina Borgohain awarded Arjuna Award along with 26 other sportspersons. Lovlina is the first woman from Assam to qualify for the Olympics.
  • She is thesecond boxer from the state to represent the country at the Olympics, only after Shiva Thapa.
  • Lovlina won a gold medal at the 1st India Open International Boxing Tournament held in New Delhi and a silver medal at the 2nd India Open International Boxing Tournament held in Guwahati. She has won a bronze medal at the 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships held in Ulan-Ude, Russia.
  • Before Rohit, only three more Indian cricketers – Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli have received India’s highest sporting honour.

The selected sportspersons will receive the awards on August 29, the National Sports Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand.

Arunachal Pradesh CM launches Arunachal Pradesh Challenge Entrepreneurship Programme to boost economy
  • On the occasion of the 74th Independence Day, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu launched the “Arunachal Pradesh Challenge Entrepreneurship Programme” to boost entrepreneurship among the people and to set up more industrial units in the state.
  • CM Khandu said the state government’s scheme “Chief Minister Comprehensive Roads Plan 2019 to 2024” would strengthen and broaden the road infrastructure in the state.
IISc scientists ‘make’ space bricks for lunar habitation
  • Research teams from the premier Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore and the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have developed a process to make bricks on the moon for habitation.
  • The process involves extracting lunar soil and using bacteria and guar beans to harden it (soil) into brick-like structures for habitation on the moon.
  • The making of space bricks brings biology and mechanical engineering together and using them to assemble structure for habitation on the moon’s surface.
  • As guar gum is used instead of cement for structures, space bricks will also lower carbon footprint in the lunar atmosphere.
  • Since micro-organisms produce minerals through metabolism, one bacterium called ‘sporosarcina pasteurii’ can be used to form calcium carbonate crystals through a metabolic pathway called the ureolytic cycle.
  • The Indian space agency launched two unmanned missions to the moon in 2008 and 2019 as part of its inter-planetary exploration to study the earth’s natural satellite.
Port land may be used for ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ projects
  • The government proposes to use vast stretches of land with Indian ports to set up manufacturing facilities under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ mission.
  • Major ports of India have over 1 lakh hectares of land, vast stretches of which can be used for development of industrial clusters.
  • Ministry of Shipping is evaluating surplus land with about a dozen major ports in India to evaluate whether it can be used for developing industrial clusters in these areas.
  • Across the world, land near ports is used for building industrial infrastructure that meet both domestic needs and export requirements. Port-led development model should not only help India build capacities for self reliance but also service a vast export market.

August 18, 2020

Author Mousumi Kalita Sachdeva wins Gujarat Sahitya Academy award
  • Delhi-based Assam author Mousumi Kalita Sachdeva was among the 350 writers from 80 countries was awarded the Gujarat Sahitya Academy Award on the occasion of 74th Independence Day.
  • The award was given by Gujarat Sahitya Academy in collaboration with the global Literature Forum Motivational Strips.
Nagaland launches “YellowChain” centralized e-commerce platform
  • Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio launched the Yellow Chain, a single window e-commerce platform developed to promote local business and entrepreneurship in the State.
  • Yellowchain is a single window e-commerce platform developed by Investment & Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN) to promote local business and entrepreneurship by creating opportunity and environment for small time retailers and aspiring entrepreneurs to expand their scope of business opportunities.
  • Yellowchain is a dynamic, user friendly, easy to use interface designed to create a link between Entrepreneurs, retailers and Service Providers with the Citizens by providing integrated services on a wide range of economic activities.
Tripura’s COVID19 death rate is highest in Northeast
  • Tripura’s COVID19 death rate is 0.83% which is the highest among the Northeast states. Till now, Tripura has registered a total of 7,409 COVID19 positive cases and the number of deaths due to COVID19 infections in Tripura was 62.
  • In Assam, the COVID19 death rate is 0.24% despite registering the highest number of positive cases in Northeast. Mizoram has zero death till now.
  • Arunachal Pradesh’s death rate is 0.18% where 5 persons have died out of total 2,741 positive patients. The death rate in Manipur is 0.36% where 17 patients have died out of a total of 4,687 positive cases.
  • In Meghalaya, death rate is 0.42% where 6 positive patients have died out of a total of 1,418 cases. Nagaland’s death rate is 0.23% where 8 patients have died out of a total of 3,455 cases.
  • In Sikkim, death rate is 0.084% where only one person has died out of 1,187 positive patients.
WWF (India) hosts Dragonfly Festival 2020 to underline need for conservation
  • The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF India), in collaboration with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), launched Dragonfly Festival, 2020. The festival dedicated to dragonflies aims to create awareness for the conservation of these insects.
  • The Festival, started in 2018, the festival focuses on creating a connection between the common man and the insects.
  • In 2018, a dragonfly count was conducted by WWF India and BNHS and a total of 27 species were recorded in Delhi, five of which were rare sightings.
  • The year-long festival will include a number of fun wildlife activities involving sessions with dragonfly experts, interactive webinars, prize winning competitions on photography, art, storytelling, quizzes, and other activities like citizen science projects on backyard counts, exploring the dragonflies across India and documenting their unique behaviour.
Central Govt extends Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme for NBFCs with more flexibility
  • The Central government has extended the Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme 2.0 (PCGS) for non-banking financial companies (NBFC) by three months and has allowed more flexibility to build up the portfolio.
  • Central govt has decided that the ‘AA’ and ‘AA-‘ investment sub-portfolio under the scheme should not exceed 50 per cent, instead of the 25 per cent stipulated earlier, of the total portfolio of bonds or commercial papers purchased by public sector banks under the scheme.
  • The PCGS 2.0, launched under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat economic package aimed to provide portfolio guarantee for purchase of bonds or commercial papers (CPs) with a rating of AA and below issued by NBFCs, HFCs and MFIs by public sector banks.
  • PSBs have approved purchase of securities rated ‘AA/AA-‘ issued by 28 entities and securities rated below ‘AA-‘ issued by 62 entities, amounting to Rs 21,262 crore overall.
China grants 1st patent to indigenously developed Covid vaccine
  • China has granted the first invention patent to a Covid-19 vaccine co-developed by biopharmaceutical firm CanSino Biologics Inc in the country.
  • The vaccine is a recombinant adenovirus vaccine named Ad5-nCoV co-developed by CanSino with a team led by Chinese military infectious disease expert Chen Wei.
  • Cansino applied for a patent with the National Intellectual Property Administration on March 18, 2020, three days after they launched phase one clinical trials on the candidate and received approval on August 11, 2020.
  • CanSino has signed deals with Mexico to conduct late-stage clinical trials for Covid-19 vaccines CanSino has also reportedly been in talks with Russia, Brazil and Chile to launch a Phase III trial on Ad5-nCOV.
UK launches Rs 29 crore fund to support scientists in India
  • The UK government launched a 3 million pounds innovation challenge fund to support scientists in academia and industry to tackle Covid-19 and the threat to our environment.
  • The initiative builds on the Indian and British Prime Ministers’ commitment to bring together the best minds from both countries under the UK-India Tech Partnership, to deliver high-skilled jobs and economic growth as well as to collaborate on some of the world’s biggest challenges.
  • The 3-million pounds fund invites tech innovators with connections to the Artificial Intelligence-Data cluster in Karnataka and the Future Mobility cluster in Maharashtra to submit research and development proposals for tackling Covid-19 or which promote a greener planet. These grants are part of a wider initiative under the Tech Partnership known as “Tech Clusters”.
  • The Indian and British Prime Ministers announced the formal creation of the UK-India Tech Partnership in April 2018.
Ministry Of AYUSH launches awareness campaign to boost immunity
  • The Ministry of AYUSH launched a three-month campaign called “Ayush for Immunity”, aimed at increasing awareness about affordable and easy practices that can be adopted for enhancing immunity and preventing any disease.
  • Ministry of AYUSH Secretary Rajesh Kotecha elaborated on the theme of the event, which is accessible and affordable health for all, through Ayush solutions.
  • There is a need for a behavioural change in people towards immunity enhancing steps, and highlighted the evidences which have established the positive role of traditional medicines and practices in enhancing immunity.
  • A key objective of the event was to acquaint the people with valuable information about strengths of various Ayush-based solutions for enhancing immunity and preventing diseases.
Youth and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju launches nation-wide initiative of Fit India Youth Clubs
  • Union Minister of Youth and Sports Kiren Rijiju launched a nation-wide initiative of Fit India Youth Clubs to promote fitness among every citizen on the occasion of Independence Day.
  • The Fit India Youth Club which is a part of the Fit India Movement, endeavours to harness the power of youth to create mass awareness about the importance of fitness.
  • Under this initiative, 75 lakh volunteers of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan and National Service Scheme, along with Scouts and Guides, National Cadet Corps and other youth organizations will come together to register as Fit India Youth Clubs in every block in the country, under the aegis of a district unit.
  • The clubs will organize and encourage schools and local bodies to organize one community fitness programme every quarter.

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August 19, 2020 

E-lab at Assam Agricultural University in collaboration with European Commission agency
  • Assam Agricultural UniversityVice Chancellor Ashok Kumar Bhattacharyya inaugurated e-lab, an e-learning facility at the university in Jorhat.
  • The e-learning facility under AdaptNET programme was opened at the DBT- North East Centre for Agricultural Biotechnology (DBT-NECAB).

The DBT-North East Centre for Agricultural Biotechnology (DBT-NECAB)

  • DBT-NECAB operates through AAU, established the e-learning laboratory as part of the AdaptNET-ERASMUS+ project, funded by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) of the European Commission.

AdaptNET

  • AdaptNET has a partnership between four higher educational institutions in India and four institutes in Europe.
  • It is a mission of “Strengthening education, research and innovation for climate smart crops in India”.
  • 29 scientists from India were sent on a training to three European and one Indian institute to strengthen their competencies in climate smart agriculture and serve as ‘master trainers’ in the e-labs.
Satya Pal Malik appointed as Governor of Meghalaya
  • President of India Ram Nath Kovind has appointed Satya Pal Malik as the Governor of Meghalaya.
  • Before that Malik was the Governor of Goa from November 2020 and Governor of Jammu & Kashmir from August 2018 to October 2019.
Mysuru zoo received 3 cheetahs from South Africa
  • Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Garden in Mysuru, Karnataka, got three cheetahs from South Africa’s Ann Van Dyke Cheetah centre under an animal exchange programme.
  • The three cheetahs, including one male and two female African hunting cats and aged 14-16 months arrived after they were flown to Bengaluru from Johannesburg in an air freight carrier under the international animal exchange programme.
  • The three cheetahs are kept in an enclosure under quarantine till they get acclimatized and adopt themselves to the Indian weather conditions.

FACTFILE – Mysore Zoo (Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens

  • It is one of the oldest and most popular zoos in India, and is home to a whopping 1,450 species, including 168 from 25 countries the world over.
  • The 128-year-old zoo, set up by then Mysore Maharaja Chamarajendra Wodeyar in 1892, is spread over 175 acres on the Musuru city’s outskirts.
  • The zoo has recently exchanged animals with its counterparts in Czech Republic, Singapore and Sri Lanka.
IISc Prof Biman Bagchi bags Joel Henry Hildebrand Award award
  • Indian Institute Science (IISc) Bangalore Professor Biman Bagchi has been selected as the 2021 recipient of the Joel Henry Hildebrand Award in theoretical and experimental chemistry of liquids, sponsored by ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company.
  • The American Chemic Society (ACS) national awards programme is designed to encourage the advancement of chemistry in all its branches and to support research in chemical science and industry.

BIOGRAPHY – Prof Biman Bagchi

  • Prof Biman Bagchi is biophysical chemist, theoretical chemist and an Amrut Mody Professor at the solid state and structural chemistry lab in IISc.
  • A chemistry graduate from Kolkata’s Presidency College in 1974, Bagchi obtained master’s degree in chemistry from Calcutta University in 1976 and went to the US where he did PhD from Brown University, Rhode Island in 1980.

FACTFILE – Joel Henry Hildebrand Award in the Theoretical and Experimental Chemistry of Liquids

  • Research and Engineering Purpose: To recognize distinguished contributions to the understanding of the chemistry and physics of liquids
  • The award consists of $5,000 and a certificate. Up to $1,000 in travel expenses to the meeting at which the award will be presented will be reimbursed.
  • The award will be granted regardless of race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, presence of disabilities, and educational background.
  • The award was established in 1980 in recognition of the scientific contributions of ACS Past President Joel H. Hildebrand. The ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co. has sponsored the award since 1992.
ADB approved a $1 billion funding for Delhi–Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System project 
  • The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $1.049 billion funding for the 82 km long Delhi–Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System project being implemented by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC).
  • The approval of approximately Rs 7,500 crore funding package by the ADB for the high-speed, high-capacity Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS reflects upon the funding agency’s trust in the project that promises to transform regional mobility besides giving push to polycentric economic development across the region.
  • The loan will be used for financing civil works, tracks, station buildings, multi-modal hubs, maintenance depots, traction and power supply of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor.

FACTFILE – Delhi–Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System

  • Delhi–Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System is an 82 km long, under-construction, semi-high speed rail corridor connecting Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut. It is one of the three rapid-rail corridors planned under Phase-I of Regional Rapid Transport System (RRTS) project of National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC).
  • With maximum speed of 160 km/h, the distance between Delhi and Meerut will be covered in around 62 min.
  • The project will cost ₹30,274 crore and is expected to start operations by 2025.
  • RRTS is a first of its kind project in India and it will use many state-of-the-art technologies for the first time, including ETCS Level-2 signalling systems and ballastless tracks suitable for 180 kmph speed.
IIT Patna, Flipkart partner for joint research in AI and ML
  • Ecommerce major Flipkart has inked an agreement with IIT-Patna to help create industry-focused applied research in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI), natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML).
  • IIT-Patna will undertake a number of programmes such as joint research activities, writing research papers, organising seminars and internship/mentorship opportunities.
  • The academic collaboration is expected to bring real-world industry exposure to students and scholars of IIT-Patna, and to provide an opportunity to the faculty members to work closely with Flipkart on research projects.
  • The aim behind this collaboration is to create industry-focused applied research that could help reach e-commerce more consumers and sellers.

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August 20, 2020

Union Govt approves to lease out Guwahati Airport to Adani Enterprises
  • The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for leasing out Guwahati Airport, Jaipur Airport and Thiruvananthapuram Airport of Airports Authority of India (AAI) to the Adani Group.
  • The Union Cabinet accorded its approval for leasing of the three airports for Operation, Management and Development to M/s Adani Enterprises Ltd.
  • The Adani group was declared as the successful bidder in a global competitive bidding conducted by the Airports Authority of India for a period of 50 years.
  • Airport Authority of India (AAI) will get an upfront amount of Rs 1,070 crore from handing over the airports to the private developer. The amount will be used for developing airports in smaller airports.
  • The airports will be re-developed in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. Travellers will get better facilities and will also improve efficiency of airports.
  • About a decade ago, Airports Authority of India’s airports in Delhi and Mumbai were leased on PPP mode for Operation, Management and Development about.
Tripura celebrated the 112th birth anniversary of last king Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya
  • Tripura celebrated the 112th birth anniversary of Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya on august 12, 2020.
  • Maharaja Bir Bikram was the last king of Tripura. After his death at the age of 39, Tripura merged with Indian Territory in October, 1949.
  • State Govt had declared state holiday on the birthday of late Maharaja from last year.
  • King Bikram (1908-47), who had ruled the state from 1923 to May 17, 1947, had decided to merge the then princely state of Tripura with the Indian Union by issuing a royal edict on April 28, 1947, appointing Barrister Girija Shankar Guha as his domain’s representative in the Constituent Assembly.
Andhra Pradesh ties up with corporate majors to empower women
  • The Andhra Pradesh government is entering into stage 2 partnership, as part of the YSR Cheyutha scheme, with major corporate players such as Reliance Retail, Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited and Allana group in its efforts to empower women in the state.
  • The partnership aims to establish a productive business environment with end-to-end solutions comprising capital support, market linkages, skill enhancement, and technical support, thereby empowering women and ensuring sustainable income.
  • Reliance Retail will support this initiative by assisting women beneficiaries in setting up Jio Mart Kirana stores that are digitally equipped and function as online stores.
  • Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited will support the YSR Cheyutha initiative through an innovative connecting platform that will establish a direct linkage between the government and beneficiaries, enabling seamless implementation and monitoring.
  • Allana group will support the Cheyutha beneficiaries in rearing buffalo, sheep, and goats and providing technical support on livestock rearing practices.
  • YSR Cheyutha is a scheme that is specifically targeted towards the welfare of the women in the state. Financial assistance to the tune of Rs 18,750 will be given per beneficiary for the next four years to around 25 lakh women between the age group of 45-60 years, belonging to backward communities.
Cabinet approves National Recruitment Agency, single entrance exam for government jobs
  • The Union Cabinet approved setting up of a National Recruitment Agency (NRA) to carry out a national entrance exam for non-gazetted vacancies in both central government departments, and public sector banks. It will conduct a single entrance exam for tens of thousands of positions that the government advertises every year.
  • The current recruitment model comprises several exams by different recruitment agencies. However, UPSC will continue to deal with top administrative exams, including the coveted the civil services exams.
  • NRA will be a multi-agency body to encompass the first level test currently conducted by agencies like Staff Selection Commission (SSC), the Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) and the Institute of Banking Service Personnel (IBPS).
  • Other recruitment agencies in the central government would adopt the central eligibility test (CET). CET will work as a screening test, and based on the CET score level, final selection for recruitment shall be made through separate specialised tier one and tier two exams, which shall be conducted by the respective recruitment agencies.
Union Cabinet approves hike in fair price of sugarcane
  • The Union Cabinet approved a hike in the fair and remunerative price (FRP) of sugarcane by Rs 10 to Rs 285 per quintal, for upcoming crushing season 2020-21 (October-September).
  • The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave its assent to the proposal in this regard by the Department of Food under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, on the recommendation of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
  • The price has been fixed on the basis of a recovery rate of 10 per cent, while the farmers will get additional money at the rate of Rs 28.50 per quintal, if the recovery rate is one per cent higher, at 11 per cent.
Centre rolls out Credit Guarantee Scheme for MSMEs
  • The Union Ministry for MSMEs has launched the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Subordinate Debt for MSMEs, thereby operationalising the Rs 20,000 crore distressed assets fund.
  • The Ministry has issued guidelines for the scheme which was announced under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat economic package.
  • The scheme is applicable for those MSMEs whose accounts have been standard as of March 31, 2018 and have been in regular operations, either as standard accounts, or as NPA accounts during financial year 2018-19 and financial year 2019-20.
  • Promoter(s) of the MSME unit will be given credit equal to 15 per cent of his/her stake (equity plus debt) or Rs 75 lakh whichever is lower.

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August 21, 2020 

Lakhimpur bags title of Fastest Mover City in Northeast
  • Assam’s Lakhimpurhas won the Fastest Mover City Award under population up to 25,000 in the Northeast zone category in Swachh Survekshan survey 2020 conducted by Union Housing & Urban Affairs Ministry.
  • As per the survey, 4,324 urban local bodies (ULBs) have been declared ODF so far. A total of 1,319 cities have been certified ODF+ and 489 cities have been certified ODF++.
Tezpur University generates electricity from solar power
  • Tezpur University is prioritizing the use of renewable energy for generating electricity for its buildings and classrooms as a part of its sustainable campus initiatives.
  • The University considers five thematic areas i.e. energy, water, waste, natural ecosystems and sustainable building for its mission towards sustainable campus.
  • In order to develop Sustainable buildings (also known as green buildings), the University has installed 1000 kWp rooftop grid connected solar power plant under Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) scheme for government buildings under RESCO (Renewable Energy Service Company) mode and has effectively replaced 24% of the monthly electricity consumption of the University during October 2018-July 2020 period.
  • The University also reduces 1614 tons of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emission due to solar power generation during this period.
  • Tezpur University is the first Academic Institution to initiate the installation of MW Scale Rooftop Grid connected Solar PV power plant in the North Eastern Region of the country.
Indore remains India’s Cleanest city for the fourth time in Swachh Survekshan 2020
  • The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development announced the Swachh Survekshan awards, Indore city in Madhya Pradesh emerged as the cleanest city for the fourth time in a row in the category of more than one lakh population. Indore is followed by Surat city in Gujarat and Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra.
  • The Swachh Survekshan monitors the performance of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, launched in 2014. The survey was conducted in 4,242 cities, 62 cantonment boards and 92 Ganga towns.
  • In the category of less than one lakh population, Karad, Saswad and Lonavala cities in Maharashtra emerged victorious.
  • Ahmedabad in Gujarat ranked first in the cleanest mega city category, while Chhattisgarh’s Ambikapur secured the cleanest smallest city tag. Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh won the award in the small city category.
  • Chhattisgarh ranked first in the category of best performing states with more than a hundred urban local bodies, while Jharkhand emerged first in the less than one hundred category.
OP Jindal Global University awarded coveted Jean Monnet Chair
  • The European Union has awarded the OP Jindal Global University (JGU) with the Jean Monnet Chair. JGU thus became India’s only private university to be awarded the chair in 2020.
  • The Jean Monnet Modules, Chairs and Centres of Excellence are awarded annually. These Chairs foster teaching and research excellence among university professors in areas connected to the European Union Studies.
  • The JGU has received the coveted Jean Monnet Chair on ‘Multi-dimensional Approaches to the Understanding of the EU Data Protection Framework’.
21 Crore Man-Days Employment Provided Under Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan
  • Around 21 crore man-days employment has been provided under the Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan (GKRA) to the returnees of six states.
  • GKRA is taking action on mission mode to provide employment to migrant workers who have returned to their native villages of six states namely Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
  • Under the Abhiyaan, a large number of structures have been created including 77,974 water conservation structures, 2.33 lakh rural houses, 17,933 cattle sheds, 11,372 farm ponds, and 3,552 community sanitary complexes.
  • The Abhiyaan was launched to boost employment and livelihood opportunities for migrant workers returning to villages and similarly affected citizens in the rural areas, in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

 

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Assam Current Affairs – August 08-14, 2020

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Assam Current Affairs & GK – August 08-14, 2020

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of August 08-14, 2020)

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August 08, 2020

IIT Guwahati, Imperial College London develop nano-particle to boost LED performance

  • Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) and Imperial College London in the UK, have developed a tailored ‘meta-grid’ of nanoparticles that could make light-emitting diodes (LEDs) brighter, energy-efficient and durable.
  • Meta-grid or metamaterial grid is a specifically patterned array of nanoparticles acting as metamaterials, capable of exhibiting extraordinary optical properties.
  • The research team has developed a nanoparticle ‘meta-grid’, which needs to be placed at an appropriate location within the epoxy casing of the LEDs, for improving light output from LEDs.
  • A meta-grid is a specially-designed, optimised, a two-dimensional array of specific nanoparticles, of size much smaller than the wavelength of light.
  • With the continuous advancement in nanofabrication technology, it is now possible to fabricate metallic nanoparticles that have a very narrow spread.
  • The research team has developed this novel scheme of boosting the transmission of light generated inside an LED chip across the LED-chip/encapsulant interface.
  • The technique has revealed optimal design parameters for such meta-grids to produce greater light output over any narrow/broadband emission spectrum, besides boosting LEDs’ lifetime by eliminating heating of the chip from unwanted reflections within the chip.

BEL setup Solar-Powered Classrooms in 122 Karnataka Schools

  • Govt of India enterprise Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) has set up solar-powered smart classrooms in 122 government schools across the backward Yadgir district in Karnataka state.
  • About 13,000 children studying in 122 government schools of Yadgir district will benefit from smart classrooms, powered by solar power and equipped with hi-tech facilities.
  • With a total cost of Rs 3.8 crore, the smart classrooms offer visually attractive content to help students assimilate the information effectively. It also enables teachers to explain difficult concepts, thereby improve teaching and enhancing academic performance.
  • The smart-class facilities include a 50-inch LED television, CPU with accessories, green board and LED lights charged with solar batteries
  • The company is also installing hand-wash facilities costing Rs 1.02 crore in 100 state-run primary schools across the district to protect children and staff from coronavirus and maintain hygiene.

Manoj Sinha takes oath as new Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir

  • Former Union minister Manoj Sinha was administered the oath of the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Justice Gita Mittal in Raj Bhavan.
  • Manoj Sinha  succeeds Girish Chandra Murmu who has now been appointed as the new Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG).
  • Sinha was former Minister of State for Railways and later and later held an independent charge of Ministry of Communication. He has been a member of the BJP national council from 1989 to 1996. He was elected to the Lok Sabha a third term in the Lok Sabha elections in 2014.

Banaras Hindu University -NHAI tie-up to improve road quality

  • A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between Indian Institute of Technology in Banaras Hindu University (IIT-BHU) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for improving the quality of roads in India.
  • This research work will be carried out under Nikhil Saboo, Assistant Professor /Civil Engineering department, as the principle investigator.
  • This project is aimed at construction of durable and long-lasting roads in India. It will also help in reducing the lifecycle cost by delaying the need for frequent maintenance.
  • The outcome of this project will be implemented through construction of test sections in collaboration with NHAI. This will also help to gain more confidence in adopting the developed technology for construction of durable roads in the country.

Delhi CM launches Electric Vehicle Policy

  • Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched a Electric Vehicle Policy, in a bid to reduce air pollution and boost the economy along with creating new jobs in the national capital.
  • Under the Electric Vehicle Policy, Delhi Government will provide financial assistance to those buying electric vehicles. An assistance of Rs 30,000 will be given on the purchase of 2-wheelers, Rs 1.5 lakh on cars and Rs 30,000 on auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws.
  • A dedicated ‘EV Cell’ will be set up to implement the policy and additionally the government will soon form the ‘State Electric Vehicle Board’ in this regard.
  • 200 charging stations will be set up in one year for the ease of e-vehicle users. There will be no registration fee, road tax under electric vehicle policy as well as low-interest loans for electric commercial vehicles.

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August 09, 2020

Tripura’s 29% school students have no access to phone, cable TV for online classes

  • Around Twenty nine per cent of school students in Tripura don’t have access to any sort of smart phone, cable TV network or such connectivity to attend online classes.
  • The state government started experimental schooling like online classes, recorded videos etc streamed via local cable television channels, social media under ‘Ektu Khelo Ektu Padho’ project but the students of interior places of the state faced problems due to non-availability of internet devices and cable TVs.
  • State Govt organised the survey, conducted among 3,22,297 students from all eight districts of Tripura during Ektu Khelo Ektu Padho classes, revealed 94,013 students didn’t have access to any sort of phone.
  • Out of 3.2 lakh students, 1, 42,238 didn’t have access to any kind of television, rendering them unable to take the televised recorded lectures or live classes conducted by the state education department.

Girish Chandra Murmu Murmu appointed as CAG of India

  • Former Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor and retired IAS officer Girish Chandra Murmu was sworn in as the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India. He will have a tenure up to November 20, 2024.
  • He is the 14th CAG of India and had server as the first Lt. Governor of UT of Jammu Kashmir.

FACTFILE – Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)

  • The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India is constitutional position established by Article 148 of the Constitution of India, which audits all receipts and expenditure of the Govt of India and the state govts, including those of bodies and authorities substantially financed by the government.
  • Various provisions of the CAG are mentioned in the Constitution of India under Article 148 – 151.
  • CAG is also the external auditor of Government-owned corporations and conducts supplementary audit of non-banking company in which Union Government has at least 51 per cent of equity share.
  • The reports of the CAG are laid in Parliament/ State Legislatures and taken into consideration by the Public Accounts Committees (PACs) and Committees on Public Undertakings (COPUs) in the Parliament and the state legislatures.
  • CAG is also the head of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department and Indian Audit and Accounts Service.
  • The CAG is ranked 9th and enjoys the same status as a judge of Supreme Court of India in Indian order of precedence.

PM Modi inaugurates Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra in Delhi

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Rashtriya Swacchata Kendra in New Delhi.
  • RashtriyaSwachhata Kendra, an interactive experience centre on the Swachh Bharat Mission was first announced by the Prime Minister on 10th April 2017, on the occasion of the Centenary Celebrations of Gandhiji’sChamparan Satyagraha.
  • In the Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra, visitors will experience a unique 360 degree audio visual immersive show, which will narrate India’s Swachhata Story – a journey into the largest behaviour change campaign in the history of the world.
  • It contains a series of interactive LED panels, hologram boxes, interactive games and much more, to tell the story of the work done to achieve Gandhiji’s vision of a Swachh Bharat.
  • It will showcase three exhibits which are anecdotes from the journey of India from Satyagraha to Swachhagraha. The wall murals around the Kendra also chronicle the core elements of the Mission’s success.

Proposals of stressed Financial Companies worth Rs 6,400 crore sanctioned under special liquidity scheme

  • Union Finance Ministry informed that 15 proposals worth Rs 6,399 crore of stressed NBFCs and HFCs have been sanctioned under the special liquidity scheme announced as part of approximately Rs 21 lakh crore ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ package. Additionally 37 more applications seeking financing of up to Rs 11,037 crore are under process.
  • The scheme permits both primary and secondary market purchases of debt and seeks to address the short term liquidity issues of non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and housing finance companies (HFCs).
  • Any NBFC including microfinance institutions registered with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under the RBI Act, 1934 (excluding those registered as Core Investment Companies) and any HFC registered with the National Housing Bank under the National Housing Bank Act, 1987 are eligible to raise funding from this facility.

Boat ambulance service to be launched in Maharashtra

  • The Maharashtra government has approved for launching a “boat ambulance-cum-mobile medical unit” service between Mumbai and Raigad, on an experimental basis.
  • The boat ambulance will be a speedboat which can accommodate an ambulance to shift patients from Raigad or Ratnagiri requiring urgent medicare at hospitals in Mumbai.
  • This will help slash the crucial two-three hours or the ‘golden hours’ which the patients from these areas spend travelling by road to Mumbai.
  • Procurement of the requisite vessel, equipment, medical supplies, staff, etc and the operational expenses for the project are to done under the supervision of the National Health Mission.

Mahinda Rajapaksa sworn in as Sri Lanka’s new PM

  • Leader of Sri Lanka PodujanaPeramuna party Mahinda Rajapaksa took oath as Sri Lanka’s new Prime Minister. Rajapaksa was sworn in as the prime minister of the country for the fourth time.

BIOGRAPHY – Mahendra Rajapaksa

  • Percy Mahendra Rajapaksa is a Sri Lankan politician serving as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka and Minister of Finance since 2019.
  • He previously served as President of Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2015 and was Leader of the Opposition from 2002 to 2004 and 2018 to 2019.

FACTFILE – Sri Lanka

  • Sri Lanka (Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka) is an island country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean southwest of the Bay of Bengal and southeast of the Arabian Sea.
  • Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is its legislative capital, and Colombo is its largest city and centre of commerce.
  • It is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. Its geographic location and deep harbours made it of great strategic importance from the time of the ancient Silk Road through to the modern Maritime Silk Road.

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August 10, 2020

Eminent Vaishnavite scholar and xatradhikar Narayan Chandra Goswami passes away

  • Eminent Vaishnavite scholar and the xatradhikar of Majuli’s Natun Kamalabari Xatra, Narayan Chandra Goswami passed away at the age of 80, due to liver cirrhosis disease.
  • Goswami was known for his work on the Brajawali language and neo-Vaishnavite traditions and Sattriya culture.
  • He translated Ramayana from Sanskrit into Assamese.
  • Goswami also edited the Kirtan Ghosa and Naam Ghosa written by Sanakarvdeva and Madhabdeva respectively.
  • He was conferred with the honorary Doctor of Literature (D Lit) degree by Dibrugarh University in 2010. He has been appointed visiting professor of Dibrugarh University by the University authority.
  • Narayan Chandra Goswami has been adorned the ‘Srimanta Sankardev Award’ by the Government of Assam in 2004.
  • ‘Sattra Ratna’ title was awarded to the Sattradhikar by the Assam Sattra Mohasobha in 2005.
  • He recieved the Sahitya Academy Award in 2012.

PM Modi launches Agriculture Infrastructure Fund  of Rs 1 lakh crore

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a financing facility of Rs 1 lakh crore under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund for agri-entrepreneurs, startups, agri-tech players and farmer groups for post-harvest management and nurturing farm assets.
  • The beneficiaries of the scheme will include farmers, PACS, Marketing Cooperative Societies, FPOs, SHGs, Joint Liability Groups, Multipurpose Cooperative Societies, agri-entrepreneurs, startups, and central/state agency or local body sponsored public-private Partnership Projects.
  • PM Modi also released the sixth installment of Rs 17,100 crore to more than 8.55 crore farmer beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM KISAN) scheme.
  • The fund would bring about the creation of post-harvest management infrastructures and community farming assets such as cold storage, collection centres and processing units.

India bans import of 101 defence items for self-reliance

  • The government of India will suspend the import of 101 defence items to boost indigenous production. The “embargoed items” include high technology weapon systems like artillery guns, assault rifles, corvettes, sonar systems, and transport aircraft.
  • The embargo on imports is planned to be progressively implemented between 2020 to 2024. Between April 2015 and August 2020, India’s defence services had contracted around Rs 3.5 trillion worth of items that are now on the hold list. Around Rs 4 trillion worth of orders will now be placed with the domestic industry over the next five to seven years.

Separate emission norms for agri, construction machinery proposed

  • The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a draft notification to amend the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 to separate the emission norms for agricultural machinery, including tractors, power tillers and combined harvesters along with those for construction equipment vehicles.
  • It has also proposed to change the nomenclature of emission norms from Bharat Stage (CEV/TREM)-IV and Bharat Stage (CEV/TREM)-V to TREM Stage-IV and TREM Stage-V for agricultural tractors and other equipments and CEV Stage-IV and CEV Stage-V for construction equipment vehicles, to avoid any confusion, between the emission norms of other motor vehicles which have BS as the norm.
  • Suggestions and comments from public and all the stakeholders are invited on the draft notification within 30 days.

August 11, 2020

Assam Cabinet nod for Private Educational Institutions

  • Assam state cabinet also approved the Assam Non-Government Education Institutions (Regulation of Fees) Rules, 2020 that seeks to regulate the fee structure in private institutions. The Rules envisages formation of two committees – one fee regulatory committee and an appellate authority.
  • The cabinet also decided to upgrade the Bajali subdivision to a full-fledged district with creation of 10 officer posts and 85 other posts.
  • The Assam Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Scheme, 2020, which seeks to regularise the street vendors and organise them, was also approved.
  • The State Cattle and Buffalo Breeding Policy, 2020 was also approved by the cabinet and a decision was also taken for implementation of ‘Uberization’ scheme of the ASTC.

Gujarat CM announces ‘Mukhya Mantri Kisan Sahay Yojana’ to compensate farmers for crop damage

  • Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani announced ‘Mukhya Mantri Kisan Sahay Yojana’ scheme under which more than 56 lakh farmers in the state facing crop damage due to natural calamities will get compensation without paying any premium.
  • The state government has decided to implement a scheme where the entire state is covered and none of the farmers are devoid of its benefits like crop loss aid in situations of calamities during kharif season.
  • The scheme covers drought and excess or unseasonal rain. In cases of drought, those tehsils having rainfall less than 10 inches or where there is a gap of more than four weeks between two rainy days, will be considered as calamity affected.
  • The irregularity of rains is the biggest factor in economic loss to the farmers. The benefits of this scheme will be available only to those farmers who have carried out sowing in their fields.
  • For those farmers with 33 per cent to 60 per cent crop damage, financial help of Rs 20,000 per hectare will be given for a maximum of 4 hectares while those farmers who have incurred more than 60 per cent crop loss will get compensation of Rs 25,000 per hectare up to a maximum of four hectares.

Finance Minister launches online dashboard for National Infrastructure Pipeline

  • Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched the National Infrastructure Pipeline’s online dashboard through video conferencing. The dashboard is envisaged as a one-stop solution for all the stakeholders looking for information on infrastructure projects.
  • The dashboard is being hosted on the India Investment Grid (IIG) site indiainvestmentgrid.gov.in. IIG is an interactive and dynamic online platform that showcases updated and real-time investment opportunities in the country.
  • The NIP will improve project preparation, attract investments, both domestic and foreign, into infrastructure.
  • Out of the total expected capital expenditure of Rs 111 lakh crore, projects worth Rs 44 lakh crore are under implementation, while projects worth Rs 33 lakh crore are at a conceptual stage. Projects worth Rs 22 lakh crore are under development project identified and DPR prepared, but yet to draw-down funds and the balance projects worth Rs 11 lakh crore are unclassified.

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August 12, 2020

Central Govt releases Rs 6000 crore to assist 14 states including Northeast

  • The Central Govt has released the 5th instalment of states share of revenue deficit grant amounting to over Rs 6,000 crore in an attempt to assist states effectively address the situation arising out of Covid-19.
  • The grant had been released for 14 states – Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, and all northeastern states excluding Arunachal Pradesh.
  • The government released Rs 6,195.08 crore to 14 states as the 5th equated monthly instalment of the Post Devolution Revenue Deficit Grant as per the recommendation of the 15th Finance Commission (FC).
  • The money has been released ahead of schedule and as a special dispensation to meet immediate funding needs of the state governments looking to restore economic activity and minimise losses to its citizens due to disruptions caused by lockdowns.

IIT Kharagpur develops novel vegetable oil to keep heart healthy

  • Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur have developed a vegetable oil powder to keep the heart healthy.
  • The innovation involved tailoring vegetable oils through preparation of oil blends inherently endowed with natural antioxidants as well as well-balanced fatty acids.
  • The team was led by Professor Hari Niwas Mishra from the Department of Agricultural and Food Engineering. The novelty is in its formulation of a nutritionally balanced polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) enriched with antioxidants and producing a synergistic vegetable oil blend.
  • The PUFA-rich oil powder will find extensive use in replacing dairy fat in bakeries and confectionaries, believe researchers Monalisha Pattnaik and Dr. Mousumi Ghosh from the Food Chemistry and Technology Laboratory.
  • The research team has already received several awards for this product including the Gandhian Young Technological Innovation (GYTI) Award, 2020. This work has been recognized for the Young Student Invention and best thesis work at IIT-Kharagpur.

Defence procurement proposals of Rs 8,722.38 crore approved

  • The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved procurement proposals totalling Rs 8,722.38 crore, including for 106 Basic Trainer Aircraft worth over Rs 7,600 crore.
  • The DAC approved the procurement of 106 such aircraft from HAL to address the basic training requirements of the Indian Air Force. Post-certification, 70 aircraft will be initially procured from HAL and another 36 after operationalisation of the HTT-40 fleet in the IAF.
  • To improve the fire power of the Indian Navy, the DAC approved the procurement of an upgraded version of the Super Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM), which is fitted as the main gun onboard Navy and Indian Coast Guard ships, from Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited.
  • The upgraded version of the SRGM has the enhanced capability to perform against fast manoeuvring targets like missiles and Fast Attack Craft and increased maximum engagement range.
  • The DAC approved procurement of 125 mm APFSDS (Armour Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot) ammunition for the Army as a ‘Design and Development Case’.

Himachal Pradesh to compensate flower growers

  • The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet decided to compensate flower growers for losses incurred during the lockdown. The government has also decided to recruit 2,322 people in the Irrigation and Public Health department.
  • The Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown thereafter have resulted in cumulative losses of Rs 15.77 crore to the floriculturists from March to May 2020 due to non-transportation of flowers.
  • The state cabinet approved the guidelines for providing financial assistance or relief amounting to Rs 4 crore.
  • In order to ensure smooth operationalization of National Ambulance Services 108, it has decided to make payments over and above the provisions of concession agreements as a special interim measure and stopgap arrangement to employees of GVK-EMRI by enhancing the take home salary of its employees.
  • The Cabinet approved the amendment of the Himachal Pradesh War Awards Act, 1972 for enhancing the grant of War Jagirs from Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 annually for all those eligible.

Russia announces world’s first Covid-19 vaccine ‘Sputnik V’

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a coronavirus vaccine, touted as the world’s first such vaccine. The registration of the vaccine lays ground for mass inoculation even as the final stages of clinical trials to test safety and efficacy continue.
  • Russia dubbed its newly launched vaccine against coronavirus “Sputnik V” after the Soviet satellite.
  • The vaccine underwent the necessary tests. However, the vaccine’s registration is conditional and trials will continue while production gets underway.
  • WHO and Russian health authorities are discussing the process for possible WHO pre-qualification for its newly approved COVID-19 vaccine.
  • The coronavirus vaccine is developed jointly by Gamaleya Research Institute and the Russian Defence Ministry.

FACTFILE – Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology

  • The Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology is a Russian medical research institute which is headquartered in Moscow and is currently under the purview of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.
  • The institute was founded in 1891 by Felix Blyumental and was named after the prominent Russian scientist Nikolay Gamaleya, a pioneer in microbiology and vaccine research in Russia.
  • The institute is developing a vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 in collaboration with the 48th Central Research Institute of the Ministry of Defense and the Vector Institute of the Rospotrebnadzor.

Israel shares AI based medical equipment, technology with AIIMS to tackle COVID19

  • The embassy of Israel and private Israeli companies gave medical equipments and Artificial Intelligence based technologies to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to fight COVID-19.
  • The technologies include contactless monitoring applications, advanced medical management systems, and AI-based solutions such as AI assistant robots that can help medical teams perform various tasks remotely.
  • Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs initiated a mission, and located the most advanced medical equipment that has been developed in Israel using cutting edge technologies to fight Covid-19. The most useful products were collected, some equipment was contributed, and some purchased with special funds allocated by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabi Ashkenazi.

Google develops Android phone-based earthquake detection tool

  • Google announced an Android-based earthquake detection feature that will alert smartphone users when the earth is about to shake.
  • The Android phone will become a mini seismometer, joining millions of other Android phones out there to form the world’s largest earthquake detection network.
  • All smartphones come with tiny accelerometers that can sense signals that indicate an earthquake might be happening.
  • If the phone detects something that it thinks may be an earthquake, it sends a signal to their earthquake detection server, along with location of where the shaking occurred. The server then combines information from many phones to figure out if an earthquake is happening.
  • The company has collaborated with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to send earthquake alerts, powered by ‘ShakeAlert’, directly to Android devices in California.
  • The ‘ShakeAlert’ system uses signals from more than 700 seismometers installed across the state by USGS, Cal OES, University of California Berkeley, and the California Institute of Technology.

Govt launched National Portal “SURAKHSYA” on Human Elephant conflict

  • India is committed to the cause of saving Elephants and other animals and is working towards robust, practical and cost effective solutions to end the Human Animal Conflict.
  • To manage conflicts and avoid loss of valuable lives of both the humans & elephants, it is important to strengthen the human-elephant coexistence, the Enviornment Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar released a booklet on “Best practices of Human-Elephant Conflict Management in India” on eve of World Elephant Day.
  • The booklet is a pictorial guide of a variety of management inventions successfully adopted by the elephant range states and serves as a reference manual for adoption of the best possible site specific mitigation measures that can be adopted to reduce human – elephant conflict.
  • The National Portal on human elephant conflict called “Surakhsya” for collection of real time information & also for managing the conflicts on a real time basis will help to set the data collection protocols, data transmission pipelines and data visualization tools to enable policy-makers to leverage HEC data for policy formulation and for preparation of Action Plans for mitigation of conflicts. 

FACTFILE – World Elephant Day

  • World Elephant Day is celebrated on August 12 is an international annual event, dedicated to the preservation and protection of the world’s elephants. 
  • The goal of World Elephant Day is to create awareness on elephant conservation, and to share knowledge and positive solutions for the better protection and management of wild and captive elephants.

Walter Martos sworn in as new Prime Minister of Peru

  • Walter Roger Martos Ruiz was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Peru to replace Pedro Cateriano.
  • The new President of the Council of Ministers had served as Defense Ministerand is a retired Army General.
  • Martos has a Master’s degree in Management and Development with special mention in Business Management and Administration and a PhD in Management and Development from the Army’s Scientific and Technological Institute.
  • He also served as the Army Chief of Staff and the Armed Forces Chief of Staff.

FACTFILE – Peru

  • Peru (Republic of Peru) is a country in western South America.
  • It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the west by the Pacific Ocean.
  • Peru is the 19th largest country in the world, and the third largest in South America.
  • Lima is the capital and largest city

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August 13, 2020

Assam Govt to launch “Orunodoi” scheme for women’s financial empowerment

  • The Assam government would provide Rs 830 per month each to 17 lakh poor families under the ambitious “Orunodoi” scheme.
  • Under the new scheme, district-wise selection of beneficiaries would begin from August 17, 2020 and the beneficiaries would start receiving the amount in the bank account of a female family member on the first day of every month, starting from October 2020.
  • The scheme mains to empower women while contributing to economic development. While selecting the beneficiaries, there would be economic criteria and those who have certain movable and immovable assets including land, big houses, vehicles, electronic gadgets, and most government and semi-government employees, would be excluded.
  • A sum of Rs 280 crore has been earmarked for the new scheme which would mean an additional annual income of Rs 10,000 to the poor households to meet their various needs.
  • The beneficiary should be a permanent resident of Assam and their composite household income should be less than Rs two lakh per annum.
  • Priority would be given to households with widows, divorced, unmarried or separated women, and disabled persons.

Ganga Prasad Prasin appointed as vice chancellor of Tripura University

  • Ganga Prasad Prasin is the new vice chancellor of the Tripura University. He is currently working as the Dean in the Department of School of Social Sciences at Manipur Central University. Before that he was a professor of Benares Hindu University.
  • Previous VC, Professor Dharurkar, who joined in the University in 2018, has resigned from his post as corruption charges were raised against him.

FACTFILE – Tripura University

  • Higher education in Tripura has its beginning with Maharaja Bir Bikram College (MBB), the first degree college in the state, established in 1947, and affiliate to Calcutta University (CU).
  • This was followed by Ramkrishna Mahabhidyalay in 1950, Belonia College in 1964 and Ramthakur College in 1967.
  • A post-graduate wing of CU, named Calcutta University Post graduate Centre (CUPGC), established in 1985. And in the same place, Tripura University was established through the Tripura University Act, in 1987.

Ordnance Factory makes bullet-resistant jackets for TN Police

  • The first batch of bullet-resistant jackets made by the Ordnance Clothing Factory, Avadi, was handed over to the Tamil Nadu Police. The bullet-resistant jackets were completely designed and fabricated by Ordnance Clothing Factory Avadi.
  • The unit has the capacity to design and produce different variants of bullet resistant jackets. The jackets supplied to Tamil Nadu Police has special features like high density water repellence, flame retardance and provide protection from bullets fired from hand guns, pistols, AK-47 rifles and others.

Punjab CM launches ‘Smart Connect Scheme’, gives smartphones to students

  • The Punjab government launch Rs 92 crore ‘Punjab Smart Connect Scheme’ accross the state. Simultaneous distribution of phones was done at 26 places by various Ministers, legislators and others.
  • The scheme, for which Rs 100 crore was allocated in the state budget for 2017-18, will benefit 174,015 Class XII students of government schools in the first phase, to be completed by November.
  • This initiative will bridge a major divide that was obstructing these students from affordable access to digital education.

Andhra Pradesh launches Rs 17,000 crore ‘YSR Cheyuta’ scheme to promote women entrepreneurs

  • Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy rolled out Rs 17,000 crore scheme ‘YSR Cheyuta’ for promoting entrepreneurship among women in the state.
  • The scheme aims to give freedom to eligible women to use the amount deposited in their unencumbered accounts for any purpose of their choice.
  • The govt would provide marketing and technical assistance to women and the banks would provide loans.
  • About 23 lakh women in the age group between 45-60 years, from the SC/ST, backward classes and minority communities would get an incentive of Rs 18,750 per annum aggregating to Rs 75,000 in four years.
  • Andhra government had recently signed MoUs with industries like Proctor and Gamble, Anand Milk Union Limited (AMUL), Hindustan Unilevel Limited (HUL) and India Tobacco Limited (ITC) to strengthen the rural economy where the scheme beneficiaries could be stakeholders.

NITI Aayog, Dell Technologies launch 2nd student entrepreneurship programme

  • Dell Technologies in association with NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) announced the second Student Entrepreneurship Programme (SEP 2.0) that would mentor eight teams to foray into the world of innovation and entrepreneurship.
  • The virtual SEP 2.0 will help students receive support and guidance to manufacture fully-functional, market-ready products along with patenting their ideas/processes.
  • The first edition of the Student Entrepreneurship Programme (SEP 1.0) helped top 6 innovations of the Atal Tinkering Marathon transform their innovative prototypes into functioning, scaled go-to-market products across six crucial themes having broader social impact.
  • The SEP 2.0 will allow student innovators to work closely with Dell volunteers and avail mentorship to create a test bed for their innovation and collect customer feedback.

FACTFILE – Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs)

  • AIM is establishing ATLs in schools across India with a vision to cultivate one million children in India as neoteric innovators.
  • It is aimed at disrupting the Indian education system, creating a paradigm shift where children as young as 12 years of age are being introduced to the world of technology innovation.
  • It’s objectives are to foster curiosity, creativity and imagination in young minds; and inculcate skills such as design mindset, computational thinking, adaptive learning, physical computing etc.
  • AIM provides grant-in-aid of Rs. 20 Lakh to each school that includes a one-time establishment cost of Rs. 10 lakh and operational expenses of Rs. 10 lakh for a maximum period of 5 years to each ATL.
  • ATL is a work space where young minds can give shape to their ideas through hands on do-it-yourself mode; and learn innovation skills.

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August 14, 2020 

Rajiv Gandhi University in Arunachal ranked India’s 2nd best central university

  • Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU), the only central university of Arunachal Pradesh, has secured the second spot among all other central universities in India, according to the rankings released by the Union Ministry of Education.
  • RGU secured the second position with 83% in the grading of performance of central universities by the Ministry of Education while Jamia Millia Islamia topped the rankings with a score of 90 percent.
  • RGU is closely followed by Jawaharlal Nehru University and Aligarh Muslim University with 82 and 78 percent respectively.
  • The scoring/grading was based on an evaluation of 17 key parameters fixed under a tri-partite Memorandum of Understanding which the RGU, like other central universities had signed in 2019-20 with the Ministry of Education.
  • The objective of the MoU was to access and facilitate the performance of the Central University on selected key parameters against the targets so as to incrementally improve the performance of the University.

FACTFILE – Rajiv Gandhi University

  • Rajiv Gandhi University, formerly known as Arunachal University, is the oldest university in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • The foundation stone for the university was laid in 1984 by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The university was renamed as Rajiv Gandhi University in 2005.
  • In May 2020, this year after the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports selected it to establish a centre of sports science education and research under MYAS scheme of National Centre of Sports Sciences and Research (NCSSR). The sports science education and research center, once established would be the first of its kind in the northeast and 6th in the entire country.

Indian Navy sets up New Innovation and Indigenisation Unit

  • Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched a Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO). This organisation will put in place dedicated structures for the end-users to interact with the academia and the industry to foster innovation and indigenisation for self-reliance in defence, in keeping with the vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
  • The NIIO is a three-tiered organisation. The Naval Technology Acceleration Council (N-TAC) will bring together the twin aspects of innovation and indigenisation and provide apex level directives.
  • A working group under the N-TAC will implement the projects. A Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC) has also been created for the induction of emerging disruptive technology in an accelerated time frame.
  • The Indian Navy already has a functional Directorate of Indigenisation and the new structures will build upon the ongoing indigenisation initiatives, as well as focus on innovation.

PM unveils ‘Transparent Taxation – Honoring the Honest’ faceless income tax scrutiny, taxpayer charter

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a faceless tax scrutiny programme to honour honest income tax payers in the country.
  • Launching the platform ‘Transparent Taxation – Honoring the Honest’, PM Modi said the department will start faceless appeals from September 25, 2020.

NITI Aayog selects Oracle Cloud to transform Aspirational Districts

  • Niti Aayog has selected Oracle to help it modernise vital IT infrastructure in 112 most backward districts as part of its Aspirational Districts Programme.
  • These 112 districts constitute 28 per cent of population and the new cloud solution aims to aid district magistrates to improve overall performance and transform the quality of life of citizens.
  • Oracle Autonomous Database, the world’s first and only true autonomous database, is at the heart of data management in this programme. Being self-driving, self-securing and self-repairing it requires a minimal IT team and resources to support it.
  • The Oracle Cloud solution incorporates
    • Oracle Content Experience to ensure data and reports are easily accessible.
    • Detailed reporting for the District Magistrates to track their district’s progress real-time, via insights generated with Oracle Analytics Cloud service.
    • Key Performance Indicator tracking by citizens to check how their districts are faring, made available by the use of Oracle Application Express (APEX), a low-code development platform that’s at the heart of this reporting process.
    • Oracle Cloud is also able to integrate and track projects undertaken by District Magistrates to improve their rating.

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launches Swachh Bharat Mission Academy

  • Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission Academy’, an IVR-based training course with modules on Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus programme.
  • The ODF Plus is an extension of the ODF programme under the Swachch Bharat Mission. Its objective is to sustain the ODF programme and to take up Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM).
  • The SBM Academy was launched as part of the ongoing week-long behaviour change campaign ‘Gandagi Mukt Bharat’. The SBM Academy course has four chapters, each with four audio lessons and a multiple-choice quiz at the end of the chapter.

Reliance Foundation launches W-GDP Women Connect Challenge

  • Reliance Foundation has forged a new partnership with US Agency for International Development and Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) to bridge the gender digital divide in India.
  • The partnership was announced at a W-GDP event hosted by Deputy Secretary of State of the United States Stephen Biegun and with special guest, Ivanka Trump, Advisor to the President of the United States, and Deputy USAID Administrator Bonnie Glick.
  • The W-GDP Fund was created to source and scale the most innovative programmes to advance women’s economic empowerment. The W-GDP Women’s Connect Challenge supports private sector-led approaches that close the gender digital divide, expands business opportunities, and empowers women.
  • W-GDP will partner with the Reliance Foundation to create an India-specific expression of the WCC and incorporate the lessons of previous W-GDP WCC Rounds.
  • W-GDP seeks to reach 50 million women in the developing world by 2025 by focusing on three pillars women prospering in the workforce, women succeeding as entrepreneurs, and women enabled in the economy.

 

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Assam Current Affairs – June 29 – 30, 2020

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 Assam Current Affairs & GK – June 29 – 30, 2020

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of June 29 – 30, 2020 )

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  June 29, 2020

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) Forms Committee to investigate Assam Gas Leak
  • The National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered for a high-level committee to look into the recent blowout at an Oil India Ltd (OIL) well in Baghjan, Assam.
  • NGT also asked the public sector company to deposit Rs 25 crore for damages caused.
  • The committee will have the mandate to examine the cause and damage from the blowout that occurred on May 27, 2020. The oil-and-gas well, owned by OIL, at Upper Assam’s Baghjan village subsequently caught fire on June 9, after leaking for about a fortnight.
  • An eight-member committee headed by Justice BP Katakey, a former Gauhati High Court judge, was formed to probe the incident. The committee headed by Justice Katakey will submit its report within 30 days after looking into 13 points listed by the NGT order.
  1. Cause of gas and oil leak
  2. Extent of loss and damage caused to human life, wildlife and environment
  3. Damage and health hazards to the public
  4. Possible contamination caused to water, air and soil around the oil well
  5. Extent of contamination of the Dibru river due to the oil spill
  6. Air quality monitoring, along with collecting soil and groundwater samples of the area and testing water from the Dibru
  7. Impact on the eco-sensitive Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Maguri-Motapung wetland zone
  8. Impact on agriculture, fishery and domestic animals in the area
  9. Any mitigation measures put in place by OIL to offset incidents such as this one
  10. Individuals responsible for the fire incidents and the cause of failure to prevent the incident
  11. Assessment of compensation for victims and cost of restitution of damage caused to property and environment
  12. Preventive and remedial measures
  13. Any other incidental or allied issues
UP Governor Anandiben Patel given additional charge of MP
  • President Ram Nath Kovind has given Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel additional charge of Madhya Pradesh, in view of MP Governor Lalji Tandon’s poor health condition.
  • Patel has been given the additional duty of Madhya Pradesh, keeping in mind the current medical condition of Tandon.
PGIMER to conduct clinical trial for rapid antigen detection
  • The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has initiated a programme of clinical trials for rapid antigen detection for COVID-19 patients.
  • The procedure will not only help keep a track on the increasing number of COVID-19 patients but also enable easy access to detect the affected COVID-19 patients on a larger scale within a short span of time.
  • The ICMR has identified seven tertiary-care hospitals across the country to initiate trials and the PGIMER has been selected as one of the sites to be part of this programme for critically-ill COVID-19 patients.
Centre allocate 231 crore to Arunachal Pradesh to implement Jal Jeevan Mission
  • Under Jal Jeevan Mission the state will get Rs 231 crore under the 15th Finance Commission Grants to PRIs during 2020-21; 50 per cent of this amount has to be mandatorily to be spent on water and sanitation.
  • Arunachal Pradesh Government is also asked to expedite implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission, a flagship programme that aims to improve the lives of rural people by providing safe drinking water to every rural household through household tap connections by 2024.
  • Under Jal Jeevan Mission, water quality testing laboratories at district and state levels are given priority. Community is being involved for surveillance of water quality.
  • Arunachal Pradesh plans to provide cent per cent tap connections to all the households of the state by March, 2023 and accordingly the Centre has allocated an amount of Rs 255 crore for the state under the mission in 2020-21.
  • The state would be given additional funds in form of performance grants based on the achievement in terms of tangible outputs – the household tap connections and commensurate financial progress.
  • Of the 2.18 lakh total rural households in Arunachal Pradesh, 37,000 households have been already provided with tap connections.

 June 30, 2020

Kharchi Puja begins in Tripura
  • The week-long tradition Kharchi festival began at Khayerpur in West Tripura district amid COVID-19 pandemic. Kharchi Puja is one of the most important festivals of Tripura during which 14 deities are worshipped.
  • The formal inauguration programme was cancelled due to the pandemic. Raj Chantai opened the Chaturdash Devata temple after a ceremonial procession and offered prayers marking the beginning of the puja.
  • Additional security forces have been deployed in and around the temple to strictly enforce the COVID-19 guidelines like social distancing and wearing of masks.
Tushar Mehta and K.K. Venugopal reappointed as Solicitor General and Attorney General for India, respectively
  • The Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet has approved the re-appointment of senior advocate Tushar Mehta as Solicitor General for a period of three years.
  • Senior advocate K.K. Venugopal has also been reappointed to the post of Attorney General for India for a period of one year.
  • The Centre has re-appointed Vikramjit Banerjee, Aman Lekhi, Madhavi Divan, K.M. Nataraj and Sanjay Jain as Additional Solicitors Generals for the Supreme Court for three years.
India bans 59 Chinese apps over national security concerns
  • Indian government banned nearly 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, WeChat and UC Browser and Xiaomi’s Mi Community over national security concerns. In this regard, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued a list of 59 Chinese apps that are now banned in the country.
  • These measures have been undertaken since there is credible information that these apps are engaged in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.
  • The compilation of these data, its mining and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures.
  • The recommendations of the intelligence agencies have backing of the National Security Council Secretariat which determined that certain China-linked applications could be detrimental to the country’s security.
World’s largest Plasma Therapy trial centre launched in Maharashtra
  • Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray inaugurated ”Project PLATINA” – India’s first and the world’s largest Plasma Therapy Trial Centre in Nagpur.
  • This centre will help formulate definite treatment guidelines for the entire country in managing critical Covid-19 patients.
  • State sanctioned Rs 16.65 crore for Project Platina and clinical trials from the CM’s Relief Fund, and the project has been completed in barely three weeks.
  • With this project, the government hopes to save around 500 seriously ill Covid-19 patients in the state free of cost, amidst recent apprehensions of prohibitively high costs for this form of treatment expressed in some circles.
  • Each critical patient would receive 2 doses of 200 ml of convalescent plasma from recovered patients which contains antibodies against coronavirus that will fight the infection and help the serious patients recover.
  • Four other facilities were inaugurated Plasma Donation, Plasma Bank, Plasma Trial and Emergency Authorisation centres.
Karnataka unveils ‘Skill Connect’ portal for jobs in Karnataka 
  • Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has unveiled ‘Skill Connect’ portal, which is a meeting point for job seekers and job givers in the state.
  • The portal offers a choice of industries for job seekers to choose and apply, such as automotive, banking and finance, hospitality, IT-enables services (ITeS), manufacturing, banking and others.
  • Upon registering on the website and uploading the skills and educational qualifications, an employer looking for such a prospective candidate will match up to directly contact without the role of an intermediary.
India, Bhutan sign pact on Kholongchhu hydel project
  • A concession agreement for the 600-MW Kholongchhu hydroelectric project between the Royal Government of Bhutan and Kholongchhu Hydro Energy Limited was signed in Thimphu in the virtual presence of India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Bhutan Foreign Minister Lyonpo (Dr) Tandi Dorji.
  • The 600-MW run-of-the-river project is located on the lower course of the Kholongchhu river in Trashiyangtse district in eastern Bhutan.
  • The project envisages an underground powerhouse of four 150-MW turbines with water impounded by a concrete gravity dam of 95 metres height. It will be implemented by Kholongchhu Hydro Energy Limited, a joint venture company formed between Druk Green Power Corporation of Bhutan and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited of India.
  • this agreement will lead to commencement of construction and other works of this first joint venture hydroelectric project between India and Bhutan. The project is expected to be completed by 2025.
SAP India unveils “Global Bharat” initiative to make MSMEs globally competitive
  • SAP launched a new programme called “Global Bharat”, in association with Nasscom Foundation, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Pratham InfoTech Foundation, to enable Indian Micro, Small and Medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) become globally competitive by equipping them with digital technologies. The programme was launched
  • The initiative is aimed at driving greater efficiencies of MSMEs by adopting three initiatives gaining access to global marketplace, digitally skilling workforce and digitally transforming businesses.
  • Global Bharat, is an endeavour to enable MSMEs to augment business operations and re-access critical processes that overcome inefficiencies and make them globally competitive.
  • MSMEs will have open access to SAP Ariba Discovery where any buyer can post sourcing needs and any of the four million suppliers on Ariba Network can respond with their ability to deliver the goods and services required with no fees through December 31, 2020.
  • Business owners will have access to SAP India’s Code Unnati, a coveted “Golden Peacock Award” winning digital skilling initiative.
  • MSMEs will be provided accessibility to 240 courses, with more getting added in a few months, on digital financial, soft skills, productivity technologies that will digitally skill the workforce and adapt to the new working environments.
Bharat Biotech Covid vaccine Covaxin gets permission for human clinical trials
  • Bharat Biotech has successfully developed Covaxin, India’s first vaccine candidate for Covid-19, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute of Virology (NIV), which will begin its human trials next month.
  • The Drug Controller General of India – Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare granted permission to initiate Phase I and II human clinical trials after the company submitted results generated from preclinical studies, demonstrating safety and immune response.
  • The indigenous, inactivated vaccine was developed and manufactured in Bharat Biotech’s BSL-3 (Bio-Safety Level 3) High Containment facility located in Genome Valley, Hyderabad.
Union Minister of Tribal Affairs launches Tribes India products on Gem
  • Ministry of Tribal affairs has initiated several immediate initiatives to re-energise the lagging economic activity for sustaining the livelihood development of tribals.
  • The Union Minister of Tribal Affairs inaugurated the TRIBES India store on Government eMarketplace which can help in facilitating purchases by Government and then the revamped website (https://trifed.tribal.gov.in/), which has all relevant details about the schemes and initiatives underway to the benefit of tribal communities.
  • The Tribes India e-Marketplace, coming on the heels of the Retail Inventory Management System which has automated the sourcing and sale of stocks, is an ambitious initiative to on-board almost 5 lakh Tribal Artisans on the e- market platform to provide them access to national and international markets.
  • TRIFED’s VanDhan Integrated Information Network facilitates the pooling of all information pertaining to forest dwellers engaged in Minimum Support Price Operations and its VanDhan Yojana linking them up to Village haats and Warehouses.
Indian Navy inducts indigenously developed Torpedo Decoy System Maareech
  • Anti-Submarine Warfare capability of the Indian Navy received a major boost with the induction of Advanced Torpedo Decoy System Maareech capable of being fired from all frontline warships.
  • Design and Development of this anti-torpedo decoy system has been undertaken indigenously by DRDO labs-(NSTL and NPOL). 
  • The Bharat Electronics Limited would undertake the production of this decoy system.

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Assam Current Affairs – June 22 – 28, 2020

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Assam Current Affairs & GK – June 22 – 28, 2020

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of June 22 – 28, 2020 )

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June 22, 2020

DoNER sanctioned Rs 190 crore to boost NE healthcare facilities

  • Union DoNER Minister Jitendra Singh said Rs 190 crore has been sanctioned for augmentation of healthcare facilities in the eight Northeastern states, especially for the management of infectious diseases like COVID-19.
  • In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of DoNER has decided to sanction Rs 190 crore for augmentation of healthcare facilities in the eight Northeastern states for developing infrastructure for management of infectious diseases.
  • Through a scientifically designed mechanism, each 14 ‘aspirational districts’ of the Northeast was to focus on improving these key indicators and raise its rating viz-a-viz the best performing district of the state and the country in the given indicators.
  • The Ministry of DoNER has given the Northeastern states the option to send proposals for health-related projects to be funded from Rs 500 crore under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NEISDS).
  • Proposals have been received from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Sikkim, Mizoram and Nagaland, while the proposal from Tripura was awaited.
  • The DoNER Minister complemented Assam’s ‘aspirational districts’ Goalpara and Dhubri for having achieved Ayushman Bharat coverage of nearly 100 per cent and 85 per cent respectively. Goalpara has within six months raised its rating from the 68th position to 16 in the all-India list of 150 ‘aspirational districts’.
Glenmark launches new coronavirus medicine ‘Favipiravir’
  • After recieving the manufacturing and marketing approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), drug firm Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has launched antiviral drug Favipiravir, under the brand name FabiFlu, for the treatment of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 patients.
  • Price at ₹103 per tablet, the prescription-based drug will be available as a 200 mg tablet at an MRP of ₹3,500 for a strip of 34 tablets.
  • Glenmark is producing the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) for the drug at its Ankleshwar plant, while the formulation is being manufactured at its Baddi plant.
  • Favipiravir can be used for coronavirus patients with co-morbid conditions such as diabetes and heart disease with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms.
  • It offers rapid reduction in viral load within four days and provides faster symptomatic and radiological improvement.
  • Favipiravir is backed by strong clinical evidence, showing encouraging results in patients with mild to moderate Covid-19. As it has shown clinical improvement of up to 88 per cent in mild to moderate COVID-19 cases.
  • Glenmark was the first company in India to receive the drug regulator (DCGI)’s approval to conduct phase-3 clinical trial of Favipiravir antiviral tablets for Covid-19 patients.

Point2Remember

  • Favipiravir is a generic version of Avigan of Fujifilm Toyama Chemical, Japan, a subsidiary of Fujifilm Corporation.

FACTFILE – Glenmark Pharmaceuticals

  • Glenmark Pharmaceuticals is a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Mumbai, India that was founded in 1977 by Gracias Saldanha as a generic drug and active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturer.
  • The company went public in India in 1999, and used some of the proceeds to build its first research facility.
  • By 2011 Glenmark had worldwide sales of $778 million and the growth was driven by Glenmark’s entry into the US and European generics markets.
  • The company took down the path of seeking innovation and focused on new drugs and biosimilars in the fields of cancer, dermatology and respiratory diseases, which it sought to monetize by partnering with major pharmaceutical companies.
  • For the financial year 2016–2017 its sales were around 81 billion INR, making it the fourth-biggest Indian pharmaceutical company.

 June 23, 2020

Tea exports declined by 5.6 per cent in fiscal year 2019-20
  • Tea exports have declined marginally in the last fiscal to 240 million kg from 254.50 million kg from the previous fiscal year of 2018-19. This dip is mainly due to economic slowdown across the globe.
  • Exports to Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, the biggest importer of India tea, dropped to 59.40m kg in the last fiscal from 60.72 million kg in 2018-19.
  • Iran is the second largest importer of Indian Tea, which imported 46.47 million kg in 2019-20, up from 41.02 million kg in the 2018-19. Simimlary China also imported 12.71 million kg in the last fiscal year as compared to 10.58 million kg in the previous year.
  • Exports to Pakistan,saw a significant drop, from 14.6 million kg in 2018-19 to 3.3 mkg the previous fiscal.
  • The US, the UK and the UAE are the other three destinations where the exports had touched double digits in 2019-20.
  • The production of tea in March 2020, witnessed a steep fall to 43.45 million kg from 74.59 million kg in the corresponding period of 2018-19, mainly due to Covid crisis.

India retains position as third-largest economy on PPP

  • India has retained and consolidated its position as the third-largest economy after China and the US in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP) for 2017, as per the World Bank data.
  • PPP of the rupee per dollar at the gross domestic product (GDP) level rose to 20.65 in 2017 from 15.55 in 2011, while the exchange rate of a dollar to a rupee rose to 65.12 from 46.67 during the period.
  • Price Level Index (PLI), the ratio of a PPP to its corresponding market exchange rate, which is used to compare the price levels of economies, improved to 47.55 in 2017 from 42.99 in 2011.
  • In 2017, India retained and consolidated its global position, as the third-largest economy, accounted for 6.7 per cent (USD 8,051 billion out of world total of USD 119,547 billion) of global GDP in terms of PPPs as against China (16.4 per cent) and the US (16.3 per cent), respectively.
  • India is also third-largest economy in terms of its PPP-based share in global actual individual consumption and global gross capital formation, as per a release from National Statistical Office (NSO).
  • The World Bank has released new PPPs for the reference year 2017, under the International Comparison Program (ICP) that adjust for differences in the cost of living across economies of the world.
  • As per the release, in 2017, India retained its regional position, as the second-largest economy, accounted for 20.83 per cent of the regional gross domestic product (GDP) in terms of PPPs where China was at 50.76 per cent (first) and Indonesia at 7.49 per cent (third).

FACTFILE – List of countries by GDP (PPP)

  • GDP comparisons using PPP are more useful than those using nominal GDP when assessing a nation’s domestic market because PPP takes into account the relative cost of goods, services and inflation rates of the respective country, rather than using one standard market exchange rates for all countries.

List by the IMF (2020)

Rank

Country

GDP
(millions of US $)

1

 China

27,804,953

2

 United States

20,289,987

3

 India

11,321,280

4

 Japan

5,451,452

5

 Russia

4,176,350

6

 Germany

4,160,925

7

 Indonesia

3,778,134

8

 Brazil

3,316,920

9

 United Kingdom

2,975,557

10

 France

2,860,018

 

 Punjab cabinet approves fast-track clearance of MSMEs

  • To ease the regulatory burden on micro, small and medium enterprises and fast-tracking setting up of MSMEs, the Punjab cabinet approved the Punjab Right to Business Rules, 2020.
  • The new rules have been drafted under provisions of the Punjab Right to Business Act.
  • Sanctions and approvals pertaining to building plan, completion certificate, trade licence registration, land-use change, factory building plan, as well as registration of shops or establishments, will be granted by the district-level nodal agency, headed by the Deputy Commissioner.
  • For setting up of units in the approved industrial parks, the certificate of in-principle approval would be issued within three working days after the submission of declaration of intent.

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June 24, 2020

Deccan Development Society received the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Award

  • Hyderabad-based Deccan Development Society has received the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Award, one of probably the most coveted environmental awards on this planet for the year 2020.
  • This is in recognition of the individuals who dedicate their actions and organisations for their deep commitment to preserving our planet, in each of the Foundation’s three priority areas: limiting the effects of climate change, preserving biodiversity, managing water resources and fighting against desertification.
  • The award of 40,000 Euros has been given to the society in recognition of the work of DDS women to rehabilitate degraded lands and promote biodiversity.
  • The Prince Monaco Award is available in a sequence of particular awards for DDS introduced by varied teams within the final 12 months, on prime of which was the UNDP’s prestigious Equator Award adopted by Shinning World Protection Award for “its noble, gracious and loving efforts to improve our world”.

10 MPs to be conferred with Sansad Ratna award

  • Eight sitting Lok Sabha members and two Rajya Sabha members will be presented the Sansad Ratna Awards 2020 under various categories, based on their performance during the first year of the 17th Lok Sabha.
  • The departmentally related Standing Committee on Agriculture headed by BJP MP P.C. Gaddigoudar has been chosen for the Sansad Ratna Awards 2020 for their performance in the 17th Lok Sabha.
  • NCP MP Supriya Sule gets the Sansad Ratna Award 2020 for her overall performance in initiating debates, the number of questions asked and the Private Members Bills in the first year of the 17th Lok Sabha.
  • BJP MP Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, Heena Gavit and NCP MP Amol Ramsing Kolhe will be receiving the Sansad Ratna Award 2020 for Questions, Women and First-time MPs categories respectively.
  • Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey), Ajay Misra and TDP  MP Ram Mohan Naidu have been nominated for the ”Jury Committee Special Award” for their overall qualitative performance and individual efforts.
  • The awardees were selected by a three member Jury Committee of Arjun Ram Meghwal, N. K. Premachandran and Shrirang Appa Barne.

PM CARES allocates funds for 50000 ‘Made in India’ ventilators

  • The PM CARES Fund Trust has allocated Rs 2,000 crore for the supply of 50,000 ”Made in India” ventilators to the government run COVID-19 hospitals in all states and Union Territories (UTs).
  • Of the total ventilators, 30,000 are being manufactured by the Bharat Electronics Limited. The remaining 20,000 ventilators are being manufactured by the AgVa Healthcare (10,000), AMTZ Basic (5,650), AMTZ High End (4,000) and Allied Medical (350).
  • So far 2,923 ventilators have been manufactured, out of which 1,340 have already been delivered to the states and UTs. The prominent recipients include Maharashtra (275), Delhi (275), Gujarat (175), Bihar (100), Karnataka (90), Rajasthan (75). By the end of June 2020, additional 14,000 ventilators will be delivered to all states and UTs.

Amazon launches $2 billion fund to invest in climate change mitigation

  • Amazon has announced a $2 billion venture capital fund to invest in companies whose products and services will facilitate the transition to a zero carbon economy.
  • The announcement is part of the Climate Pledge – a commitment to reach the Paris Agreement ten years early and be net zero carbon by 2040 which was co-founded by Amazon and non-profit Global Optimism last year.
  • Companies like Verizon, Reckitt Benckiser (RB), and Infosys recently joined the pledge.
  • The Climate Pledge Fund will look to invest in the visionary entrepreneurs and innovators who are building products and services to help companies reduce their carbon impact and operate more sustainably.
  • Each prospective investment will be judged on its potential to accelerate the path to zero carbon and help protect the planet for future generations.

ICMR allows rapid antigen test for Covid-19 detection

  • The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recommended newer additional strategies for Covid-19 testing, allowing the use of an antigen test to fast-track testing and tracing of positive cases and ease burden on the current RT-PCR test.
  • It has recommended to use Standard Q Covid-19 Ag detection test as a point of care diagnostic assay for testing in the containment zones as well as hospitals in combination with the gold standard RT-PCR test.

FACTFILE – Rapid Antigen Detection Test For Covid-19

  • It is a test on swabbed nasal samples that detects antigens that are found on or within the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
  • It is a point-of-care test, performed outside the conventional laboratory setting, and is used to quickly obtain a diagnostic result.
  • ICMR has allowed the use of antigen detection kits developed by the South Korean company S D Biosensor. The kit, commercially called Standard Q COVID-19 Ag detection kit, comes with a with an inbuilt Covid antigen test device, viral extraction tube with viral lysis buffer and sterile swab for sample collection.

ISRO gets Indian patent for liquid cooling and heating garment

  • The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has got an Indian patent for its liquid cooling and heating garment (LCHG) that is suitable for space applications. The patent is valid for 20 years from the date of application.
  • While ISRO is the patentee, the four inventors are Srirangam Siripothu, Reshmi Balachandran, Saraswathi Kesava Pillai Manu, and Gurumurthy Chandrasekaran.
  • The garment made of biocompatible fabrics and parts to provide comfortable body temperature and removal of sweat. These garments find use in manned space flights and also for earth-bound operations such as firefighting.

 June 25, 2020

Highlights of India TB report 2020

  • Union Ministerof Health Harsh Vardhan released the ”India TB report 2020” and assured that the country can win the fight against TB even before 2025. The Annual TB Report is prepared and published by the Central TB Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GOI.
  • In 2017, the Central Government had developed the National Strategic Plan (NSP) for eradication of Tuberculosis with a goal of ending it by 2025.
  • Some states/UTs have made a commitment to eradicate it even before 2025. Himachal Pradesh aims to get rid of it by 2021 and Sikkim and Lakshadweep by 2022.
  • Over 24.04 lakh patients were notified in 2019, an increase of 14 per cent over the previous year.
  • The report highlights that out of the 10 lakh missing cases across the country, 7.81 lakh cases were found and up to 2.9 lakh are missing or failed to be picked up.
  • Gujarat was accorded the best performing state for its work on eradication of TB, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.
  • Provision of HIV testing for all notified TB patients increased from 67% in 2018 to 81% in 2019.
  • 12% improvement in the treatment success rate of notified patients. For 2019, it is 81% compared to 69% in 2018.

FACTFILE – National Tuberculosis Elimination Program

  • Centrally Sponsored Scheme being implemented under the aegis of the National Health Mission with resource sharing between the State Governments and the Central Government.
  • The goal of the program is to achieve a TB-free India with zero deaths, disease and poverty due to tuberculosis.

Andhra Pradesh partners with ISB for post-Covid economic revival

  • The Andhra Pradesh government has partnered with the Indian School of Business (ISB) Hyderabad as a nodal agency to revive economic growth in the state post Covid-19 and to formulate a roadmap for sustainable development.
  • Minister for Industries, Information Technology and Skills, M. Goutham Reddy interacted with key professors to discuss strategies to revive economic growth in the state and come up with a long term roadmap for sustainable development in the state through data-driven policy making.
  • Various key areas of engagement were identified to be taken up as project mode including Andhra Pradesh Pulse, an advanced data analytics application using near real-time digital data on citizen interactions with government schemes and systems.
  • It will also try to use the skills of returning migrants workers who can be deployed productively in local jobs requiring similar or adjacent skills, which will also contribute to local economic recovery. 
  • ISB would contribute towards building a system to record the skill sets of returning migrants in order to assess the gap between skills and available jobs in post-pandemic times.

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved setting up of Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund

  • The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved setting up of Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) worth Rs. 15000 crore.
  • Government has been implementing several schemes for incentivizing the investment made by dairy cooperative sector for development of dairy infrastructure.
  • Government realizes that even MSMEs and Private companies also need to be promoted and incentivized for their involvement in processing and value addition infrastructure.
  • Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) would facilitate much needed incentivisation of investments in establishment of such infrastructure for dairy and meat processing and value addition infrastructure and establishment of animal feed plant in the private sector.
  • The eligible beneficiaries would be Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), MSMEs, Private Companies and individual entrepreneur with minimum 10% margin money contribution by them. The balance 90% would be the loan component to be made available by banking sector.
  • Government of India would also set up Credit Guarantee Fund of Rs. 750 crore to be managed by NABARD. Credit guarantee would be provided to those sanctioned projects which are covered under MSME defined ceilings.

Cabinet approval for additional investment of Rs.900 in oil & gas project in Myanmar

  • The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved additional investment of about Rs.909 crore  by ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) towards further development of blocks A-1 and A-3 Blocksof Shwe oil & gas project in Myanmar.
  • ONGC Videsh Ltd. (OVL) has been associated with exploration and development of Shwe project in Myanmar since 2002, as part of consortium of companies from South Korea, India and Myanmar.
  • OVL has invested US$ 722 million till 31st March 2019 in this project. The first gas from the Shwe Project was received in July 2013 and plateau production was reached in December 2014. The participation of PSUs in oil & gas exploration and development projects in neighbouring countries is aligned with India’s Act East Policy, and also part of India’s efforts to develop Energy Bridges with its immediate neighbors.

 FACTFILE – ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL)

  • ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) is the international arm of ONGC.
  • The primary business of ONGC Videsh is to prospect for oil and gas acreages outside India, including exploration, development and production of oil and gas.
  • Presently, it has 38 projects in 17 countries.

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June 26, 2020

Vivekananda Yoga University (VaYU), World’s first Yoga University outside India was launched at US

  • World’s first yoga university outside of India has been launched in Los Angeles, offering programmes that combine scientific principles and modern research approaches to the ancient Indian practice of yoga.
  • The Vivekananda Yoga University (VaYU) was jointly launched by Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan and Chairperson of the Standing Committee on External Affairs P P Chaudhary during a virtual event held at the Consulate General of India in New York. 
  • Eminent Indian yoga guru Dr. H R Nagendra, Chancellor of Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (SVYASA) is the first Chairman of the Vivekananda Yoga University. 
  • Founded on the principles of Swami Vivekananda’s preion for universal welfare, VaYU will offer online graduate programmes based on scientific principles and modern research approaches to yoga.

IBM announces free digital learning platform ‘SkillsBuild Reignite’ for jobseekers in India

  • IBM announced a free digital learning platform ‘SkillsBuild Reignite’ as part of its SkillsBuild initiative to help jobseekers and provide new resources to business owners in India.
  • The platform will give access to free online coursework and mentoring support, designed to help people reinvent their careers and businesses.
  • IBM launched SkillsBuild in collaboration with the Directorate General of Training under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), which has already benefited 14,135 learners who have completed 40,000 courses and 77,000 hours of e-learning.
  • The SkillsBuild Reignite will include more coursework and personalised coaching for entrepreneurs seeking advice to help establish or restart their small businesses. The courses include financial management, business strategy, digital strategy etc.

Australia and New Zealand to host the 2023 Women’s Football World Cup

  • Australia and New Zealand were handed the right to host the 2023 Women’s World Cup football tournament by a comfortable margin after a vote by the FIFA Council.
  • They beat a rival bid from Colombia to host the tournament which is being expanded to 32 teams.
  • The report highlighted the infrastructure and organisational advantages of the Australia/New Zealand bid which FIFA believed would make for a commercially successful tournament.

June 27, 2020

MF projects India’s economy to contract by 4.5% in FY21

  • International Monetary Fund said the India’s economy is projected to contract by 4.5 per cent this fiscal, on the back of a longer lockdown and a slower recovery than anticipated.
  • India’s economy will contract in FY21 from an expansion of 4.2 per cent in FY20. And for fiscal 2021-22, IMF projected a growth of 6 per cent for the country.
  • India has unveiled a liquidity support programme worth 4.5 per cent of GDP through loans and guarantees for businesses and farmers and equity injections into financial institutions and the electricity sector.
  • IMF also projected a -4.9 per cent contraction in global growth during 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a more negative impact on activity in the first half of 2020 than anticipated, and the recovery is projected to be more gradual than previously forecast.

President clears ordinance to bring cooperative banks under RBI

  • The Centre has brought urban and multi-state cooperative banks under the direct supervision of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) with President Ram Nath Kovind promulgating the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020.
  • The government had issued ordinance to operationalise new provisions of the Act quickly in the interest of millions of depositors who use the cooperative channel to undertake banking transactions.
  • The Ordinance aims to protect the interests of depositors and strengthen cooperative banks by improving governance and oversight by extending powers already available with RBI in respect of other banks to Co-operative Banks as well for sound banking regulation, and by ensuring professionalism and enabling their access to capital.
  • The amendments does not affect existing powers of the State Registrars of Co-operative Societies under state co-operative laws. It will not be applicable on Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) or co-operative societies whose principal business is long-term finance for agricultural development, and which do not use the word “bank” or “banker” or “banking” and do not act as drawees of cheques.

36th ASEAN summit starts via video conference

  • The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) opened its 36th summit with the theme “Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN”, chaired by Vietnam via video conference, which focused onthe COVID-19 epidemic response, post-pandemic recovery and further cooperation with partners.
  • On the opening ceremony of the summit, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said he expected the summit to be an opportunity to once again affirm the strong solidarity, political will, and determination of ASEAN member countries to overcome difficulties.
  • The ASEAN needs to continue to effectively control the COVID-19 epidemic and overcome the consequences of the epidemic while recovering and keeping on economic development.
  • The summit will discuss the regional comprehensive post-pandemic recovery plans, implement initiatives including establishing the ASEAN COVID-19 response fund, setting up a reserve for medical supplies to meet urgent needs during epidemics, building the ASEAN standard procedures of epidemic response in case of health emergency.

FACTFILE – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

  • The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising ten countries in Southeast Asia, to promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, military, educational, and sociocultural integration among members and other countries in Asia.
  • A major partner of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, ASEAN maintains a global network of alliances and dialogue partners and is considered by many as a global powerhouse, the central union for cooperation in Asia-Pacific, and a prominent and influential organization.
  • Established in 1967, the ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Bengaluru International Airport becomes India’s first airport to install AWMS technology on runway

  • The Bengaluru International Airport Ltd (BIAL), which operated the Kempegowda International Airport, has installed an indigenously-developed Aviation Weather Monitoring System (AWMS) at its new runway.
  • BIAL has become the first airport in the country to install indigenous AWMS technology developed by Bengaluru-based CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) at both ends of the new runway.
  • The airport has also installed four Drishti transmissometers, which is also developed by NAL, in association with the India Metrological Department (IMD) to measure the Runway Visibility Range (RVR).
  • The Drishti transmissometer is acclaimed for precise reporting, helping pilots with an accurate runway visual range. It is suitable for all categories of airports such as CAT I, CAT II, CAT III A & B and measures RVR down to 25 meters.
  • With AWMS and RVR integrated, the data is displayed on one single display screen. With the web-enabled feature, the data can be accessed, and maintenance carried out from any location. 

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JUNE 28, 2020

Amartya Sen wins 2020 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade

  • Nobel prize-winning economist and philosopher Amartya Sen has won the prestigious Peace Prize of the German Book Trade for the year2020.
  • The 86-year-old Harvard professor and Nobel laureate was granted the peace prize for his decades-long work addressing global social injustice.

FACTFILE – Peace Prize of the German Book Trade

  • The Peace Prize of the German Book Trade comes with a cash prize of €25,000 euros.
  • The prize has been awarded annually since 1950.
  • Its aim is to honor individuals “who have made an outstanding contribution to the realization of the idea of peace, primarily through their activities in the fields of literature, science and art.”

Union Govt approves the Action Plan of Rajasthan for implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission

  • Rajasthan presented the Annual Action Plan on Jal Jeevan Mission. Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has earlier written to the Chief Minister of Rajasthan expressing his concerns over the slow progress of Jal Jeevan Mission in the State.
  • Central Govt has approved fund of ₹2,522.03 Crore for implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission in Rajasthan in 2020-21, which is a considerable increase from ₹ 1,051 Crore in 2019-20.
  • Out of 1.1 Crore rural households in the Rajasthan, 12.36 Lakh households have already been provided with tap connections (FHTCs).
  • In 2019-20, only 1.02 Lakh tap connections were provided. In 2020-21, the State is planning to enable 20.69 Lakh households with tap water connections.
  • The state plans to provide potable water to 57.77 Lakh population of the State residing in 5,864 villages affected by Fluoride, salinity, Nitrate and Iron.

Shantanu Moitra becomes WWF India’s Harmony and Hope ambassador

  • Famous music composer Shantanu Moitra was announced as the WWF India”s Ambassador for Harmony and Hope for Human-Wildlife Co-existence.
  • Through Moitra’s association with the cause, WWF India will highlight the stories of local communities who reside in forest fringe areas across the country and are stewards of conservation.
  • Shantanu, through his association, will tell stories of positive stories of co-existence between people and wildlife in the country.

Virgin Galactic inks pact with NASA for private passenger trips to ISS

  • Virgin Galactic announced the signing of an agreement with NASA to encourage commercial participation in orbital human spaceflight to the International Space Station (ISS).
  • Virgin Galactic said that these trips may not be limited to people for space tourism purposes only.
  • Under this Space Act Agreement agreement, Virgin Galactic will develop a new private orbital astronaut readiness programme. This programme will include identifying candidates interested in purchasing private astronaut missions to the ISS, the procurement of transportation to the ISS, on-orbit resources, and ground resources.
  • NASA is seeing greater demand for use of the ISS for scientific and technological research and development, commercial activity, and international collaboration.
  • NASA will leverage Virgin Galactic’s commercial expertise and industry knowledge.
  • Virgin Galactic will also contribute end-to-end programme management and integrated astronaut training packages for private passengers, tailored to meet the needs for a commercial orbital space flight experience.
  • The space tourism company has already developed a customised Future Astronaut Readiness programme for its customers flying out of Spaceport America in New Mexico.

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Assam Current Affairs – June 15-21, 2020

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Assam Current Affairs – June 15- 21, 2020

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of June 15 – 21, 2020 )

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June 15, 2020

Dibru Saikhowa National Park suffered grave damage in Baghjan blaze

  • Environmentalists are worried that the grave damage has been caused by the Baghjan gas well blowout and fire to Dibru Saikhowa National Park and Maguri Motapung Beel, an important wetland and Important Bird Area site.
  • The Maguri Beel has borne the brunt of the gas-condensate leakage and also the blaze that is still raging. A panel is assessing the situation, and water and soil samples of both the wetland and the national park have been sent for testing.
  • The wetland and its peripheral areas had been covered with an oily substance and unless removed immediately, the wetland’s ecology would suffer long-term damage. Much of the grassland has been burnt after the fire. Carcasses of a Gengetic river dolphin, fish, and birds have been recovered from the wetland in the past few days.

India builds first ever infectious disease diagnostic lab

  • India’s builds first everinfectious disease diagnostic lab (I-LAB). This rapid response mobile labrotary is part of Indian Govt’s Aatmnirbhar Bharat.
  • This labrotary was built in a record time of eight days from the date of receipt of Automotive Chassis, from Bharat Benz, with the support of Department of Bio-Technology.
  • This lab is a BSL-2 facility with on site Elisa, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) test and Bio chemistry analysers.
  • It cas capacity to test Elisa about 200 per day and RTPCR about 50 per day.

Kathy Sullivan the first American Woman to walk in space reaches Challenger Deep, the deepest spot in the ocean

  • The astronaut Kathy Sullivan has become the first woman to reach the Challenger Deep, about seven miles below the ocean’s surface.
  • She is also the first American woman to walk in space, which makes Dr. Sullivan the first person to both walk in space and to descend to the deepest point in the ocean.

FACTFILE – Challenger Deep

  • The Challenger Deep is the deepest known point in the Earth’s seabed, with a depth of 10,902 to 10,929 metres.
  • It is located in the Western Pacific Ocean, at the southern end of the Mariana Trench near the Mariana Islands group.
  • The depression is named after the British Royal Navy survey ship HMS Challenger, whose expedition of 1872–1876 made the first recordings of its depth.
  • The first descent by any vehicle was by the manned bathyscaphe Trieste in January 1960; unmanned visits followed in 1996, 1998 and 2009.

Australian honour for Indian musician Shobha Sekhar

  • Indian Musician Shobha Sekhar, the founder of Kalakruthi a music organisation in Australia receives the Medal of the Order of Australia(OAM) for her service to Indian music and dance.
  • The Melbourne-based artiste and lecturer, University of Melbourne, figures in the Queen’s Birthday 2020 Honours List and will be conferred the Medal of the Order of Australia. 
  • Kalakruthi is affiliated to The Music Academy, Chennai, and the students receiving lessons in advanced levels from the faculty of the Academy’s music school.

FACTFILE – The Medal of the Order of Australia

  • The medal of the order of Australia is awarded to the individuals contributing to their community or to Australia globally or domestically.
  • The recipients are nominated and assessed independently as worthy of recognition.

Maharashtra to sign 12 MoUs with global investors

  • Starting the ”Magnetic Maharashtra” initiative, Maharashtra Govt is ready to sign 12 major MoUs with global companies for investments in the state.
  • Important MoUs shall be signed with companies from USA, China, South Korea and Singapore besides a bilateral investment discussion, via video-conferencing.
  • There has been interest from other countries like Russia, Japan, Germany and others in various sectors like engineering, automobiles, food processing, ESDM, IT, ITES, and others.
  • The state will also unveil its ”Magnetic Maharashtra 2.0” roadmap featuring pathbreaking ease of business initiatives of like Plug & Play infrastructure, a land bank of over 40,000 acres, flexible rentals/pricing structures, automatic permissions with 48 hours, specialised labour protection guidance, and the entire ecosystem for investments in the state.

June 16, 2020

Jaideep Mazumdar from Assam appointed as Ambassador to Austria

  • Jaideep Mazumdar, the senior most serving Indian diplomat from Assam, has been appointed Ambassador to Austria and Montenegro, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations (UN) in Vienna and India’s Governor on the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna.
  • Earlier, Mazumdar was India’s Ambassador to the Philippines, Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia. He also served in Hong Kong, Beijing, Bangladesh, Nepal, UN and Cairo.

Indian-American soil scientist Rattan Lal wins prestigious World Food Prize

  • Eminent Indian-American soil scientist Rattan Lal was named this year’s recipient of USD 250,000 World Food Prize, with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
  • He is helping millions of small farmers around the world with his work on increasing food production and recycling of nutrients.
  • Rattan Lal was named as the 2020 World Food Prize Laureate for developing and mainstreaming a soil-centric approach to increasing food production that conserves natural resources and mitigates climate change.
  • Dr Lal’s research in soil science is helping the earth’s estimated 500 million small farmers be faithful stewards of their land though improved management, less soil degradation, and the recycling of nutrients.
  • A native of India and citizen of the United States, Lal has in his career of over 50 years and across four continents promoted innovative soil-saving techniques that benefited the livelihoods of more than 500 million smallholder farmers, improved the food and nutritional security of more than two billion people and saved hundreds of millions of hectares of natural tropical ecosystems.
  • Lal is the founding Director of the Carbon Management and Sequestration Center at The Ohio State University (OSU).

FACTFILE – World Food Prize

  • The World Food Prize is an international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world.
  • Since 1987, the prize has been awarded annually to recognize contributions in the world food supply.
  • Conceived by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Norman Borlaug, the prize emphasizes the importance of a nutritious and sustainable food supply for all people.

Points2Remember

  • Prof. M. S. Swaminathan was the first Indian to receive this award in 1987, for introducing high-yielding wheat and rice varieties to India starting India’s Green Revolution.
  • In 1989, Dr Verghese Kurien was selected for this award for founding the Operation Flood, the largest agricultural development program in the world which made the farmer the owner of his cooperative, due to that, India emerged as the largest producer of milk in 1998.

PepsiCo Foundation commits $3 million for safe water in Bengal, Maharashtra

  • The PepsiCo Foundation has committed to invest $3 million with the NGO ”WaterAid” to provide safe water access to agricultural communities and help women in high water-risk areas in West Bengal and Maharashtra.
  • It aims to provide 2 lakh farmers and families access to piped water supply for household use, increased water resources, and will establish community-managed water distribution systems in these communities.
  • The investment is in line with the government”s Jal Jeevan Mission which aims to provide functional household tap connections to every rural household by 2024.
  • The PepsiCo Foundation also announced that they have helped more than 4.4 crore people gain access to safe water since 2006, with investment of more than $46 million since 2005 as a founding partner or early investor in programmes with partners like Safe Water Network, Water.org, WaterAid and many other NGOs.

10% quota for TN Govt school students in medical colleges

  • The Tamil Nadu cabinet gave its nod to promulgation of an ordinance to provide 10 per cent horizontal quota for students of state government schools.
  • The decision is taken as per the report submitted by the one-man commission, headed by former Madras High Court Justice P. Kalaiyarasan.
  • The horizontal quota will be for students who pass the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to undergraduate course in medical colleges.

Haryana brings Covid-19 care under Ayushman Bharat Yojana

  • Haryana Govt brought Covid-19 patients under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.
  • The state health authority has also increased the medical management package by 20 per cent to help patients avail quality treatment facilities.
  • Golden cards for over 22.14 lakh people have been made under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana.
  • So far, over 1.12 lakh patients had been treated under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana and costing the state Rs 135.33 crore.

Centre allocates Rs 2,522 crore to Rajasthan under Jal Jeevan Mission

  • The central government has allocated Rs 2,522 crore under the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme for Rajasthan to mitigate the state’s drought and water scarcity problems and ground water pollution.
  • Rs 1,051 crore was given to Rajasthan in the last financial year, Rs 2,522 crore has been allocated under the Jal Jeevan Mission this year, which is one-and-a-half times increase in allocation.
  • In the present situation, the state will have more than Rs 3,500 crore as the central share.

Airtel Payments Bank launches ”Suraksha salary account” for MSMEs

  • Airtel Payments Bank announced the launch of ”Suraksha Salary Account” for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
  • Through this account, MSMEs and other organisations will be able to make cashless payments and also provide a financial security blanket to their employees.
  • Suraksha Salary account offers a wide range of benefits including ”Hospicash Insurance” and ”Personal Accidental” insurance cover.
  • The policy will cover Covid-19 as well and mitigate the impact on the account holder due to potential loss of pay and savings during hospitalization.
  • The account holder will also get free of charge group accidental cover of Rs 1 lakh.
  • The account holder can make cash withdrawals, cash deposits and transfer money at Airtel Payments Bank’s 500,000 banking points across India.

IIT-M researchers develop microwave process to make biofuel oils

  • The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) researchers have developed a simple microwave process to produce biofuel oils with high energy values from two waste products, agricultural waste such as rice straw and bagasse and discarded plastics.
  • Biofuel oils generated from renewable biological sources are considered a practical and pragmatic replacement for petroleum and petrochemicals. Biomass is the only renewable source of carbon on the earth with immense potential for the production of energy, chemicals and materials with zero carbon footprints.
  • Agricultural waste products such as rice straw, sugarcane bagasse and wood chips, among others, can potentially serve as bio-oil producing biomass. One of the common methods to produce bio-oil from biomass is ”pyrolysis” of the biomass components into fuel components.
  • Plastics that are rich in hydrogen, can serve as the hydrogen supplier to biomass in its conversion to low-oxygenate bio-oils. The IITM researchers used microwave to co-pyrolyse biomass and plastics. Microwave heats materials quickly and uniformly and is a selective and energy-saving technology.

Government launches AarogyaPath portal for healthcare supply chain

  • AarogyaPath, a web based solution for the healthcare supply chain was launched to serve manufacturers, suppliers and customers to effectively deal with the Covid-19 pandemic and to remove supply chain bottlenecks during the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • The vision of this initiative is to set up an information management and forecasting database platform at national level, by capturing the demand and supply scenarios for key healthcare needs items.
  • This public platform will help healthcare users like hospitals, pathology laboratories, research institutes, medical colleges and patients, providing seamless access to suppliers, manufacturers for prevailing needs and demand related to medical equipment, diagnostic instruments, drugs, Personal Protective Equipment, respiratory assistance devices.
  • AarogyaPath will become the national healthcare information platform of choice in the recent future by filling a critical gap in last-mile delivery of patient care within India through improved availability and affordability of healthcare supplies.

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June 17, 2020

Assam to launch the Assam Targeted Surveillance Programme

  • The Assam government has decided to launch the Assam Targeted Surveillance Programme (ATSP) to randomly test 50,000 samples in 11 days. The random testing under the ATSP would be conducted in four categories of people.
  • Under the ATSP, random testing of people and workers involved in truck parking, loading and unloading of goods, including railway goods and godowns, would be conducted.
  • Random testing would also be conducted on all frontline district officials, including health workers, police personnel, officials of the transport department and the district administration, Covid-19 management teams, hotel staff and family members of people released from the institutional quarantine centres.

India 9th is the largest recipient of FDI in 2019

  • India received USD 51 billion in Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in 2019 and was the world’s 9th largest recipient of FDI in 2019, according to a report by the UN’s trade body. This is an increase from the 42 billion dollars of FDI received in 2018, when India ranked 12 in the world.
  • The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report revealed a lower but positive economic growth in India in the post-COVID19 pandemic period and India’s large market will continue to attract market-seeking investments to the country.
  • In India, the biggest FDI host in the subregion, with more than 70 per cent of inward stock, the number of Greenfield investment announcements declined by four per cent in the first quarter, and Merger & Acquisitions contracted by 58. Information and communication technology and the construction industry are the sectors where most of the investments came in.
  • Global FDI flows are forecast to decrease by up to 40 per cent in 2020, this would be for the first time since 2005 that global FDI falls below the USD 1 trillion mark.
  • Companies in India are the subregion’s largest investors, with more than 90 per cent of outflows in 2019.
  • Investments from India are expected to decline in 2020, with the largest MNEs revising their earnings down by 25 per cent in early 2020 due to the impact of the pandemic.

First ever 5th state of matter ever ‘Bose-Einstein condensate‘ observed in space

  • NASA scientists on Earth have collaborated with astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) to corral the first ever Bose-Einstein condensate outside of Earth’s gravity.
  • Bose-Einstein condensate is the fifth state of matter, and it lives way longer in space.
  • To make a BEC, scientists must first corral and then supercool atoms. In the near-zero gravity in space, they can mix the ingredients in a much smaller catchment “trap”, which on Earth’s surface, the atoms begin to repel each other and fly apart almost instantaneously.
  • Without gravity, the atoms float like everything else; and scientists can study them for the first time in microgravity. Previously, scientists were able to study tiny lengths of microgravity-like conditions by dropping experiments in freefall and other common workarounds.
  • CAL is “the coolest spot in the universe,” piggybacking cutting-age cooling technology from Earth’s surface with the naturally ice cold temperature in deep space.
  • As atoms approach absolute zero, they slow and become more and more pliable, forming BECs more readily. Researchers are using laboratory-favorite rubidium, one of just a handful of elements known to form BECs.

FACTFILE – Bose–Einstein condensate (BEC)

  • Bose–Einstein condensate (BEC) is called the fifth state of matter which is typically formed when a gas of bosons at low densities is cooled to temperatures very close to absolute zero (-273.15 °C).
  • Under such conditions, a large fraction of bosons occupy the lowest quantum state, at which point microscopic quantum phenomena, particularly wave function interference, become apparent macroscopically.
  • This state was first predicted, generally, in 1924–1925 by Albert Einstein following and crediting a pioneering paper by Satyendra Nath Bose on the new field now known as quantum statistics.

BIOGRAPHY – Satyendra Nath Bose

  • Satyendra Nath Bose was an Indian mathematician and physicist specialising in theoretical physics. He is best known for his work on quantum mechanics in the early 1920s, collaboration with Albert Einstein in developing the foundation for Bose–Einstein statistics and the theory of the Bose–Einstein condensate.
  • A Fellow of the Royal Society, he was awarded India’s second highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan in 1954.
  • The class of particles that obey Bose–Einstein statistics, bosons, was named after Bose by Paul Dirac.

Indian Institute of Toxicology Research develops disinfection machine for N95 masks, PPE kits

  • The Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR), Lucknow, has developed a disinfection machine in association with a startup called Major Technology, for N95 masks and PPE kits which makes them reusable.
  • It has been tested by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jodhpur and the Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, and has received positive reviews.
  • This equipment will help in saving on the cost of new Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits and masks and also save the environment as bio-medical waste will be reduced.
  • CSIR-Indian Toxicological Research Institute (CSIR-IIITR), Lucknow was established in 1965, which is the constituent laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research .

India joins Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence

  • India joined the league of leading economies including USA, UK, EU, Australia and others to launch the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI).
  • GPAI will bring together leading experts from industry, civil society, governments, and academia to collaborate to promote responsible evolution of Artificial Intelligence.
  • By joining GPAI as a founding member, India will actively participate in the global development of Artificial Intelligence, leveraging its experience around use of digital technologies for inclusive growth.
  • GPAI is a first initiative of its type for evolving better understanding of the challenges and opportunities around Artificial Intelligence using the experience and diversity of participating countries.

FACTFILE – Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI)

  • GPAI is an international and multi-stakeholder initiative to guide the responsible development and use of AI, based on human rights, inclusion, diversity, innovation, and economic growth.
  • Founding Members are Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
  • It will bring together leading experts from industry, civil society, governments, and academia to conduct research and pilot projects on AI. Initially it will comprise four working groups focused on responsible AI, data governance, the future of work, and innovation and commercialisation.
  • GPAI will be supported by a Secretariat, to be hosted by Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, as well as by two Centers of Expertise- one each in Montreal (Canada) and Paris (France).

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June 18, 2020

India elected for 8th term as Non-Permanent Member of UN Security Council

  • India has been elected as a Non-Permanent Member of the UN Security Council for a two-year term for the 8th time.
  • India, the endorsed candidate from the Asia-Pacific states, won 184 votes out of the 192 ballots cast in the elections for the five non-permanent seats of the Security Council.
  • Along with India, Ireland, Mexico and Norway also won the Security Council elections, for whom the two-year term as the non-permanent member would begin from January 1, 2021.

FACTFILE – Membership of the United Nations Security Council

  • Membership of the United Nations Security Council is held by the five permanent members and ten non-permanent members.
  • Prior to 1966, there were six elected members, while the permanent members have in essence not changed since the creation of the United Nations in 1945.
  • Elected non-permanent members hold their place on the Council for a two-year term, and half of these places are contested each year.
  • To ensure geographical continuity, a certain number of members is allocated for each of the five UN regional groupings.

IIT Guwahati develops high quality, affordable Covid-19 kits

  • Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati announced that its researchers have created several affordable and high-quality Covid-19. These affordable and sterile Viral Transport Media (VTM) kits, RT-PCR kits and RNA isolation kits have been developed at IIT Guwahati jointly with RR Animal Healthcare Ltd. with inputs from Gauhati Medical College And Hospital.
  • The VTM kits are the first stop source used to collect the nasal and oral swab specimens from the individual source to the laboratory safely for culture and testing.
  • The large scale production of all these kits has commenced to meet the requirement of the Assam State as well as will be made available across the country.

Turkey’s Volkan Bozkir elected president of 75th UN General Assembly

  • Turkish diplomat Volkan Bozkir has been elected president of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, which begins in September 2020.
  • In a secret ballot vote, Bozkir was unopposed for the post, received 178 ballots in support as 11 nations abstained.
  • Bozkir is currently serving as a Justice and Development (AK) Party lawmaker from Istanbul and head of the Turkish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee.
  • Bozkir is the first Turkish national to head the General Assembly. For the 74th session of 2019-2020, the first seat was occupied by Tijjani Muhammad-Bande from Ghana.

FACTFILE – President of the United Nations General Assembly

  • The President of the United Nations General Assembly is a position voted for by representatives in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) every year.
  • The President presides over the sessions of the General Assembly.
  • The presidency rotates annually between the five geographic groups: African, Asia-Pacific, Eastern European, Latin American and Caribbean, and Western European and other States.
  • It is customary that no permanent member of the United Nations Security Council ever serves as UNGA president.
  • Most powerful countries have never held the presidency, such as the People’s Republic of China, France, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Point2Remember

  • Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit from India was the President of the 8th United Nations General Assembly in 1953. She was also the first woman president of UNGA.
  • Paul-Henri Spaak was the President of the first session of the General Assembly of the new United Nations in 1945.

Google launches program to support Indian startups creating solutions

  • Google expanded its programme for startups ‘Google for Startups‘ to support startups working on the solutions to solve real-life challenges towards the new normal post COVID-19 landscape in India.
  • Google for Startups has opened applications for the new batch of Google for Startups Accelerator, with a special focus on health-tech, fin-tech, edu-tech, agri-tech, retail and SaaS startups.
  • Google for Startups also announced the launch of ‘Emerging stronger: Playbook’ for startups to face the Covid-19 Challenge.

Khelo India State Centres of Excellence to be set up across India

  • The Union Sports ministry is going to establish Khelo India State Centres of Excellence under the Khelo India Scheme. One such centre will be identified in each State and Union Territory with an aim to create a robust sporting ecosystem in the entire country.
  • In the first phase of Khelo India State Centre of Excellence, state-owned sports facilities in eight states including Karnataka, Odisha, Kerala, Telengana, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland which will be upgraded.
  • While funds for expert coaches, supporting staff, equipments, infrastructure will be extended through the Khelo India Scheme, respective State and Union Territory will be responsible for all aspects of management of the centre including, boarding, lodging and maintenance. 

June 19, 2020

India ranked 43rd in IMD’s  World Competitive Index 2020

  • India continues to remain ranked 43rd , among the 63 nations, on the World Competitiveness Index compiled by Institute for Management Development (IMD) mainly due weakness in poor infrastructure and insufficient education investment.
  • US has moved down to 10th place, while India is ranked second after China (20th), followed by Russia (50th), Brazil (56th) and South Africa (59th).

TOP Countries Rank

  • Rank 1 – Singapore
  • Rank 2 – Denmark
  • Rank 3 – Switzerland
  • Rank 4 – Netherlands
  • Rank 5 – Hong Kong

AIIB clears $750 million loan to India for COVID-19

  • Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved a $750 million loan to India to help strengthen its response to the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on millions of poor and vulnerable households.
  • Co-financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the funding assistance will bolster economic aid for businesses, including for the informal sector, expanding social safety nets for the needy, and strengthening the country’s healthcare systems.
  • Many of the world’s low and middle-income countries are still in the early stages of the health crisis but are already feeling the impact of the pandemic. This poses an enormous risk for millions across India who have only recently emerged from poverty.

FACTFILE – Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)

  • The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral development bank with the main purpose of supporting the building of infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region.
  • The bank currently has 82 members as well as 20 prospective members
  • The bank started operation after the agreement entered into force on 25 December 2015, after ratifications were received from 10 member states holding a total number of 50% of the initial subscriptions of the Authorized Capital Stock.
  • The allocated shares are based on the size of each member country’s economy (GDP Nominal (60%) and GDP PPP (40%)), and the number of shares determines the fraction of authorized capital in the bank.
  • The starting capital of the bank was $100 billion, equivalent to ​2⁄3 of the capital of the Asian Development Bank and about half that of the World Bank.
  • The bank was proposed by China in 2013 and the initiative was launched at a ceremony in Beijing in October 2014. It received the highest credit ratings from the three biggest rating agencies in the world.

NASA , ESA and JAXA to provide satellite data on Covid-19

  • NASA has partnered with European Space Agency (ESA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to unveil a global view of Covid-19 impacts, named “Covid-19 Earth Observation Dashboard”. This dashboard of satellite data will show the impacts of the global response to the coronavirus pandemic on the environment and socioeconomic activity.
  • This dashboard is a tri-agency collaboration that brings together current and historical satellite observations with analytical tools to create a user-friendly information resource for the public and researchers. It will track key indicators of changes in air and water quality, climate, economic activity, and agriculture.

Two Indian firms in WEF’s 2020 Technology Pioneers

  • World Economic Forum (WEF) has announced its 2020 cohort of Technology Pioneers of100 new tech firms which are leaders in carbon capture, alternative meat and circular economies, while some of them aims to address food security, financial access etc.
  • The 20th cohort of Technology Pioneers comprised 2 Indian firms namely – ZestMoney and Stellapps.
  • ZestMoney is an Indian Artificial intelligence-based digital lending platform which disburses affordable credit to millions.
  • Stellapps is India’s data-led, internet of things-based startup platform which is enagaged in digitization of the dairy supply chain.
  • The WEF’s Technology Pioneer community comprises of early to growth-stage companies from around the world. These companies are generally involved in the design, development and deployment of new technologies and innovations, and poised to make a significant impact on business as well as society.

Fitch revises India’s Sovereign Rating Outlook to Negative

  • Fitch Ratings Ltd. revised India’s long-term outlook to negative from stable, citing risks due to continued acceleration in the number of new Covid-19 cases.
  • The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has significantly weakened India’s growth outlook with economic activity expected to contract 5% in the current fiscal.
  • Recently, all three large global rating agencies have reviewed India’s sovereign rating. Moody’s downgraded India by one notch and retained a negative outlook on the rating.
  • Standard & Poor’s reaffirmed India’s rating and the outlook. Fitch has retained the sovereign rating but changed the outlook to negative.
  • India’s medium-term gross domestic growth outlook may be negatively affected with banks and non-bank lenders facing new asset-quality challenges. Fiscal metrics have deteriorated significantly due to the impact of a growth slowdown on revenue, fiscal deficit and public sector debt ratios.

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June 20, 2020

New fish species ‘Schizothoraxsikusirumensis‘ discovered in Arunachal Pradesh

  • A new species of fish has been discovered in Arunachal Pradesh by Dr.Keshav Kumar Jha, Associate Professor & Head, Department of Zoology, Jawaharlal Nehru College, Pasighat.
  • The fish species is named as Schizothoraxsikusirumensis, and belongs to genus Schizothorax.
  • The name of this fish species has been derived from the name of the rivers where it was found. This fish was collected from the junction of River Siku and Sirum near Gakang area under Mebo circle of East Siang District of the Arunachal Pradesh.

Heartfulness Institute partners with AYUSH Ministry to host global Yogathon

  • Heartfulness Institute has partnered with the Ministry of AYUSH and the United Nations Department of Public Information to host a global Yogathon, that includes a call to make compassion contagious, to showcase the need for compassion and will inspire people how to live a life of compassion.
  • Union Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent Charge) Shripad Naik and Rajya Sabha MP Suresh Prabhu are among those who will participate in the Yogathon.
  • June 21 is marked as the International Day of Yoga and the day has been celebrated annually on 21 June since 2015.
  • Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual practice which originated in India.

Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry signs MoU with SIDBI for implementing PM SVANidhi

  • Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry and Small Industries Development Bank of India, SIDBI signed an MoU to engage SIDBI as the implementation agency for PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi).
  • SIDBI will implement the PM SVANidhi Scheme under the guidance of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. It will also manage the credit guarantee to the lending institutions through Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises.
  • SIDBI will also develop and maintain a customized and integrated IT Platform providing end-to-end solutions, including documentation of all the processes and workflows for an end-to-end solution, through a Portal and a Mobile App.
  • PM SVANidhi was launched on 1st June 2020, for providing affordable Working Capital loan to street vendors to resume their livelihoods that have been adversely affected due to Covid-19 lockdown.
  • This scheme targets to benefit over 50 lakh Street Vendors who can avail a working capital loan of up to ten thousand rupees, which is repayable in monthly instalments in the tenure of one year.

Climate Change Tracker – India’s first climate change assessment released

  • India released its own national report on the state of the climate crisis ‘ Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region’. The report is prepared under the aegis of the ministry of earth sciences (MoES).
  • As per the report, India’s average temperature has increased by 0.7 degrees Celsius between 1901-2018, and that this is due to the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG).
  • Best-case scenario of immediate mitigation of emissions, India’s temperature will still rise by 2.7 degrees Celsius by 2099 and in worst-case scenario temperature will rise by 4.4 degrees Celsius in the same period.
  • Surface temperatures in the Indian Ocean (including the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea) have risen by 1 degree Celsius between 1951-2015, which higher than the global average.
  • The report establishes that precipitation over north India has decreased by 6% (1951-2015) due to the polluting aerosol “brown cloud”. 
  • The April-June heatwaves will become four times more frequent by 2099 (compared to 1976-2005), and their duration might also double.

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurates an International Workshop on Good Governance Practices

  • Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurates an International Workshop on Good Governance Practices in a Pandemic for International Civil Servants.
  • The two-day international Conference is being attended by 81 International Civil Servants from 16 Countries including the Chief of Staff, Sri Lanka Army Major General HJS Gunawardena, 19 Senior Secretaries to Government from Bangladesh, 11 District Administrators from Myanmar, Senior officials from Bhutan, Kenya, Morocco, Nepal, Oman, Somalia, Thailand, Tunisia, Tonga, Sudan and Uzbekistan.
  • The international webinar workshop was jointly organized by Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC), Ministry of External Affairs and National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances.
  • The Workshop was jointly conceptualized by the Ministry of External Affairs, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances and National Centre for Good Governance with the objective of disseminating India’s good governance practices to ITEC countries.

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June 21, 2020

Assam’s COVID-19 recovery rate among top 3 states

  • Assam was performing better in COVID-19 management than many other states and the State’s recovery rate of 63.3% was among the top three.
  • The State crossed another milestone today by crossing the 3 lakh test mark. The number of test conducted per million populations in the State now is 8229, which is among the top six states.
  • 2.43 lakh people have returned to the State from outside till date and all have been tested for COVID-19 and quarantined. 173 trains and 711 flights have come to Assam till date. The number of returnees is gradually decreasing.

Nita Ambani recognized among top philanthropists of 2020

  • The Town & Country, America’s leading general interest magazine, has featured Nita Ambani and the Reliance Foundation among the top philanthropists of 2020 “who are saving lives and our sense of hope” given the circumstances of Covid-19.
  • The coverage spotlights Ambani for leading Reliance Foundation’s efforts in feeding frontline workers and the poor, its financial contributions, and for setting up India’s first Covid-19 hospital.
  • Nita Ambani is the only Indian in the list which features prominent global individuals like Oprah Winfrey, Laurene Powell Jobs, Donatella Versace, Michael Bloomberg, Leonardo Di Caprio and more.
  • The magazine states that The Reliance Foundation – the philanthropic initiative of Reliance Industries, founded and chaired by Ambani-distributed millions of meals and masks to frontline workers and the poor, set up India’s first hospital for Covid-19 patients, and donated $72 million to an emergency fund.

500 year old temple found submerged in Mahanadi river of Odisha

  • The 60-feet temple, believed to be around 500 years old, was located recently in the mid-river near Baideswar in the Padmavati area in Cuttack.
  • The temple dates back to the late 15th or early 16th century, considering the construction style of the Mastaka and the materials used for the construction.
  • The Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage (INTACH) would approach the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to take steps for relocating and restoring the temple. INTACH has so far located as many as 65 ancient temples in the Mahanadi river during its documentation project.
  • The region used to be known as “Satapatana” in the early days. However, with the river changing its course due to catastrophic floodings, the entire village was submerged.
  • INTACH Odisha had launched its project on the documentation of the heritage of the Mahanadi valley early last year. A comprehensive survey of the heritage, on both  bank of Mahanadi river has been undertaken in the nine districts, which is in its final stage of completion.

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Assam Current Affairs – May 15 – 21, 2020

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Assam Current Affairs & GK – May 15 – 21, 2020

( Covers all important Assam & North-East Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of May 15 – 21, 2020 )

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May 15, 2020

Assam likely to shift academic year to April-March
  • The Government of Assam is contemplating changing the academic year of the State’s school and colleges from January-December to April-March every year, as per suggestions of a task force constituted for the purpose. If is happens, then the current academic year is also likely to be extended till March 31, 2021.
  • The measure has been suggested to compensate the loss of academic days due to the prevailing lockdown crisis.
  • The change if implemented will also be in conformity with the academic year of CBSE and education boards of most of the other states.
  • To minimise the damage of COVID lockdown, the government has urged the teacher community to encourage and motivate the students for optimum utilisation of the e-initiatives like Diksha App, Biswa Bidya Assam App and classes broadcast through Doordarshan and All India Radio.
ELISA kits produced by ZydusCadila has 98% sensitivity
  • The ICMR said that the first batch of the ELISA kits produced by ZydusCadila has similar sensitivity and specificity of 98.7 per cent and 100 per cent, respectively.
  • The National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, has validated the first batch of ELISA kits produced by ZydusCadila and found similar sensitivity and specificity of 98.7 per cent and 100 per cent, respectively.
  • According to the ICMR, the ELISA kit is cost-effective, sensitive, rapid and a large number of samples can be tested at any level of clinical setting, including public health centres and hospitals.
  • After the development at the ICMR-NIV, the technology has been transferred for mass production to ZydusCadila, which is an innovation driven global healthcare company.
  • This test kit has the advantage of testing 90 samples together in a single run of 2.5 hours, so that healthcare professionals can proceed quickly with the necessary next steps on their patients” triage paths.
India’s Infant Mortality at 32 per 1,000 live births
  • India’s infant mortality rate (IMR) has improved very marginally from 33 per 1,000 live births in 2017 to 32 in 2018, according to data released by the Registrar General of India. India’s IMR was it was 129 in 1971.
  • Nagaland has the best IMR at 4 while Madhya Pradesh continues to have the worst IMR in the country at 48.
  • The urban rural differential in MP is huge with the rural IMR at 51, while the urban IMR at 32.
  • Among large states, Kerala is the best performer being the only state with an IMR in single digits at 7. It is also the only state which has now achieved the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal in this regard.
  • The largest decline in IMR has been registered by Mizoram with a decline from 15 to 5.
  • The registrar also released data for death and birth rates. While India’s birth rate stood at 20, the death rate was 6.2. In 1971, India’s birth rate was 36 and death rate was 14.9.
  • Delhi has the lowest at 3 while Chhattisgarh has the highest death rate in the country at 8.
Govt announces Rs 5,000 crore Special Credit facility for street vendors
  • The Centre announced Rs 5,000- crore special credit facility to benefit nearly 50 lakh such vendors. The scheme will be launched within one month.
  • Rs 10,000 loan will be given to the needy vendors, but this is not a fixed amount, and will be decided after consultation with banks.
  • Digital payments will be incentivized through monetary rewards and enhanced working capital credit would be made available for good repayment behaviour.
  • Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the scheme will support nearly 50 lakh street vendors and will provide liquidity of Rs 5,000 crore.
Union Govt allocates Rs 40,000 crore more for MGNREGS
  • The government announced an additional Rs 40,000 crore allocation for the rural employment guarantee scheme to help provide jobs to migrant workers returning home. This is over and above the Rs 61,000 crore budgeted earlier.
  • Also, public expenditure on health will be increased, Investments in grassroot health institutions to be ramped up. Programme for multi-mode access to digital or online education to be launched immediately.
NDMA developed National Migrant Info System (NIMS), a central database for migrant workers
  • The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has come forward and developed a National Migrant Info System (NIMS) a central online repository to facilitate their seamless movement across states amid the Covid-19 induced lockdown.
  • The Union Home Ministry has also asked the states to upload data on the NIMS dashboard for better coordination, movement monitoring and contact tracing. Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla wrote to all the chief secretaries in this regard.
  • The portal will maintain a central repository and help the sending as well as receiving state/district to ask for and give their acceptance in an online format seamlessly.
  • This system will help in speedy communication between states without creating additional work at the level of the field officers.
  • Some of the key features of this system will be a unique ID generated for each migrant, which can be used for all transactions and help any state can visualise how many people are going out from where and how many are reaching their destination states.
One nation, one ration card for migrants
  • Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the second tranche of fiscal stimulus, emphasizing ”one nation, one ration card”. Technology systems will be used to enable migrants to access Public Distribution System from any fair price shop in India by March 2021 one nation, one ration card.
  • This scheme will enable a migrant beneficiary to access the PDS from any fair price shop in the country.
  • As many as 67 crore beneficiaries in 23 states covering 83 per cent of the PDS population will be covered by national portability by August 2020.
  • One-hundred per cent national portability will be achieved by March 2021. All states and UTs will complete full FPS automation by March 2021.

                                                May 16, 2020

Assam incurring Rs 1,000 crore loss daily
  • Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that the State is incurring a daily loss of Rs 1,000 crore during the lockdown period, even as he expressed optimism that the economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore announced by the Central government would help the state’s economy.
  • As per a survey done by the Confederation of Indian Industry, which pegged the daily loss of the State at Rs 1,000 crore.
  • The stimulus announced by the Centre would bail the State out of the current crisis and also largely benefit the MSME sector, which forms the backbone of the industrial sector of the State.
  • The Centre, in its economic package, has allocated Rs 3 lakh crore for the MSME sector of the country.
  • The MSMEs form 99.9 per cent of the industries in Assam and the industrial sector contributes 39 per cent of the State’s GDP. There are over one lakh MSMEs in the State, providing direct and indirect employment to 40 lakh people.
Meghalaya Cabinet nod to agricultural reforms
  • The Meghalaya Cabinet approved of a Bill to introduce reforms in the agricultural sector by amending a 20-year-old legislation.
  • Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said the Cabinet discussed the 1980 Act on agriculture and felt that vital aspects were left out from its purview that need to be amended.
  • The Meghalaya State Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 will include livestock and aquaculture and facilitate their marketing.
  • State Assembly would take up the Bill for consideration and passage, when it reconvene on May 20.
COVID-19 could cost global economy $8.8 trillion, says ADB report
  • The global economy could suffer between $5.8 trillion and %8.8 trillion in losses — equivalent to 6.4 per cent to 9.7 per cent of the global GDP due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The Asian Development Bank (ADB) report ‘Updated Assessment of the Potential Economic Impact of COVID-19’ found that economic losses in Asia and the Pacific could range from $1.7 trillion under a short containment scenario of 3 months to $2.5 trillion under a long containment scenario of six months, with the region accounting for about 30 per cent of the overall decline in global output.
  • Governments around the world have been quick in responding to the impacts of the pandemic, implementing measures such as fiscal and monetary easing, increased health spending, and direct support to cover losses in incomes and revenues.
  • Sustained efforts from governments focused on these measures could soften COVID-19”s economic impact by as much as 30 percent to 40 per cent, it said, adding this could reduce global economic losses due to the pandemic to between $4.1 trillion and $5.4 trillion.
  • The analysis, which uses a Global Trade Analysis Project-computable general equilibrium model, covers 96 affected economies with over 4 million COVID-19 cases.
  • This new analysis presents a broad picture of the very significant potential economic impact of COVID-19.
  • These findings can provide governments with a relevant policy guide as they develop and implement measures to contain and suppress the pandemic, and lessen its impacts on their economies and people.
Rs 3,500 crore allocated for free food grain supply to migrants for 2 months
  • Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced free food grain supply to migrants for 2 months, this is the second tranche of measures of the government’s self-reliant campaign
  • Migrants who neither come under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) nor are they state card beneficiaries in states where they are stationed will be provided 5 kg of grains per person and 1 kg of ”chana” per family for two months.
  • About 8 crore migrants are expected to benefit and Rs 3,500 crore will be spent on this intervention for 2 months.
  • The cost will be fully borne by the government of India. State governments would be responsible for the implementation and identification of migrants through guidelines
  • under MNREGA support for migrants, 14.62 crore person-days of work generated till May 13 and actual expenditure to date is around Rs 10,000 crore.
Union Govt announces structural reforms for the ‘self-reliant India’ programme
  • Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced deep structural reforms under the Rs 20 lakh crore economic package for the ”self-reliant India” programme. Minister detailed makeover initiatives for eight key sectors, to be supported and promoted via structural reforms.
  • The biggest reform measure, ending one the last great central monopolies, announced was for the coal sector, where mining has been deregulated. Nearly 50 blocks would be offered for auction immediately, and in a departure from the tradition, there will no eligibility conditions, only upfront payment with a ceiling.
  • The Rs 50,000 crore infrastructure development will be instituted for evacuation of coal to help Coal India’s (CIL) achieve the 1 billion tonnes output target by 2023-24, plus the coal produced from private blocks.
  • The coal-based methane gas reserves will also be auctioned and incentives be provided for conversion of coal into gas.
  • A new regime for seamless composite exploration-cum-mining-cum-production will be introduced, and joint auction of bauxite and coal blocks for the aluminium industry will be conducted. The foreign direct investment (FDI) limit for the industry will be raised from 49 per cent to 74 per cent under the automatic route.
  • The Centre will also go for corporatisation of the Ordnance Factory Board to improve autonomy, accountability and efficiency in ordnance supplies.
  • Six more airports have been identified for the second round of bidding for operation and maintenance on the public-private partnership (PPP) basis. The air space availability will also be eased to allow airlines save cost and passengers, flying time.
  • DISCOMS in the Union Territories would be privatised. ARs 8,100 crore revamped-up viability gap funding scheme was also announced for social infrastructure projects.
  • The government will encourage the private sector’s participation in the space sector through collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and a liberal geo-spatial data policy.
Centre to take up affordable rental housing for migrants, urban poor
  • The Centre will launch a scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana for migrant labour and the urban poor to build affordable rental housing facilities for them.
  • Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that under the scheme, government-funded housing in different cities will be converted into affordable rental housing complexes under the public-private partnership mode.
  • Further, the government will also incentivise manufacturing units, industries, institutions, associations to develop affordable rental housing complexes on their private land and operate them.
  • The Centre will also incentivise state agencies and central government organisations on the similar lines to develop affordable rental housing complexes and operate them.
States allowed to use disaster funds for migrants’ shelter, food
  • The Centre said it has permitted state governments to utilise the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for setting up shelter for migrants and providing them food, water etc,
  • The Central government also released Rs 11,002 crore of its contribution in advance to all state governments on April 3, to augment funds in their SDRF.
  • The disbursal of revolving fund to SHGs was on-boarded on PAISA portal in April 2020 on a pilot basis in Gujarat and it is under process of being rolled out across all the states in May 2020. 7,200 new SHGs of urban poor have been formed during the period starting March 15.
  • The Centre said to promote formalisation of labour, it is emphasizing on appointment letters for all workers along with annual health check-up for employees.

 

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May 17, 2020

Assam CM Sonowal asks agri-scientists to evolve triple cropping system
  • As part of activities chalked out to strengthen the agro-based economy, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal visited the Assam Agricultural University (AAU), Kahikuchi campus of Krishi Vigyan Kendra and asked the agricultural scientists to develop ways and means for a triple cropping system in the State.
  • CM urged the agri-scientists to empower the farming community as well as increase fertility of the crop area to sustainably practise triple cropping in the State throughout the year, to infuse a fresh lease of life into the rural economy.
TRIFED & Art of Living Foundation collaboration to provide free ration kits to needy tribes India artisans
  • TRIFED under Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Art of Living Foundation (AOL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in respective programmes of each organisation for promoting Tribal Enterprises.
  • The Art of Living Foundation has agreed to provide free ration kits to needy tribes India artisans.
  • TRIFED Regional Offices have compiled the list of needy tribal artisans and have identified 9,409 needy tribal artisans located across the country for distribution of ration kits under #iStandWithHumanity campaign of Art Of Living.
Madhya Pradesh launches country’s first ever ‘FIR AapkeDwar’ Yojana
  • Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Dr Narottam Mishra launched country’s first ever ‘FIR AapkeDwarYojana’ in Bhopal. Madhya Pradesh is the first state in the country to implement such an innovative scheme.
  • Launching the scheme at the new Police Control Room, Dr Narottam Mishra said that now people would not be required to visit police station to lodge an FIR.
  • FIR AapkeDwar scheme has been started as a pilot project in 23 Police Stations including one urban and one rural Police Station at 11 Divisional Headquarters.
  • Dial 100 vehicle would have trained Head Constables to lodge FIR. FIRs in complaints of general nature will be lodged on the spot. In case of serious complaints, guidance will be sought from senior officers.
  • The Minister also launched helpline ‘Dial 112’ on the occasion, to facilitate immediate availability of ambulance, police and fire fighting services wherever needed.
Central Govt allows direct listing by Indian companies abroad
  • The government has thrown open the doors for Indian public companies to directly list their shares abroad and access a larger pool of capital. It has also allowed private companies that list NCDs on stock exchanges not to be regarded as listed companies.
  • Necessary regulations allowing direct overseas listing by the Indian entity is expected soon after amendments to the Company Act and FEMA regulations are passed.
  • At present direct listing by the Indian companies on foreign stock exchanges is not permitted. Likewise, foreign companies are also not allowed to directly list their equity shares on the Indian stock exchanges.
  • Indian companies are allowed to raise capital abroad through the depository receipts (ADR and GDR). Unlike direct listing, depository receipts are securities listed overseas against shares of listed domestic companies.
  • But with this window increasingly becoming unpopular, Centre and market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) are exploring other ways to mobilise capital for the corporate and provide larger play for overseas investors in the country.
  • At least 15 Indian companies have tapped the ADR and GDR route, including the Infosys, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Reliance Industries.
FDI limit for defence manufacturing to be raised to 74%
  • The Union government has decided to raise the limit for foreign direct investment (FDI) for defence manufacturing from 49 to 74 per cent under the automatic route.
  • Time-bound defence procurement process and faster decision-making will take place under the new policy. And a will set up a project management unit to support contract management. Further, realistic setting of general staff qualitative requirements of weapons or platforms will be taken up.
  • Under the new regime, the government will also overhaul the trial and testing procedures.
  • In a bid to enhance self-reliance in defence production, the government will notify a list of weapons and platforms for a ban on import with year-wise timelines. Indigenisation of imported spares will also be taken up.
  • Further, the government will take up separate budget provisioning for domestic capital procurement.
  • The government has also decided to corporatize Ordnance Factory Board to improve autonomy, accountability and efficiency in ordnance supplies.

May 18, 2020

Digendra Nath Barua, North-East’s first chemical engineer passes away
  • Digendra Nath Barua, the first chemical engineer of the northeastern region, former MD of the Assam Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) died at the Apollo Hospital at the age of 98.
  • Barua started his career with the Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation at Namrup and shifted to the AIDC from he retired from AIDC in 1976-77.
  • Barua was instrumental in rapid industrialisation of the State.
  • He played a major role in setting up the Federation of Industries of North Eastern Region (FINER) and NEDFi.
  • He also initiated establishment of the Assam Petrochemicals Limited and the Cachar Sugar Mill.
  • After his retirement, Barua was instrumental in setting up the Guwahati Stock Exchange and was its working president. As president of the Guwahati Management Association (GMA) for long 12 years.
Govt to launch ‘PM eVIDYA’ for access to digital education
  • Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that ”PM eVIDYA” programme for multi-mode access to digital education will be launched immediately.
  • PM eVIDYA programme will consist of ”Diksha” involving e-content and QR coded energized textbooks for all grades and will be called as ”one nation, one digital platform.
  • One earmarked TV channel per class from 1 to 12, also named as ”one class, one channel”, will also be rolled out. It will also envisage extensive use of radio, community radio and podcasts and special e-content for visually and hearing impaired.
  • Under the ”PM eVIDYA” programme, the Finance Ministry said that top 100 universities will be permitted to automatically start online courses by May 30, 2020.
  • Besides this, Manodarpan, an initiative for psychosocial support of students, teachers and families for mental health and emotional wellbeing, will also be launched immediately.
  • National Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Mission for ensuring that every child attains learning levels and outcomes in grade five by 2025 will be set afloat by December, this year.
  • Top-100 universities will be permitted to automatically start online courses by May 30, 2020.
  • Special e-content for visually impaired and hearing impaired children, developed on a digitally accessible information system and learning material for disabled children in sign language has been made available on the NIOS website and YouTube.
  • This platform integrates all efforts related to digital, online, on-air education, so that 33 crore students can have multi-mode access to quality education.
Union Govt launches ‘Mission Sagar’ for assistance to Indian Ocean nations
  • Government of India launched Mission Sagar to provide assistance to Indian Ocean Region Nations amid the coronavirus crisis.
  • As part of the Government of India outreach amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Indian Naval Ship Kesari has departed for Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros, to provide Food Items, COVID related Medicines including HCQ Tablets and Special Ayurvedic Medicines with Medical Assistance Teams.
  • The Ship will deliver consignments of Covid related essential medicines to Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles and about 600 tonnes of food items to Maldives.
  • In addition, in the case of Mauritius, a special consignment of Ayurvedic medicines is also being sent.
  • The consignments meant for Madagascar and Comoros also includes Hydroxychloroquine tablets, which have already been sent earlier to Mauritius, Maldives and Seychelles.
IIT-Madras startup developing wearable tracker
  • An Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras-incubated startup Muse Wearables is developing a wrist-based tracker with skin temperature, heart rate and SpO2 (blood oxygen saturation) sensing which can continuously track these body vitals remotely that will help in early diagnosis of COVID-19 symptoms.
  • The tracker is Bluetooth-enabled and can be connected to the mobile phone via an app called the ”Muse Health App”.
  • The user vitals and activity data are stored on the phone as well as a remote server.
  • Priced at around Rs 3,500, the new wearable product will soon be deployed in the market for consumers across all the 70 countries that the startup currently sells in.
  • The tracker can get notifications from the AarogyaSetu App and raise an alert to the user when he enters a COVID containment zone. Muse Wearables has already completed product design for the tracker and are now working on finalizing and fabricating the product.
  • The wearable tracker’s major objective is to enable remote detection of COVID-19 and Monitoring of COVID-19 patients by providing a low-cost solution that is accessible to everyone.
  • The unique features of the product include remote monitoring of patient vitals by doctors and experts, automatic alerts and emergency response system if a user’s vitals are out of range.
FM Nirmala Sitharaman providesbreak-up of Economic package of Rs 20,97,053crore
  • Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman listed all the measures and allocations made under the Rs 20 lakh crore economic package for the ”self-reliant India” programme, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
  • She listed measures worth Rs 20,97,053 crore including RBI measures and steps announced under Pradhan MantriGaribKalyana Package (PMGKP).
  • Under the break-up, on the first day announcements with allocations worth Rs 5,94,550 crore were made, while on the second day steps on agriculture, housing, rural sectors worth Rs 3,10,000 crore were made.
  • Besides, Rs 1,50,000 crore were allocated for several schemes to revive agriculture and allied sectors amongst others on the third day.
  • On the fourth and the fifth day, the FM gave a mega push to boost mining, defence, civil aviation and power distribution sectors via structural reforms and stimulus worth Rs 48,100 crore.
  • The package also include earlier announcements under PMGKP worth Rs 1,92,800 crore and RBI measures including Rs 8,01,603 crore which come to Rs 9,94,403 crore.

 

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May 19, 2020

Assam to get Rs 300 crore from World Bank to deal with Covid-19
  • The Assam government expects to get Rs 300 crore from the World Bank to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic management effectively. Of the Rs 300 crore World Bank aid, 80 per cent is a grant and remaining 20 per cent a loan.
  • The negotiation with the World Bank through the central government’s Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) is now in advance stage.
  • Assam government has launched a new scheme “Ruthless Quarantine With Big Heart”. “Under this mandatory quarantine protocol, each suspected person must be in 14 days quarantine.”
  • The Assam government on May 7 launched an ambitious community-based surveillance (ACSP) for Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) across the state to contain the possible spread of Covid-19. Under the ACSP, health workers including doctors would go to all 30,000 villages to identify the ILI and SARI cases in the villages. ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activists) and MPW (Multi-Purpose Workers) along with other health staff would be the front line workers to undertake this.
Governor’s rule in Tripura autonomous tribal body
  • Governor’s rule was imposed in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) as the polls have been postponed indefinitely due to the nationwide lockdown to check the spread of novel coronavirus.
  • K. Rao, former Tripura Chief Secretary and a retired IAS officer, has been appointed as the Administrator of the autonomous body.
  • Tripura Governor Ramesh Bais appointed Rao, who of late was the member of the Tripura Police Accountability Commission, to run the politically important tribal autonomous body on his behalf.
  • Mukhi on April 27 appointed Rajesh Prasad, a 1995-batch IAS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, as the administrator of the BTC following the promulgation of Governor’s Rule.
  • The politically important BTC, which started functioning in December 2003, comprises four districts of western Assam Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang and Udalguri and is home to over 31,00,000 people, the majority of whom are tribals.
Indian Navy’s breathable PPE kit ‘NavRakshak’
  • The Indian Navy”s indigenously-made PPE kit, ”NavRakshak”, made for enhancing comforts of the health workers under Indian conditions.
  • The ”NavRakshak” with an innovative ”breathable” fabric material, has brought new hopes to the medical world and healthcare professionals from whose perspective it has been designed.
  • It has two distinctive factors; optimal protectiveness and optimal breathability. Breathability is the ability of the fabric to permit water vapour to pass through and to prevent the entry of water. The comfort properties of a fabric depend on its ability to transmit water and vapor from the body to prevent accumulation of liquid on the skin. In this way, thermal energy generated by the body will be transmitted, and vapour moisture will be diffused, resulting in a comfortable condition.
  • NavRakshak uses a non-woven advanced quality fabric of specific GSM with a certain stitching technique. The unique character of the fabric used is its strong uniform structure which can act as an excellent barrier for liquids, particles, blood and body fluids.
  • The new technology has already been tested by INMAS (Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences) Delhi, a DRDO organization tasked with the testing and certification of PPE.
  • The PPE passed with 6/6 Synthetic blood penetration resistance test pressure (Government of India mandates minimum 3/6 and above level as per ISO 16603 standard).
Union Govt decriminalises minor violations under Companies Act
  • Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said minor technical and procedural defaults under the Companies Act will be decriminalised. The decriminalised violations include shortcomings in CSR reporting, inadequacies in board report, filing defaults, delay in holding of annual general meetings.
  • The majority of the compoundable offences sections will be shifted to internal adjudication mechanism (IAM) and power of regional directors for compounding have been enhanced.
  • The government will drop seven compoundable offences and five offences will be dealt with under alternative framework. Amendments will de-clog the criminal courts and National Company Law Tribunals (NCLT).
  • No fresh insolvency case will be admitted for the next one year in view of the coronavirus pandemic. The government will also set up a special insolvency framework for MSMEs under Section 240A of the Insolvency of Bankruptcy Code. This has been a long pending demand of the industry and economists.
  • The threshold for insolvency will also be raised to Rs 1 crore from the current Rs 1 lakh which will be supportive for the MSME sector.

May 20, 2020

17,000 stranded people reach North-East by 13 special trains
  • A total of 13 Shramik Special trains have arrived in the NE region so far bringing over 17,000 stranded persons from other parts of the country.
  • As of now, 13 have arrived in various north-eastern states like Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Assam with about 17,000 stranded people. Some more trains, bringing stranded people, will be arriving in the NE states within th days.
  • While 93 trains have arrived at various places of Bihar falling under the NFR, one train has arrived at New Jalpaiguri and three at New Cooch Behar stations in West Bengal till date.
  • NFR has jurisdiction over the entire NE region, including Sikkim, besides parts of West Bengal and Bihar.
  • The passengers of Shramik Special trains are mainly students, patients, and migrant labourers with their families.
  • Passengers are been given free meals, water and necessary medical help by Railways as and when required during journey.
  • Indian Railways has already operated more than 1,565 Shramik Special trains and transported more than 20 lakh passengers across the country.
India’s Health Minister Harsh Vardhan to be the chairman of the WHO’s Executive Board
  • India’s Health Minister Harsh Vardhan is set to be the chairman of the WHO”s Executive Board. He has been elected to the post and will take charge succeeding Japan’s Dr Hiroki Nakatani.
  • This all important Executive Board has 34 members who are technically qualified and represent their nations. All of the 34 are designated by their respective states in the World Health Assembly.
  • Since last year itself WHO’s South East Asia group had decided that India would be elected to the Executive Board for three years from 2020. The proposal was signed by the 194-nation World Health Assembly.
India to miss global nutrition targets by 2025
  • India is among 88 countries that are likely to miss global nutrition targets by 2025, according to the Global Nutrition Report 2020. India as one with the highest rates of domestic inequalities in malnutrition.
  • In 2012, the World Health Assembly identified six nutrition targets for maternal, infant and young child nutrition to be met by 2025.
  • These require governments to reduce stunting by 40% in children under 5 and prevalence of anaemia by 50% among women in the age group of 19-49 years, ensure 30% reduction in low-birth weight and no increase in childhood overweight, increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months up to at least 50% and reduce and maintain childhood wasting to less than 5%.
  • According to the Global Nutrition Report 2020, India will miss targets for all four nutritional indicators for which there is data available, i.e. stunting among under-5 children, anaemia among women of reproductive age, childhood overweight and exclusive breastfeeding.
  • The report emphasises on the link between malnutrition and different forms of inequity, such as those based on geographic location, age, gender, ethnicity, education and wealth malnutrition in all its forms.
  • India is identified as among the three worst countries, along with Nigeria and Indonesia, for steep within-country disparities on stunting, where the levels varied four-fold across communities.
  • Stunting level in Uttar Pradesh is over 40% and their rate among individuals in the lowest income group is more than double those in the highest income group at 22.0% and 50.7%, respectively.
  • In addition, stunting prevalence is 10.1% higher in rural areas compared to urban areas. There are nearly double as many obese adult females as there are males (5.1% compared to 2.7%).
WWF India to host First digital Model Conference of Parties
  • The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) India in association with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will host the first digital Model Conference of Parties (MCOP) on May 22-23 with an aim to put the power of decision making in the hands of children.
  • The MCOP 2020 aims to provide an opportunity to the future leaders to gain knowledge and experience in environmental problem solving.
  • The WWF’s partners United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme and National Biodiversity Authority will also be associated with the event.
DoPT exempts pregnant women employees from attending office
  • The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has exempted pregnant women officials and staff members from attending office.
  • Union Personnel Minister Jitendra Singh said that pregnant women employees, who are not already on maternity leave, will also be exempted from attending office. Persons with disabilities will also to be given similar exemption from attendance.
  • Government servants who have underlying co-morbidities and were undergoing treatment for these ailments before the lockdown, may, as far as possible, be exempted upon production of medical prescription.
  • While officers of the level of Deputy Secretary and above are expected to attend office on all working days, the officers and staff below the level of Deputy Secretary will attend office with 50 per cent attendance every alternative day and those not attending the office should work from home and remain available on telephone and electronically.

 

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                                                May 21, 2020

India up at 74th place on WEF’s global Energy Transition Index
  • India has moved up two positions to rank 74th on a global ‘Energy Transition Index’ with improvements on all key parameters of economic growth, energy security and environmental sustainability, the World Economic Forum (WEF).
  • Releasing the annual rankings, the Geneva-based international organisation for public-private cooperation said Covid-19 will compromise the transition to clean energy without an urgent stakeholder action as unprecedented disruptions due to the pandemic threaten this transition.
  • The WEF study measuring readiness for clean energy transition in 115 economies showed that 94 have made progress since 2015, but environmental sustainability continues to lag.
  • Sweden has topped the Energy Transition Index (ETI) for the third consecutive year and is followed by Switzerland and Finland in the top three.
  • The WEF said the “emerging centres of demand” such as India (74th) and China (78th) have made consistent efforts to improve the enabling environment, which refers to political commitments, consumer engagement and investment, innovation and infrastructure, among others.
  • For India, gains have come from a government-mandated renewable energy expansion programme, now extended to 275 GW by 2027.
  • India has also made significant strides in energy efficiency through bulk procurement of LED bulbs, smart meters, and programs for labelling of appliances. Similar measures are being experimented to drive down the costs of electric vehicles.
  • India is one of the few countries in the world to have made consistent year-on-year progress since 2015. India’s improvements have come across all three dimensions of the energy triangle — economic development and growth, energy access and security, and environmental sustainability. It indicates a strong positive trajectory, driven by strong political commitment and an enabling policy environment.
  • The index benchmarks 115 economies on the current performance of their energy systems across economic development and growth, environmental sustainability, and energy security and access indicators- and their readiness for transition to secure, sustainable, affordable, and inclusive energy systems.
IIT Guwahati finds new ways to prevent memory loss due to Alzheimer’s disease
  • Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT-G) researchers have discovered new ways that can help prevent or reduce short-term memory losses associated with the Alzheimers disease.
  • The research team explored new ways to prevent the accumulation of neurotoxic molecules in the brain that are associated with short-term memory loss due to Alzheimer’s disease.
  • They reported some methods such as the application of low-voltage electric field and the use of ‘trojan peptides’ to arrest aggregation of neurotoxic molecules in the brain.
  • The idea of using ‘Trojan peptide’ comes from mythological “Trojan Horse” used as subterfuge by the Greeks in the battle of ‘Troy’.
  • A defining hallmark of Alzheimer’s is the accumulation of Amyloid beta peptides in the brain. The research team seeks methods to reduce the accumulation of these peptides, in order to arrest the progression of Alzheimer’s.
  • The IIT-G researchers found that application of a low-voltage, the safe electrical field can reduce the formation and accumulation of toxic neurodegenerative molecules that cause short-term memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease.
US student builds website to track COVID-19 in India
  • A computer science student from the US, has created a website to help India keep track of COVID-19 infection rates. Jeremy Philemon has applied his skills in the creation and updating of covid19india.org, a website that aggregates data from every part of the country of 1.35 billion people.
  • The covid19india.org website presents a “tracker” based on that database of up-to-date numbers entered by hundreds of volunteers.
  • Philemon started the website in early March 2020 when India saw a sudden jump in positive COVID-19 cases. He realised there was no central place for residents and officials to find data on infection rates.
  • He also open-sourced the website on the software development platform GitHub, which helped to patch bugs and to introduce new features and improvements.
  • Designing covid19india.org also has taught him more about tailoring website design with users in mind.
Centre releases Rs 46000 crore from tax pool for states
  • The Centre released the May 2020 month instalment of states” share in Central taxes amounting to over Rs 46,000 crore.
  • The sanction for May instalment follows release of April instalment last month ahead of schedule as a special dispensation to meet immediate funding needs of the state governments looking to restore economic activity and minimise losses to its citizens due to disruptions caused by lockdowns.
  • The highest share of central taxes for May has gone to Uttar Pradesh with a net transfer of Rs 8,255.19 crore. This is followed by Bihar at Rs 4,631.96 crore. West Bengal has got Rs 3,461.65 crore while Madhya Pradesh has got Rs 3,630.60.
  • Maharashtra share has been lower at Rs 2,824.47 crore. Goa and Sikkim have got the least from central pool of taxes at Rs 177.72 crore and Rs 178.64 crore, respectively.
  • In its interim report for FY21, the 15th Finance Commission has reduced the share of states in the divisible pool of central taxes by one percentage point to 41 per cent, factoring in the conversion of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories.
  • It assigned 15 per cent weight to the population of a state, down from the 17.5 per cent allocated by the 14th Finance Commission, but raised the weight under demographic performance from 10 per cent to 12.5 per cent.

 

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Tripura Current Affairs & Recent GK ( January – June 2019 )

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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.

June 17, 2019

Asian Development Bank (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.

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

 

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.
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.

 May 27, 2019

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.

 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.

 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. 
 April 20, 2019
Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura 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.

March 19, 2019

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.

March 13, 2019

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.

March 03, 2019

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).

March 01, 2019

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.
January 30, 2019
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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

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.
  • 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.

Go to Current Affairs Tripura site  |  Current Affairs Assam/ North-East

Tripura Current Affairs & Recent GK ( July – December 2019 )

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Tripura (North-East) Current Affairs, recent GK and important news / events during the period of July 2019 to December 2019 for Civil Service/ other competitive exams

Go to Current Affairs Tripura site  |  Current Affairs Assam/ North-East

 

December 22, 2019

 Tripura tops in good governance initiative and wins 13 awards for rural development scheme
  • Tripura has won 13 awards under various categories for successful implementation of MGNREGA, the flagship programme under the Ministry of Rural Development, for 2018-19.
  • The State secured the first rank for good governance initiative under the hilly states category, while it finished second for work completion rate under the same category.
  • In the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the State got the first rank in the category of number of houses completed in Group-1 (North Eastern States, Union Territories and Himalayan States).
  • TheState Government has been trying to make the MGNREGA a tool of socio-economic development.
  • An average of 44 mandays have already been generated, while an average of 46 mandays had been generated in 2017-18. Theaverage mandays may go up to 65, which could be a record in recent years.
November 29, 2019
Manoj Kumar takes over as new Tripura Chief Secretary
  • The Tripura government appointed senior IAS officer Manoj Kumar as the new Chief Secretary.
  • A 1990 batch Tripura cadre IAS officer, and currently Additional Chief Secretary, Electricity, Finance and Forest Departments, Manoj Kumar would succeed Usurupati Venkateswarlu, who is retiring from service on November 30.
  • Manoj Kumar would look after the General Administration (Confidential and Cabinet, Personnel and training), Finance and Home (excluding Jail and Fire Service) Departments.

FACTFILE – Chief Secretary in States/UTs

  • The post of Chief Secretary is the senior-most position held in the civil services of the states and union territories of India. The position is a cadre post for the Indian Administrative Service.
  • Chief Secretaries are members of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) who are the administrative head of state governments. A Chief Secretary functions as the central point of interdepartmental coordination at the departmental level and is classified as being in the Apex Grade.
  • Chief Secretary is considered to be the Chief Executive of the state government and considered to be ‘a linchpin’ in the administration.
  • Chief Secretary of the state also acts as the ex-officio Chairman of the State Civil Service Board, which recommends transfer/postings of officers of All India Services and State Civil Services in the state.
  • Chief Secretaries are chosen by the state’s Chief Minister.
  • State Chief Secretaries are IAS officers generally equivalent in rank to a Secretary to Government of India and are placed 23rd on Indian Order of Precedence.
November 26, 2019
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry signs MoAs with Tripura and 5 other states on Light House Projects
  • Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri signed the memoranda of agreement (MoAs) for Light House Projects (LHPs) with Gujarat, Jharkhand, MP, Tamil Nadu, Tripura and UP government.
  • Puri also launched a web portal for the CLSS (credit-linked subsidy scheme) Awas Portal (CLAP), saying it would help stakeholders to work in synergy for on-time release of subsidy to beneficiaries.
  • To meet the demand for over 10 million houses by 2022, the central government had launched the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban in June 2015.
  • For LHPs, the Ministry has introduced a Rs 2 lakh per house technology innovation grant, which is over and above the existing Rs 1.5 lakh per house under PMAY(U).
  • The Ministry developed a web-based real-time monitoring system called CLAP in which all stakeholders, like MoHUA, CNAs, PLIs and beneficiaries, had been integrated.
November 09, 2019
Akil Kureshi appointed as Chief Justice of Tripura High Court
  • Centre has appointed Justice Akil Kureshi, the judge of Bombay High Court, as the Chief Justice of Tripura High Court.
  • The Centre’s counsel had told the Supreme Court that nearly all administrative formalities in connection with the appointment had been completed, except the last signature.
  • A senior judge from the Gujarat High Court, Justice Akil Kureshi is serving as a judge of the Bombay High Court at present following a transfer.

FACTFILE – Tripura High Court

  • The Tripura High Court is the High Court of the state of Tripura, established on 23 March 2013, after making suitable amendments in the Constitution of India and North-Eastern Areas (Re-organisation) Act, 1971.
  • The seat of the High Court is at Agartala, the capital of Tripura. The first Chief Justice is Justice Deepak Gupta.
  • Earlier, the state of Tripura along with the other six states of the North – East of India was under the Gauhati High Court, a permanent bench of the Gauhati High Court was established in Agartala in the year 1992 having territorial jurisdiction of the state of Tripura.

 

October 12, 2019
Asian Development Bank approved the first installment of Rs 1,650 crore for Tripura
  • The first instalment of Asian Development Bank”s (ADB) Rs 1,650 crore loan for infrastructure development in seven of the eight district headquarter towns in Tripura, has been approved.
  • The Department of Economic Affairs, under the Finance Ministry of the Indian government has approved the first instalment of Rs 17.75 crore ($2.5 million) of the ADB loan to take up development of seven district headquarters through Urban Development Department of the state government.
  • The first instalment of Rs 17.75 crore would be spent mainly for conducting engineering survey, preparing estimates and DPRs (Detailed Project Reports) for roads, water supply, drainage, sewerage and major urban infrastructure works in these seven district towns.
October 09, 2019
National Health Mission index: Assam among top 5 performers, Tripura  tops for implementation of Human Resource Information System (HRIS)
  • Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Haryana, Assam, Kerala and Punjab have emerged as the top five states or Union Territories in the first ever exercise to rate their performance on several parameters of the National Health Mission.
  • Twenty per cent of NHM funds are based on the states’ performance, which means better performing states received a financial incentive — Rs 3,000 crore is set aside for incentive-based payments.
  • West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Bihar were penalised as they didn’t achieve the set benchmarks for mental health services.
  • Twenty-three states earned an incentive for screening of 30-plus population for non-communicable diseases, including 11 states that earned full points for screening more than 15 per cent of the 30-plus population.
  • Tamil Nadu reported 100 per cent screening, followed by Goa (68 per cent) and Daman and Diu (57 per cent).
  • Only six states — Assam, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Kerala, Punjab and Tripura — earned full incentive for implementation of the Human Resource Information System (HRIS). Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and UP were able to partially achieve the target in terms of HRIS implementation.
  • Among the parameters, the highest weightage was given to incremental improvement as per the NITI Aayog ranking of states on ‘Performance on Health Outcomes’. Other parameters include operationalisation of Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs), provisioning of mental health services in districts covered under the National Mental Health Programme, screening of 30-plus population for non-communicable diseases, implementation of HRIS and grading of Primary Health Centres (both urban and rural).
  • Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Sikkim did not make the cut for assessment.
October 06, 2019
India, Bangladesh sign 7 pacts, inaugurated partnership projects for import of bulk LPG from Bangladesh to Tripura 
  • India and Bangladesh marked the “sonali adhyay” (golden era) in bilateral ties with the inking of seven agreements, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with visiting Bangladesh Premier Sheikh Hasina.
  • During the talks, the Bangladesh PM voiced concerns over Assam’s National Register of Citizens (NRC) and raised the Teesta water and the Rohingya refugee issues.
  • The two sides hailed the bilateral ties. The agreements, included pact for a joint coastal surveillance system.
  • Through video link, the two leaders inaugurated three development partnership projects — import of bulk LPG from Bangladesh to Tripura through trucks, Vivekananda Bhaban (student’s hostel) at Ramakrishna Mission, Dhaka, and the Bangladesh-India Professional Skill Development Institute (BIPSDI) at the Institution of Diploma Engineers Bangladesh (IDEB), Khulna.
  • The two leaders emphasised on initiatives for development of closer maritime security partnership, and noted the progress made in the finalisation of an MoU for establishment of a coastal surveillance radar system in Bangladesh.
  • Both sides agreed to expedite commissioning of a joint study on prospects of signing a bilateral comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA).
  • Modi and Sheikh Hasina also agreed to expedite work towards drawing upon a $500 million defence line of credit, extended by India to Bangladesh. The implementation arrangements for this was finalised in April.
  • They also signed an MoU on withdrawal of 1.82 cusec of water from the Feni river by India for the drinking water scheme for Sabroom town in Tripura.
  • The two leaders agreed that the loss of civilian lives at the border was a matter of concern and asked border forces to enhance coordinated measures to bring such border incidents down to zero.

 

Go to Current Affairs Tripura site  |  Current Affairs Assam/ North-East

August 21, 2019

Tripura to build IT hub
  • Tripura will soon have an IT hub at the Old Central Jail land to ease the unemployment problem in the State, said the Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb in his speech on the occasion of Independence Day celebrations.
  • The State has a population of 37 lakh and over 7 lakh registered unemployed youths. He said the tender process for setting up the IT hub has already started and the Government is determined to build the project at the earliest.
  • “Once the project is completed, youths need not rush to Bengaluru, Hyderabad or Chennai to get jobs in the IT sector. There will a lot of jobs for local IT professionals,” Deb claimed.
  • The Chief Minister said that the Government has been giving due importance to the development of the transport sector in the State.

August 16, 2019

Centre to fund model tribal villages in Tripura
  • The Centre will provide financial assistance to the Tripura Government to raise ten tribal model villages covering eight districts of the State, said Tribal Welfare Minister Mever Kumar Jamtia.
  • The proposed model villages will have all modern facilities – all-weather roads, pucca houses, toilets, electricity, drinking water supply, community halls, market sheds, Internet and mobile telephone network. A sum of Rs 10 crore will be spent on each model village.
  • Once the project is implemented, all the model villages will be transformed into a mini township with all modern facilities available.
  • The project will also lay emphasis on socio-economic development of the villagers. Special focus will be given on agriculture, animal resources and vocational training to upgrade skills of the villagers.
  • The Ministry of Home Affairs has set up a high-powered modality committee to look into aspects of socio-economic and linguistic development of the indigenous people of the State.
  • The committee is learnt to have recommended establishment of 10 model villages to ensure welfare of the indigenous people.

August 12, 2019

Government signs peace pact with Tripura terror outfit National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT)
  • A tripartite Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) was signed in New Delhi between the Central and Tripura governments and National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) facilitating to surrender of 88 terrorists of the banned outfit.
  • After the signing of the MoS, the NLFT (SD) representatives called on Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.
  • the MoS was signed by Union Home Ministry’s Joint Secretary (North-East) Satyendra Garg, Tripura government’s Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Kumar Alok and Sabir Kumar Debbarma and Kajal Debbarma on behalf of the NLFT (SD faction). 
  • NLFT (SD faction) has agreed to abjure the path of violence, join the mainstream and abide by the Indian Constitution.
  • It was agreed that the 88 NLFT cadres would surrender soon with their arms and ammunition.
  • The government also told the NLFT (SD) leaders that surrendered members of the outfit would be given surrender benefits as per the Surrender-cum-Rehabilitation Scheme, 2018 of the Union Home Ministry. 

FACTFILE – National Liberation Front of Tripura

  • The National Liberation Front of Tripura (abbreviated NLFT) is a Tripuri nationalist militant organisation based in Tripura, India. It has an estimated 550 to 850 members.
  • The NLFT seeks to secede from India and establish an independent Tripuri state, and is an active participant in the Insurgency in Northeast India.
  • The NLFT is currently designated as a terrorist organisation in India.
  • T he Baptist Church of Tripura was initially set up by missionaries from New Zealand in the 1940s. Despite their efforts, even until the 1980s, only a few thousand people in Tripura had converted to Christianity. In the aftermath of one of the worst ethnic riots, the NLFT was born in 1989 with the backing of the Baptist Church of Tripura.

FACTIFLE – Tripura Peace Accord

  • Tripura Peace Accord is the tripartite accord signed-in on 10 August 2019 by the Government of India, Government of Tripura and the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) to end the insurgency.
  • The tripartite memorandum of understanding was signed by Satyendra Garg, Joint Secretary (Northeast) of Ministry of Home Affairs, Kumar Alok, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Tripura and Sabir Kumar Debbarma and Kajal Debbarma of NLFT.

August 03, 2019

North East gets 49 projects worth Rs 1,232 crore, including eco-tourism centre connectivity to Tripura’s Chabimura
  • The Centre has sanctioned 49 development projects worth Rs 1,232 crore for the northeastern region in the first 50 days of the Modi government.
  • The projects include construction and renovation of roads, bridges and upgrading of tourist spots. The Ministry of Development of North-East Region (DoNER) has sanctioned 49 projects worth Rs 1,232 crore in the first 50 days of Narendra Modi government’s second term which began on May 30.
  • While eight new projects have been sanctioned for Rs 586.3 crore under the North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS) and the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS), some other projects are upgrade of the AT Road from Tsusangra to Input Junction (26 km) with three bridges, Tenning-Lekie Road (37 km) in Nagaland, and the Dikhow Bridge-Amguri road leading to Nagaland.
  • Upgrade of the Tuensang- Longleng road in Nagaland, construction of the Mukroh-Umspar road linking Jrikyndeng in Meghalaya, improvement of eco-tourism centre connectivity from Amarpur (Fatiksagar) to Chabimura in Tripura, improvement of Gandacherra-Raishyabari road for easy access for the tourists from Dhalai to Narikel Kunja Island in Tripura are also part of the projects.
  • In addition, 36 ongoing projects under various schemes like the Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) scheme, special packages and schemes of the North Eastern Council were completed at an approved cost of Rs 529.18 crore.

FACTFILE – Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region

  • The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region is a Government of India ministry, established in September 2001, which functions as the nodal Department of the Central Government to deal with matters related to the socio-economic development of the eight States of Northeast India: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim.
  • It acts as a facilitator between the Central Ministries/ Departments and the State Governments of the North Eastern Region in the economic development including removal of infrastructural bottlenecks, provision of basic minimum services, creating an environment for private investment and to remove impediments to lasting peace and security in the North Eastern Region.
  • Jitendra Singh is the current Minister of Development of North Eastern Region (Minister of state, Independent Charge).

July 29, 2019

 7th Economic Census begun from Tripura
  • The 7th Economic census has begun from 29th July from Tripura. The census will be conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) in partnership with CSC e-governance Services India Ltd. (CSC SPV) after a gap of 5 years.
  • The officials will collect the data through the door to door household survey under the provision of Collection of Statistics Act 2008.
  • The economic census gives an idea about the economic activities being carried out across the country, types of ownership and source of finance, their geographical distribution, the number and distribution of workers etc.
  • It covers all residential and commercial structures across the country but excludes some economic activities such as plantation activities, crop-production, extra-territorial organisation, illegal activities and public administration and defence.
  • Shelter-less and nomadic population establishments and people living in open are also not covered in this census.

FACTFILE – Indian Economic Census

  • Indian economic census is the census of the Indian economy through counting all entrepreneurial units in the country which involved in any economic activities of either agricultural or non-agricultural sector which engaged in production and/or distribution of goods and/or services not for the sole purpose of own consumption.
  • The economic census provides detailed information on operational and other characteristics such as number of establishments, number of persons employed, source of finance, type of ownership etc.
  • These informations are used for micro level/ decentralized planning and to assess contribution of various sectors of the economy in the gross domestic product (GDP).
  • In 1976, Government of India launched a plan scheme called Economic Census and Surveys.
  • In 1977 Central Statistical Organisation conducted First economic census in collaboration with the Directorate of Economics & Statistics (DES) in the States/Union Territories.

July 22, 2019

  Tripura set to scale up white tea production
  • The successful completion of pilot projects on white tea has paved the way for planters in Tripura to go for full-scale production of the ‘costly and delicate’ variety.
  • Earlier this year, the 95-year-old Golokpur tea estate in Unakoti district of the State set a record when it sold its white tea for Rs 10,000 a kg to a Banglore-based retailer.
  • White tea is minimally processed. It is harvested even before the plant leaves unfurl fully with the buds still covered by fine white hairs, hence, the name white tea.
  • Besides fetching good money, white tea will also earn the tea estate a good name, as people in the industry know that the production process is difficult. We have been getting more orders for this special variety, De said.
  • Fatikcherra, another 101-year old tea estate in the hill State, has produced 6.8 kg white tea this year, which fetched Rs 5,500 per kg.
  • Around one quintal of white tea has been produced in the State this year. Tripura annually produces nine million kg of tea in 58 gardens.
  • The agro-climatic condition is favourable for tea production in Tripura. Now we have got a logo approved for Tripura tea, and even convinced the tribal villagers to grow wild tea near the Tripura-Mizoram boundary.
  • The Tea Board of India is now trying to convince planters to turn to organic brew, besides encouraging white tea production, he said.
  • Tripura has always had a problem of auctioning tea as there is no auction centre in the State. The Bangladesh Government has, however, agreed to allow planters from Tripura to auction their produce at Sreemangal subdivision of Moulavibazar district, which is near the Tripura border.
July 21, 2019
President of India appoints new Governors for six states, including Tripura
  • President of India Ramnath Kovind appointed Ramesh Bais as the new Governor of Tripura.
  • Anandiben Patel is transferred from Madhya Pradesh and appointed as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh. She has been replaced by Lalji Tandon in Madhya Pradesh, who was so far the Governor of Bihar.
  • Fagu Chauhan replaces Lalji Tandon as the new Governor of Bihar.
  • JagdeepDhankar as the Governor of West Bengal.
  • N. Ravi has been appointed the Governor of Nagaland.

 

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Tripura Current Affairs & Recent GK 2020

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Tripura (North-East) Current Affairs, recent GK and important news / events during 2020 for Civil Service/ other competitive exams

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April 20, 2020

Tripura government decides to pass students from Class I to Class IX
  • Tripura education minister Ratan Lal Nath said that every student from Class I to IX and XI have been promoted to the next class in view of the coronavirus pandemic
  • He also informed that online or virtual classes for the students of state government schools have also begun.

April 19, 2020

Central Govt hails Assam, Tripura & 17 other states over COVID-19 cases
  • The central government on Friday hailed Assam, Tripura and 17 other states for registering a higher doubling rate in terms of COVID-19 cases which reflects reduction in increase of this pandemic.
  • 19 States/UTs including Kerala, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Ladakh, Himachal, Chandigarh, Puducherry, Bihar, Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, UP, Karnataka, J&K, Punjab, Assam, Tripura are presently showing a higher doubling rate, which is better than the national average, which reflects that rate of increase of cases in these places has been reduced to some extent.
  • Till date Assam registered 35 COVID-19 positive cases, Arunachal Pradesh 1, Manipur 2, Meghalaya 9, Mizoram 1 and Tripura registered 2 Covid positive cases.
  • Scientific task forces are evaluating existing approved drugs and repurpose them for COVID-19. CSIR has progressed into an indigenous synthesis of multiple promising anti-viral molecules such as Umifenovir, Favipiravir.

April 18, 2020

Tripura government announces cash assistance for street vendors
  • Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb announced to provide one-time financial assistance of Rs 1000 to 8666 registered street vendors of the state.
  • The decision was taken after the 21-day nationwide lockdown has caused a huge loss to their business.
  • The financial assistance to the vendors will be paid from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and will be directly transferred to their bank accounts.

April 17, 2020

Green Zone for Tripura if no new case till April 20
  • Tripura, which falls under the Orange Zone on account of its current low coronavirus infection and fatality rate, is likely to get lockdown relaxation in some sectors if there is no new case of COVID-19 till April 20.
  • The State would have been in the Green Zone after completion of the first round of lockdown if no COVID-19 cases were detected.
  • Earlier, two COVID-positive cases were confirmed in the early part of this month but they recovered. At present, Tripura has two containment zones – Gomati and North district – due to the twin cases.
  • There is no Red Zone or coronavirus hotspot in the State so far. The State Government has taken tough measures to implement the ongoing nationwide lockdown.
  • If no positive case is reported in the State by April 20, Tripura will be placed in the Green Zone and get relaxation in some sectors during the second phase of the lockdown, which is scheduled to end on May 3.
  • The State Government has already allowed farmers and tea garden workers to begin their activities with certain restrictions. Some more sectors, including government offices, are likely to be opened by maintaining social distancing and other guidelines.

March 21, 2020

Rs 19,891 crore budget tabled in Tripura Assembly
  • Tripura Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma, who also holds the Finance portfolio, presented a Rs 19,891-crore budget, which is a 13.46 per cent increase over last year’s budget of Rs 17,530 crore.
  • The budget leaves an uncovered deficit of Rs 511 crore, which the Government intends to cover by higher mobilisation of internal resources and an austerity drive. However, there is no new tax proposal in the budget.
  • Other highlights of the budget are a whopping 229.50 per cent hike in allocation for the Department of Information Technology, 52.79 per cent for the Department of Planning, 46.11 per cent for Forest, 37.98 per cent for PWD (DW&S), 37.91 per cent for Tribal Welfare (Research), 36.02 per cent for PWD (R&B) and 10.27 per cent for the Department of Agriculture.
  • There are announcements of constitution of the Innovation and Transformation Aayog of Tripura, and introduction of Tripura Beti Bachao Beti Padao Abhiyan and Chief Minister’s Fasal Bima Yojana.
  • Deputy Chief Minister Dev Varma announced that the Government would provide free sanitary napkins to girl students of classes VI to XII, incurring an annual expenditure of Rs 4.10 crore.
  • Dev Varma said the State Government was on course to make Tripura a model State and this endeavour of the State Government has been appreciated by the Centre.
  • The expenditure on payment of salaries, wages and pension takes away 44.68 per cent of the total budgetary allocation, while 10 per cent more is to be borne on interest payment and repayment of loans.
  • It is only with the remaining 54.67 per cent that the State Government will have to cover its development expenditure which may not prove to be enough.
  • Dev Varma said the reduction in the State’s share of Central taxes by 1 per cent, which is now 41 per cent compared to 42 per cent earlier, and shrinking of the divisible pool was due to higher allocations for internal security and defence.
  • According to the Centre, Tripura has topped the good governance index among the North Eastern States.
Lok  Sabha passes Indian Institutes of Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020
  • The Lok Sabha passed a Bill that seeks to declare five Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) in public-private partnership mode as institutions of national importance along with existing 15 Indian Institutes of Information Technology.
  • Minister of Human Resource Development Ramesh Pokhriyal ”Nishank” said the Bill seeks to declare five IIITs set up under the PPP mode in Surat, Bhopal, Bhagalpur, Agartala, and Raichur as institutions of national importance.
  • Currently, these institutes are registered as Societies under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and do not have the power to grant degrees or diplomas.
  • On being declared institutions of national importance, the five institutes will be granted the power to grant degrees.
  • The Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public-Private Partnership) Act, 2017 declares certain Indian Institutes of Information Technology established under Public-Private Partnership mode as institutions of national importance. Under the Act, 15 institutes are currently incorporated as institutions of national importance.

March 14, 2020

Centre sanctions Rs 365 crore for ICP at Sabroom, Tripura
  • The Centre has sanctioned Rs 365 crore for setting up an Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Sabroom in South Tripura to tap the potential for boosting bilateral trade with Bangladesh.
  • Union Home Minister Amit Shah cleared the proposal for setting up the ICP under a ‘single scheme’ following a request made by Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb.
  • During his last visit to Delhi, Deb met the Union Home Minister with a plea to set up an ICP at Sabroom, which could become a gateway to Southeast Asian nations for the North East.
  • Setting up of an ICP has become necessary as the bridge over the Feni river will connect the two sides of the international border. Once the bridge becomes operational, it will give easier access to the Chittagong Port in Bangladesh. This will increase trade manifold. Land Port Station (LCS) will be insufficient to handle bilateral trade once connectivity is established between Sabroom and Chittagong Port.
  • Earlier, the Union Ministry of Commerce had sanctioned a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Sabroom to boost trade and industry. The State, which shares 856-km border with Bangladesh, currently has one ICP at Akhaura, not far from the State capital.

February 07, 2020

Tripura CM seeks Israeli help in security, water management
  • Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb held a meeting with Israeli Ambassador to India Ron Malka in New Delhi and discussed mutual cooperation in a variety of fields including security and surveillance systems.
  • Deb discussed diverse potential areas of cooperation with the Israel Ambassador.
  • The Chief Minister discussed about the joint cooperation on the areas of security and surveillance system, water management, agriculture, food processing, packaging, cold storage, technology transfer, tourism and culture.
  • The Israeli Ambassador expressed willingness to visit Tripura along with his team soon.

JANUARY 30, 2020

Tripura unveils new Tourism Policy
  • The Tripura Government has adopted a new tourism policy with special emphasis on religious tourism, tea tourism and eco-tourism to promote the State in a big way.
  • The Tourism Development Corporation was launched in 2008 and a separate department for tourism was created in 2013, but there has been no progress in this sector. We are trying to reverse this trend and ensure growth of this sector.
  • The State Cabinet has decided to approach the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to get Unakoti, a hidden treasure of spiritual tourism in the State, listed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
  • The splendid rock works at Unakoti near Dharmanagar subdivision are under the protection of the ASI.
  • Tourism is the priority sector for the State Government as it is a revenue multiplier. An increase in tourist flow would introduce the rich cultural heritage of the State to the world, which would be beneficial for the State in multiple sectors like trade and commerce.
  • The new tourism policy will ensure coordinated development of the tourism sector in a bid to attract domestic as well as foreign tourists.
  • In 2017-2018, altogether 4,83,488 tourists visited Tripura, but the footfall grew in 2018-2019 with 5,29,879 tourists visiting the State. In 2019-2020, 3,97,202 tourists visited the State up to November and this year’s final figure will surely cross the previous year’s number. There has been an increase in the number of foreign tourists also.
  • The Central Government is providing funds for development of tourist destinations under the Swadesh Darshan scheme.
JANUARY 07, 2020
Centre clears Rs 5,908 crore aid to Tripura and other 6 disaster-hit states
  • The Centre decided to provide additional assistance of Rs 5,908.56 crore to seven disaster-hit states – Tripura, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
  • The states were affected by floods, landslides and cloudburst during south west monsoon 2019.
  • A High Level Committee (HLC), chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, approved the additional assistance to seven states from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
  • Rs 63.32 to Tripura, Rs 616.63 crore to Assam, Rs 284.93 crore to Himachal Pradesh, Rs 1869.85 crore to Karnataka, Rs 1749.73 crore to Madhya Pradesh, Rs 956.93 crore to Maharashtra and Rs 367.17 crore to Uttar Pradesh.
  • Earlier, the Central government had released an interim financial assistance of Rs 3,200 crore to four states – Rs 1,200 crore to Karnataka, Rs 1,000 crore to Madhya Pradesh, Rs 600 crore to Maharashtra and Rs 400 crore to Bihar.
  • In addition, during 2019-20, till date, the Centre had released Rs 8,068.33 crore to 27 states as Central share from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
JANUARY 05, 2020
Tripura per capita income to cross the national average
  • Due to proactive economic measures taken by the State Government, Tripura’s per capita income would cross the national average in the current fiscal (2019-20), said Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb.
  • According to official documents, the per capita income of Tripura was Rs 1,13,467 in 2018-19 against the national average of Rs 1,25,397.
  • The Chief Minister said that besides the urban areas, the rural areas of Tripura are also economically developing following which the per capita income has increased substantially and it is expected to cross Rs 1,50,000 by the end of 2019-20.

Indian states and union territories by NSDP per capita

  • According to the IMF, on a per capita income basis, India ranked 142nd by GDP (nominal) and 119th by GDP (PPP) per capita in 2018.
Rank State/UTs NSDP per capita (nominal)
1 Goa ₹467,998 (US$6,600)
2 Delhi ₹365,529 (US$5,100)
3 Sikkim ₹357,643 (US$5,000)
4 Chandigarh ₹297,313 (US$4,200)
5 Haryana ₹226,644 (US$3,200)
6 Puducherry ₹220,461 (US$3,100)
7 Karnataka ₹210,887 (US$3,000)
8 Telangana ₹205,696 (US$2,900)
9 Uttarakhand ₹198,738 (US$2,800)
10 Tamil Nadu ₹193,750 (US$2,700)
11 Maharashtra ₹180,596 (US$2,500)
12 Kerala ₹179,523 (US$2,500)
13 Himachal Pradesh ₹179,188 (US$2,500)
14 Gujarat ₹174,652 (US$2,400)
15 Andhra Pradesh ₹164,025 (US$2,300)
16 Andaman and Nicobar Islands ₹159,664 (US$2,200)
17 Punjab ₹154,598 (US$2,200)
18 Mizoram ₹141,210 (US$2,000)
19 Arunachal Pradesh ₹127,748 (US$1,800)
— India ₹126,406 (US$1,800)2
20 West Bengal ₹109,491 (US$1,500)
21 Rajasthan ₹109,105 (US$1,500)
22 Tripura ₹105,044 (US$1,500)
23 Nagaland ₹102,581 (US$1,400)
24 Chhattisgarh ₹96,887 (US$1,400)
25 Jammu and Kashmir ₹94,992 (US$1,300)
26 Odisha ₹93,352 (US$1,300)
27 Madhya Pradesh ₹90,998 (US$1,300)
28 Meghalaya ₹85,609 (US$1,200)
29 Jharkhand ₹76,019 (US$1,100)
30 Assam ₹74,204 (US$1,000)
31 Manipur ₹62,640 (US$880)
32 Uttar Pradesh ₹61,351 (US$860)
33 Bihar ₹43,822 (US$610)

 

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