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Assam Current Affairs – August 13-15, 2024

Posted on September 21, 2024September 21, 2024 by admin

Assam and North East Current Affairs & GK- August 13-15, 2024

(Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for August 13-15, 2024)

New Orchid Species Discovered in Sikkim

A unique orchid species- Gastrodia indica, was recently discovered in Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary, Sikkim, by botanist Madhusudan Khanal.

About Gastrodia indica:

Gastrodia indica was found at an altitude of 1,950 to 2,100 meters.
It is the first orchid from India that never opens its flower.
This is the first cleistogamous species of the genus Gastrodia discovered from India.
The Gastrodia genus is known for terrestrial, herbaceous, and holomycotrophic orchids.
Cleistogamous plants are highly specialized, as they do not depend on external pollinators like insects or wind for reproduction.
Gastrodia indica is a holomycotrophic plant, meaning it depends entirely on fungi for its nutrients because it lacks chlorophyll.
It grows in moist, decaying leaf litter and is found near tree species like Magnolia doltsopa and Acer campbelli.
Gastrodia indica faces potential threats due to its limited population and specific habitat requirements.

National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF): 2024

Union Minister for Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan released the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2024.

National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2024 were released for 16 categories this year, three more than last year, with open universities, skill universities, and State public universities being the three new categories.

NIRF Ranking 2024:

Engineering Institutes: IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay
Universities: IISc, Bengaluru JNU, New Delhi, JMI New Delhi
Overall Institutes: IIT Madras, IISc, Bengaluru, IIT Bombay
Management Institutes: IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Kozhikode
Medical Colleges: AIIMS, New Delhi PGIMER, Chandigarh Christian Medical College, Vellore
Colleges: Hindu College, Delhi Miranda House, Delhi St. Stephen’s College, Delhi
State Universities: Anna University, Chennai Jadavpur University, Kolkata Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune
Law Institutes: National Law School of India University, Bengaluru National Law University, Delhi NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad
Architecture and Planning Institutes: IIT Roorkee, IIT Kharagpur, NIT Calicut
Open Universities: IGNOU, Netaji Subhash Open University, Kolkata Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Ahmedabad
Innovation: IIT Bombay IIT Madras IIT Hyderabad
Agriculture and Allied Sectors: Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi ICAR- National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Research Institutes: IISc, Bengaluru IIT Madras IIT Delhi
Medical: AIIMS Delhi topped the category.
Dental: Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, and Manipal College of Dental Sciences retained the top two positions. Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, New Delhi, secured third position.

About NIRF:

Introduced by: Ministry of Education, Government of India, in 2015
Aims to provide a fair and transparent assessment of higher education institutions in India.
Evaluation Parameters: NIRF evaluates institutions based on five broad categories.

Teaching, Learning, and Resources (TLR)
Research, Professional Practice, and Collaborative Performance (RPC)
Graduation Outcomes (GO)
Outreach and Inclusivity (OI)
Perception (PR)

Gallantry Awards 2024

President Smt Droupadi Murmu has approved 103 Gallantry awards to Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces personnel on the eve of Independence Day 2024.

These are: four Kirti Chakras including three posthumous; 18 Shaurya Chakras including four posthumous; one Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry); 63 Sena Medals (Gallantry) including two posthumous; 11 Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry); and six Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).

Gallantry Awards

Kirti Chakra

Total Awards: 4 (including 3 posthumous)
Instituted in 1952 as Ashoka Chakra Class-II, renamed Kirti Chakra in 1967.
Awarded for conspicuous gallantry otherwise than in the face of the enemy.
The medal is circular in shape, made of standard silver. The obverse features an embossed replica of the Ashoka Chakra surrounded by a lotus wreath.
The ribbon is green, divided into three equal parts by two orange vertical lines.

Shaurya Chakra

Total Awards: 18 (including 4 posthumous)
Instituted in 1952 as Ashoka Chakra Class-III, renamed in 1967. Awarded for gallantry otherwise than in the face of the enemy. The medal is circular in shape with the Ashoka Chakra in the center, surrounded by a lotus wreath.
Ribbon is green divided by three vertical lines. Bars are awarded for subsequent acts of gallantry.

Sena Medal (Gallantry)

Total Awards: 64 (including 2 posthumous and 1 Bar).
Awarded to personnel of the Indian Army for acts of bravery or exceptional service.
The Bar recognizes additional acts of bravery.

Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry)

Total Awards: 11
Gallantry award for the Indian Navy, recognizing exceptional devotion to duty or courage.

Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry)

Total Awards: 6
Instituted in 1960 to recognize exceptional devotion to duty or acts of courage by Air Force personnel.
Includes awards for individual acts of bravery and devotion to duty.

Mention-in-Despatches

The President has also approved 39 Mention-in-Despatches, including to Army Dog Kent (posthumous) for their significant contributions in different military operations.

The operations include Operation Rakshak, Operation Snow Leopard, Operation Sahayata, Operation Hifazat, Operation Orchid and Operation Katchal.

Operation Rakshak: Ongoing counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Operation Snow Leopard: Response to standoff with Chinese forces along the LAC in Ladakh.
Operation Sahayata: Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
Operation Orchid: Counter-insurgency in the Naga Hills and Tuensang area of Nagaland.
Operation Hifazat: Counter-insurgency in the Nagaland-Manipur-Arunachal Pradesh area.

Police Medals President’s Medal for Gallantry (PMG)

President’s Medal for Gallantry (PMG): The highest police decoration for bravery, awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in saving life and property, preventing crime, or arresting criminals.

1 PMG awarded to Shri Chaduvu Yadaiah, Head Constable of Telangana Police, for his extraordinary bravery during a violent confrontation with criminals involved in chain-snatching and arms dealing.

Medal for Gallantry (GM): 213 GMs awarded for acts of gallantry, with categories including decorations for firefighters and civil defence personnel.

President’s Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM): 94 President’s Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM) awarded for exceptional and distinguished service in police work.

Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM): 729 Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) were awarded for valuable service characterized by resourcefulness and devotion to duty.

Three new wetlands added to the list of Ramsar sites

The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change informed that three more wetlands from India have been added to the list of Ramsar sites. This makes the total Ramsar sites count in India to 85.

The new sites are the Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary and the Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, and the Tawa Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh.

About the newly designated Ramsar Sites:

Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu):

Nanjarayan Tank Bird Sanctuary is a protected area and bird sanctuary located in Tiruppur district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
It is a home to species like the Eurasian coot, spot-billed duck, and various herons.

Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu):

Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary is a protected area and bird sanctuary located in Villupuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
The sanctuary has the brakish shallow Kazhuveli lake, which is connected to the Bay of Bengal by the brackish Uppukalli creek and the Edayanthittu Estuary.

Tawa Reservoir (Madhya Pradesh):

Tawa Reservoir is located in Itarsi of Narmadapuram District of Madhya Pradesh state, above Betul district.
The reservoir was formed by the construction of the Tawa Dam. The dam provides for irrigation to several thousand hectares of farming land in Narmadapuram and Harda districts.
Tawa Reservoir forms the western boundary of Satpura National Park and Bori Wildlife Sanctuary.

One India-One Ticket Initiative

Indian Railways and the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) have partnered to promote the ‘One India-One Ticket’ initiative, to enhance the travel experience for passengers on Indian Railways and Namo Bharat Trains.

Key Points

This initiative will enable a unified booking system, allowing commuters to seamlessly travel between Indian Railways and RRTS services.
It will allow passengers to book Namo Bharat tickets through IRCTC platform with flexible cancellation and payment.
RRTS ticket booking options will appear on the PNR confirmation page and within the user’s booking history.
Passengers can generate Unique QR code for Namo Bharat train ticket. The code will be valid for 4 days around the journey date options.
Namo Bharat tickets can be booked up to 120 days in advance, aligning with the current Railway reservation window.

Vinay Mohan Kwatra assumes charge as Indian Ambassador to US

Former Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra assumed charge as the Ambassador of India to the United States. Kwatra succeeds Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

Kwatra has held various positions in many of India’s missions abroad and in India, bringing with him nearly 32 years of experience across a range of assignments.

Kwatra has previously served at the Ministry of External Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Office as Joint Secretary. He also served as Minister (Commerce) at the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C., from May 2010 to July 2013.

He headed the Policy Planning & Research Division of the Ministry of External Affairs between July 2013 and October 2015, and later served as the head of the Americas Division in the Foreign Ministry, where he managed India’s relations with the United States and Canada.

Huge reservoir of water under Mars, seismic data indicates

Scientists have discovered a reservoir of liquid water deep under Mars’ surface, based on seismic data from NASA’s InSight mission.

The study, ‘Liquid water in the Martian mid-crust’, was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). It was conducted by a team from the University of California San Diego, led by scientists Vashan Wright, Matthias Morzfeld, and Michael Manga.

Key Points

This finding has big implications for understanding how water cycles and climate on Mars have changed over time.
Water is located 10-20 km deep, believed to have seeped from the surface billions of years ago. If widespread, this water could fill an ocean 1-2 km deep across Mars.
The existence of liquid water raises the tantalizing possibility of discovering a habitable environment on Mars.
This discovery could redefine the search for life on Mars, shifting the focus to deep underground environments. It also suggests that Mars may have vast reservoirs of water that could have shaped its geological history.

Australia, U.S., U.K. Sign Nuclear Transfer Deal for AUKUS Submarines

Australia has signed an important deal with the US and the UK to share nuclear secrets and materials. This agreement is a key step toward giving Australia nuclear-powered submarines, as part of the AUKUS security pact.

About AUKUS

It is a trilateral security partnership between Australia, US and UK signed in 2021 to strengthen security and defence interests.

It aims to build nuclear-powered submarines for Australia

and to develop new military technologies together.

Key highlights of the deal

Under the deal, the United States intends to sell Australia three US Virginia class nuclear-powered submarines, in the early 2030s, with an option for Australia to buy two more if needed.
The multi-stage project would culminate with British and Australian production and operation of a new submarine class – SSN-AUKUS.
SSN-AUKUS will be a trilaterally developed vessel based on Britain’s next-generation design. It would be built in Britain and Australia and include cutting edge U.S. technologies.
Britain would take delivery of its first SSN-AUKUS submarine in the late 2030s, and Australia would receive its first in the early 2040s.

Impact of this deal

For Australia: Australia will join a small group of countries with nuclear-powered submarines, improving its naval power in the Pacific.

Australia is committed to not using these submarines for nuclear weapons.

For U.S.: This is only the second time the U.S. has shared nuclear submarine technology, the first being with the U.K. in 1958.

For U.K.: The SSN-AUKUS will be built in the U.K. and Australia, using advanced U.S. technology.

First units will be delivered to the U.K. in the late 2030s and to Australia in the early 2040s.

For India: It can be a tool in strengthening India’s idea of ‘strategic autonomy’ in Indo-Pacific and can complement Quad grouping.

For France: France is not happy with the deal and has termed this deal a “stab in the back” because Australia canceled a previous contract for French submarines.

For Indo-Pacific Region: Under this partnership, technology, scientists, industries and defence forces of these three countries will work together to deliver a safer and more secure region. Some analysts feel that this partnership will lead to intensified arms race in the region.

Govt Issues Guidelines for Model Solar Village Scheme

The Government has issued operational guidelines for the implementation of Model Solar Village under PM-Surya Ghar-Muft Bijli Yojana.

Key Highlights of the Draft Guidelines

Under the scheme component ‘Model Solar Village’, emphasis has been made on creating one Model Solar Village per district across India, with the goal of promoting solar energy adoption and enabling village communities to become self-reliant in meeting their energy needs.
Funding: A total financial outlay of ₹800 crore has been allocated for this component, providing ₹1 crore per selected Model Solar Village.

Criteria:

In order to be considered a village under the competition mode, a village must be a revenue village with a population size above 5,000 (or 2,000 for special category states).
The selection process involves a competitive mode where villages are assessed on their overall distributed renewable energy (RE) capacity installed 6 months after the declaration of the potential candidate by District Level Committee (DLC).

The winning village in each district, with the highest RE capacity, will receive a central financial assistance grant of ₹1 crore.

Implementation: The implementation of this scheme will be done by State/UT Renewable Energy Development Agency under the supervision of District Level Committee (DLC).

About PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana

It is a central scheme to promote the adoption of solar rooftop systems by providing substantial financial subsidies and ensuring ease of installation.
It aims to provide free electricity to one crore households in India, who opt to install roof top solar electricity units.
The scheme has an outlay of Rs 75,021 crore and is to be implemented till FY 2026-27.

Release of Publication “Women and Men in India 2023

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Government of India, released the 25th issue of its publication titled “Women and Men in India 2023”.

The publication is a comprehensive and insightful document that attempts to bring a holistic view of the situation of women and men in India and provides data on a wide range of topics such as Population, Education, Health, Participation in Economy, Participation in Decision making etc. among others.

Key Highlights of the Publication

Population: By 2036, population of India is expected to reach 152.2 Crore, with a slightly improved female percentage of 48.8% as compared to 48.5 percent in 2011.
Age Demographics: The proportion of individuals under 15 years is projected to decrease from 2011 to 2036, likely due to declining fertility. Conversely, the proportion of the population aged 60 years and above is anticipated to substantially increase during this period.
Sex Ratio: India’s population in 2036 is expected to be more feminine compared to the 2011 population, as reflected in the sex ratio which is projected to increase from 943 in 2011 to 952 by 2036, highlighting a positive trend in gender equality.
Age-Specific Fertility Rates: It is evident that from 2016 to 2020, Age Specific Fertility Rate in the age group of 20-24 and 25-29 has reduced from 135.4 and 166.0 to 113.6 and 139.6 respectively.

The ASFR for the age 35-39 for the above period has increased from 32.7 to 35.6 which shows that after settling in the life, women are thinking of expansion of family.

Adolescent Fertility Rate was 33.9 for illiterate population whereas 11.0 for the literate in 2020. This rate considerably lower for even those who are literate but without any formal education (20.0) as compared to illiterate women reemphasizing the importance of imparting education to women.
Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR): India has made notable progress in reducing MMR, achieving a rate of 97 per lakh live births for the period 2018-20. This is a significant step towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 70 by 2030.
Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) has decreased for both genders, with the rate for females equalizing with that of males at 28 per 1,000 live births in 2020. The Under-5 Mortality Rate has also reduced, indicating improvements in child health. Infant mortality rate (IMR) measures the number of deaths of infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births.
Labour Force Participation: The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for both genders has increased.

For men, it rose from 75.8% to 78.5% between 2017-18 and 2022-23, while for women, it increased from 23.3% to 37% during the same period. This indicates greater female involvement in the workforce. Voter Turnout

Election Participation: Women’s voter turnout has increased over the years. In the 2019 elections, women’s participation reached 67.2%, surpassing men’s turnout for the first time. This reflects growing political engagement among women.
Women Entrepreneurs: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has recognized a total of 1,17,254 start-ups between 2016 and 2023.

Among these, 55,816 start-ups are led by women, constituting 47.6% of the total recognized start-ups.

CSIR-NPL Launches Certification Process for Continuous Emission Monitoring

The Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS) is crucial for tracking pollution in India’s industries. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) made it mandatory to install CEMS in 2014.

To address concerns over the reliability of these systems, the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL) launched a certification process to ensure CEMS meet national and international standards.

The certification process includes four levels of quality assurance (QAL-1 to QAL-3) along with yearly checks to keep CEMS functioning well. QAL-1 focuses on proving the equipment’s suitability through thorough testing and audits.

To further improve the quality of CEMS data, CSIR-NPL is working with the CPCB to develop additional quality assurance procedures, aiming to create a complete framework.

About CSIR-NPL

The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL) was set up in 1947.
It focuses on measuring and setting standards.
It helps industries by making sure their measurements are correct.
The lab has advanced research facilities for many scientific areas.

Assam Current Affairs – August 07-09, 2024

Posted on September 12, 2024September 12, 2024 by admin

Assam and NE Current Affairs & GK- August 07-09, 2024

(Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for August 07-09, 2024)

New Bent-Toed Gecko Species Discovered in Northeast India

Scientists from India and the United Kingdom have recently described six new species of bent-toed geckos from Northeast India.

Key Research Institutions

The study was a collaborative effort involving the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), and the Natural History Museum London (NHM). Their teamwork showcases the value of international cooperation in studying biodiversity.

Highlights about the new species

Namdapha bent-toed gecko: It was documented from the Namdapha Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh and is widespread within lowland evergreen forests of the Namdapha and Kamlang Tiger Reserves.
Siang Valley Bent-Toed Gecko (Arunachal Pradesh): It was discovered in the Siang River valley, renowned for its unique biodiversity.
Ngengpui bent-toed gecko (Mizoram): It was discovered from the Ngengpui Wildlife Sanctuary of Lawngtlai district. The site is located in one of the easternmost protected areas of the country.
Manipur bent-toed gecko: It was discovered near the Lamdan Kabui village of Manipur.
Kiphire bent-toed gecko and Barail Hill bent-toed gecko (Nagaland): These two were discovered in Nagaland.

Tata Group Unveils ₹27,000 Crore Semiconductor Facility in Assam

The Tata semiconductor assembly and test facility at Jagiroad is India’s first indigenous semiconductor assembly and test facility.

The Bhoomi Pujan ceremony marks the commencement of India’s first indigenous semiconductor assembly and testing facility. The factory is expected to partially commence operations by 2025.

The facility, located in Jagiroad, Assam, will package 15 billion semiconductor chips per year. These chips will be used in various high-tech products, including electric vehicles, healthcare devices, mobile phones, and laptops.

Significance of the project

The project will create over 27,000 direct and indirect jobs in the region.
The expansion is expected to attract numerous semiconductor ecosystem companies to the region, fostering a robust electronics industry corridor.
The facility will enable direct shipping of semiconductor chips to global end-users and OEMs, reinforcing India’s position in the semiconductor value chain.

PM Modi Praises Black Rice as Superfood

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently highlighted black rice as a superfood in the country due to its medicinal value.

PM Modi highlighted the medicinal value of black rice, while addressing the 32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists (ICAE) in New Delhi.

The theme for this year’s ICAE is “Transformation Towards Sustainable Agri-Food Systems” to promote sustainable agriculture in the face of global challenges such as climate change, natural resource degradation, rising production costs, and conflicts.

Black rice, often referred to as “forbidden rice,” has been a staple in North Eastern India for centuries. Known for its deep black color, which turns purple when cooked, it is packed with nutrients that are often lost in more common varieties of rice.

Black rice is popular in Indian states like Manipur, Assam, and Meghalaya, is gaining popularity due to its “medicinal value.

In 2020, Manipur’s black rice, Chak-Hao, bagged the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

BIMSTEC Business Summit 2024

The Ministry of External Affairs of India, in association with the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), will host the first BIMSTEC Business Summit from August 6-8, 2024, in New Delhi.

Key Points

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will inaugurate the three-day Business Summit along with key note addresses from Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal and other leaders.
The event will bring together more than 300 key stake holders from across the Bay of Bengal region to facilitate economic collaboration and explore ways ahead in focus areas such as trade facilitation, regional connectivity, energy security, inclusive growth and sustainable development.
India attaches great importance to Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) which links five countries from South Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, India & Sri Lanka) and two from South-East Asia (Myanmar & Thailand).
The summit aims to foster greater regional collaboration through robust trade and investment relations among the BIMSTEC member countries.

Government declares Adichunchanagiri in Karnataka and Choolannuar in Kerala as Peacock Sanctuary

The Central Government has declared Adichunchanagiri in Karnataka and Choolannuar in Kerala as Peacock Sanctuary. This decision shows the government’s ongoing effort to protect wildlife and the national bird, the peacock.

Key Points

The initiative aims to protect peacocks and their habitats, ensuring they can thrive without human interference.
Declaring Adichunchanagiri and Choolannuar as Peacock Sanctuaries is an important move to protect peafowl (peacocks) and their habitats.
Sanctuaries offer a safe space where these birds can live and thrive without human disturbance.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has taken several steps to boost peacock conservation. These include setting up breeding and conservation centers aimed at increasing the peafowl population.

Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar Awards 2024

The government of India announced the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP) awardees 2024, marking a significant shift in the country’s approach to recognising scientific achievements. The award ceremony for all categories of awards will be held on 23rd August, which is also National Space Day.

Categories of the Awards:

Vigyan Ratna: Up to 3 awards for lifetime achievements in science and technology.
Vigyan Shri: Up to 25 awards for distinguished contributions in various scientific fields.
Vigyan Yuva: Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award: Up to 25 awards for exceptional contributions by young scientists.
Vigyan Team Award: Up to 3 awards for teams of three or more innovators making significant contributions together.

2024 Award Winners

The recipients of this year’s awards are:

Vigyan Ratna: G. Padmanabhan, a noted biochemist and former director of the Indian Institute of Science.
Vigyan Shri: Dr. Annapurini Subramanian (Astrophysics), Dr. Anandharamakrishnan C (Agriculture Science), Dr. Avesh Kumar Tyagi (Atomic Energy), Prof. Umesh Varshney, Prof. Jayant Bhalchandra Udgaonkar (Biological Sciences), Prof. Syed Wajih Ahmad Naqvi (Earth Sciences), Prof. Bhim Singh (Engineering Sciences), Prof. Adimurthi Adi, Prof. Rahul Mukherjee (Mathematics and Computer Science), Prof. Dr. Sanjay Behari (Medicine), Prof. Lakshmanan Muthusamy, Prof. Naba Kumar Mondal (Physics), Prof. Rohit Srivastava (Technology and Innovation)
Vigyan Yuva: Krishna Murthy SL, Swarup Kumar Parida (Agricultural Science), Radhakrishnan Mahalakshmi, Prof. Aravind Penmatsa (Biological Sciences), Vivek Polshettiwar, Vishal Rai (Chemistry), Roxy Mathew Koll (Earth Sciences), Abhilash, Radha Krishna Ganti (Engineering Sciences), Purabi Saikia, Bappi Paul (Environmental Science), Mahesh Ramesh Kakde (Mathematics and Computer Science), Jitendra Kumar Sahu, Pragya Dhruv Yadav (Medicine) Urbasi Sinha (Physics), Digendranath Swain, Prashant Kumar (Space Science and Technology), Prabhu Rajagopal (Technology and Innovation)
Vigyan Team Award: The team from ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 mission.

About Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP):

It is a new set of awards introduced by the Government of India in the field of Science, Technology, and Innovation.
It aims to recognize the notable and inspiring contributions made by scientists, technologists, and innovators individually or in teams in various fields of science, technology, and technology-led innovation.
It is one of the highest recognitions in the field of science, technology, and innovation in India.

Neeraj Chopra Wins Silver at Paris Olympics 2024

Neeraj Chopra won a silver medal in men’s javelin at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a season-best throw of 89.45 meters.

Gold medal was claimed by Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem with a throw of 92.97m, setting a new Olympic record.

Grenada’s Anderson Peters took bronze with a throw of 88.54 meters.

Neeraj Chopra was the first Indian to win a gold medal at the World U20 Championships in 2016 and became the first Indian to reach the top of the world rankings in javelin in 2021.

Indian Hockey team wins a bronze at Paris Olympics 2024

India’s men’s hockey team won the bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a 2-1 victory over Spain.

This achievement marks India’s first time winning consecutive Olympic medals in hockey since the 1972 Munich Games.

The match took place at Yves du Manoir Stadium in Paris. Spain led early with a penalty stroke by Marc Miralles in the second quarter. India equalized before half-time with a drag flick goal by captain Harmanpreet Singh. The Netherlands won gold, beating Germany 2-1 in a shootout in the final.

The Netherlands won gold, beating Germany 2-1 in a shootout in the final.

Assam Current Affairs – August 01-03, 2024

Posted on September 1, 2024September 1, 2024 by admin

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

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

Go To Assam Current Affairs Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz

August 01-03, 2024

World Wide Web Day

World Wide Web Day is celebrated annually on 1st August. It is a global celebration that commemorates the creation of the World Wide Web (WWW) and its profound impact on human connectivity.

This day serves as a tribute to the immense impact of the Web on modern society and a reminder of its role in fostering global connectivity and innovation.

This day honours the groundbreaking invention of Tim Berners-Lee, an English scientist who conceptualized and developed the WWW in 1989 while working at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN).

Significance Celebration of World Wide Web Day 2024

This day highlights the web’s transformative effects on communication, education, healthcare, research, and entertainment.
This day aises awareness about the importance of online security and protecting user data.
Emphasizes the need for a more inclusive web that supports diverse communities and perspectives and encourages continued development and ethical use of web technologies to drive future advancements.

India Ranks 39th in Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024

India is ranked 39th among 119 countries, according to the Travel and Tourism Development Index 2024 report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

As per the TTDI report, out of the TTDI pillars mentioned, India’s scores have improved in three areas: Prioritization of Travel & Tourism, Safety & Security, and Health & Hygiene. As per UNWTO barometer for May 2024, there were 975 million International Tourist arrivals around the world in 2022, wherein India recorded 14.3 million International Tourist Arrivals that represented 1.47% of the international inbound tourism market share. The share of India’s International Tourist Arrivals in Asia & Pacific is 15.66% in 2022.

Travel and Tourism Development Index

The Travel and Tourism Development Index is a biennial report released by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
The 2024 Travel and Tourism Development Index was prepared in collaboration with the University of Surrey, England. This year, 119 countries have been ranked on the Index.
The Travel and Tourism Development Index benchmarks and measures the set of factors and policies that enable the sustainable and resilient development of the Travel and tourism sector, which plays a role in a country’s development.

Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak Bill, 2024

The Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak Bill, is a proposed legislation introduced to replace the outdated Aircraft Act of 1934.

Need to Replace the Aircraft Act 1943:

The Act has been amended multiple times to enhance safety, and oversight, and align with international conventions, creating ambiguities and confusion for stakeholders.
To eliminate outdated provisions.
Improve ease of doing business and streamline processes. Address design, manufacture, and maintenance of aircraft and related equipment.

Objective

The primary objective of the Vayuyan Vidheyak 2024 is to reform and streamline the processes and protocols associated with air traffic management in India.
It aims to integrate advanced technologies and international best practices to ensure the safe and efficient movement of air traffic within the Indian airspace.

Important Provisions:

Empowerment for Rule-Making: The Central Government is empowered to make rules to implement international civil aviation conventions. Examples include the Chicago Convention (1944) and the International Telecommunication Convention (1932).
Enhanced Powers for Aviation Authorities: Increased powers for the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Enhanced authority for the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). Greater powers for the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
Emergency Powers: The Central Government is empowered to issue orders in emergencies for public safety, such as detaining aircraft.
License and Certification Management: Central Government can suspend, cancel, or restrict licenses or certifications with a hearing opportunity for affected parties.
Appeal Process: Introduction of a second appeal between the initial appeal and final appeal to the Secretary, MoCA.

Significance of the Bill:

The Bill aligns with the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative by regulating aircraft design and manufacturing.
It expands coverage to include drones, UAVs, flying taxis, and electronic gliders.
This move addresses the needs of a rapidly growing aviation market, with ICRA forecasting an 8–13% growth in domestic air passenger traffic for FY2024.

Exercise Tarang Shakti

India will host its first multinational air exercise, ‘Tarang Shakti 2024’, in two phases, taking place in Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan.

It aims to showcase India’s defence capabilities and enhance cooperation among the participating militaries.

Key Points

This exercise will enhance relationships with international community members and will help to improve mutual understanding of air operations through complex missions.
It aims to boost military cooperation and highlight India’s defence industry, supporting the country’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Phase one of the exercise will be conducted at Sulur in Tamil Nadu from August 6 to August 14 and four countries including France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom will participate with their assets.
Phase two will be held at Jodhpur in Rajasthan from September 1 to 14 and it will see participation from Australia, Bangladesh, Greece, Singapore, UAE and the USA with their assets.

Swapnil Kusale earns third bronze medal for India in shooting

Swapnil Kusale has become the first Indian shooter to secure a medal in the 50m Rifle 3 Position (3P) event at the Paris Olympics. He finished his match with 451.4 to settle for a bronze medal.

The gold medal was won by the world record holder Liu Yukun of China with 463.6 points, while the silver was won by Ukraine’s Serhiy Kulish with 461.3 points.

Achievements:

Swapnil Kusale’s journey to this historic Olympic medal has been decorated with numerous achievements:

World Championship, Cairo (2022): Finished 4th, winning an Olympic quota place for India.
Asian Games 2022: Gold medal in the Team event.
World Cup, Baku (2023): Gold in mixed team event and two silver medals in individual & team events.
World Championship, Cairo (2022): Bronze medal in the team event.
World Cup, New Delhi (2021): Gold medal in the team event.

Two Indian Astronauts Selected for Axiom-4 Mission

India has announced the selection of two astronauts, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, for the upcoming Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

Key Features

Indian astronauts will receive training from NASA, international partners, and SpaceX, focusing on spacecraft systems and emergency preparedness, as part of India-US space cooperation goals.
The crew will consist of professional astronauts and private individuals, including researchers and potentially tourists, who have undergone rigorous training for the mission.
Axiom-4 is expected to be a short-duration mission, lasting approximately 14 days.
During their time aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the crew will conduct scientific experiments, perform technology demonstrations, and engage in educational outreach.

About Axiom-4 Mission

Axiom Mission 4 (or Ax-4) is a private spaceflight to the International Space Station.
It is operated by Axiom Space and uses a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.
The flight is in collaboration with NASA and will be the fourth flight of Axiom Space after Axiom Mission 1, Axiom Mission 2 and Axiom Mission 3.
Scheduled to launch in 2024, Axiom-4 will continue the company’s pioneering efforts to establish a sustainable human presence in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

mRNA vaccine development against human avian influenza (H5N1)

A new initiative to develop and distribute mRNA vaccines for human avian influenza (H5N1) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP).

The initiative aligns with ongoing efforts to improve the sharing of influenza viruses and vaccine access under the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework.

About mRNA Vaccine technology

mRNA vaccines work by introducing a piece of mRNA that corresponds to a viral protein, usually a small piece of a protein found on the virus’s outer membrane.
mRNA is a genetic molecule that contains instructions or recipe that directs cells to make a protein using its natural machinery. This mRNA prompts cells to create viral proteins, triggering the immune system to produce antibodies and boost the immune system.
The mRNA Technology Transfer Programme has already developed a platform for COVID-19 vaccine candidates, which is now being adapted for other diseases, enhancing global vaccine equity.

India Elected as Vice-Chair of IPEF’s Supply Chain Council

India has been elected as the vice-chair of the Supply Chain Council (SCC) under the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).

India and 13 other Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) partners have established three supply chain bodies under the landmark Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Agreement relating to Supply Chain Resilience.

The IPEF has created three councils to deal with different supply chain issues:

Supply Chain Council: To pursue targeted, action-oriented work to strengthen the supply chains for those sectors and goods most critical to national security, public health, and economic well-being.

Crisis Response Network: To provide a forum for a collective emergency response to exigent or imminent disruptions. Labour

Rights Advisory Board: Brings together workers, employers, and governments at the same table to strengthen labour rights and workforce development across regional supply chains.

Recent Appointments:

During the meetings, each of the three supply chain bodies elected a Chair and Vice Chair, who will serve for a term of two years. The elected chairs and vice chairs are:

Supply Chain Council: USA (Chair) and India (Vice Chair)

Crisis Response Network: Republic of Korea (Chair) and Japan (Vice Chair)

Labour Rights Advisory Board: USA (Chair) and Fiji (Vice Chair)

Nano-MIND Technology

Researchers from the Center for Nanomedicine at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) and Yonsei University in South Korea have successfully demonstrated the ability to control specific brain regions in mice using magnetic fields.

About Nano-MIND Technology

Nano-MIND technology utilizes magnetic fields and magnetized nanoparticles to wirelessly and remotely modulate specific deep brain neural circuits.
This innovative approach enables precise activation or inhibition of targeted neurons, providing a powerful tool for researchers to study and influence brain activity without invasive procedures.
By harnessing magnetism, Nano-MIND offers a new level of control over brain function that surpasses traditional methods, which often involve electrical stimulation or pharmacological interventions.

Highlights of the research

The research team demonstrated the technology’s capabilities by activating specific neurons in different brain regions of mice.
One notable achievement was the activation of inhibitory GABA receptors in the medial preoptic area (MPOA), which is responsible for maternal behaviours.
When these neurons were stimulated in non-maternal female mice, the animals exhibited significantly increased nurturing behaviours, mimicking those of maternal mice.
The researchers also successfully regulated feeding behaviours by targeting motivation circuits in the lateral hypothalamus.

Assam Current Affairs – January 16-18, 2024

Posted on March 28, 2024April 1, 2024 by admin

Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – January 16-18, 2024

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for January 16-18, 2024)

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January 16-18, 2024

Assam Govt Unveils Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan

The Assam government launched the Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyaan (MMUA) to empower rural women entrepreneurs.

About Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan

The scheme is designed to foster the development of rural women who are part of self-help groups, transforming them into “rural micro-entrepreneurs” with a target annual income of Rs 1 lakh per member.
To qualify for the grant, women from the general and other backward caste (OBC) categories must have no more than three children.
However, specific exemptions are made for women from the Moran, Muttock, and tea-tribe communities, who can apply with four or fewer children.
For women belonging to Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Scheduled Caste (SC) categories, the eligibility criteria dictate that they should have no more than four children.
If beneficiaries have daughters, they must be enrolled in school. For girls not attending school, a signed commitment for future enrollment is necessary.
Beneficiaries need to ensure that the trees planted under the government’s tree plantation campaign, Amrit Brikshya Andolan, are thriving.

Assam Baibhav Award

Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi will be honored with Assam’s highest civilian award ‘Assam Baibhav’. The decision to confer this year’s award upon Ranjan Gogoi reflects the state government’s acknowledgment of his exceptional service and achievements.

This marks the third year of the Assam Baibhav awards, with the inaugural award presented to business magnate Ratan Tata in the first year, followed by journalist Tapan Saikia in the second year.

About ‘Assam Baibhav’ Awards

It is one of the highest civilian awards given by the state of Assam. As an award, Gogoi will be given a citation, certificate, medal and a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh.
Ranjan Gogoi held the office of the 46th Chief Justice of India.
During his tenure, the Supreme Court had given a historic verdict on the decade-old Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case.

Assam Saurav Award 2023:

This award will be given to four personalities.

Mainly among these Hima Das – Athletics
Dr. Kishan Chand Nauriyal: Art and Culture
Elvis Ali Hazarika: Swimming and
Nadiram Deuri: Tiwa Dance

This award will include a citation, certificate, medal and a cash prize of Rs 4 lakh.

Assam Gaurav Award 2023:

This year 17 personalities will be given the ‘Assam Gaurav’ award.

Ranjit Gogoi (Folk and Bihu dance exponent)
Parvati Barua (animal protection activities)
Debojit Chiangmai (sound engineer)
Drono Bhuyan (Oja Pali)
Neelam Dutta (Organic Farming)
Anupam Deka (industrialist)
Soumyadeep Dutta (Wildlife Conservation)
Basant Chiring Phukan (Mushroom Cultivation)
Manendra Deka (Handicraft)
Meenakshi Chetia (Social Service)
Pakhila Lekhtepi (Karbi Lok)
Tenzing Bodosa (Elephant Friendly Tea Garden)
Nirmal De (mat)
Jessin Kumbang Pao (weaving)
Mary Hassa (social services)
Upendra Rabha (black rice cultivation) and
Rahul Gupta (Hydroponic Farming).

Assam Gaurav Award winners will be given a citation, certificate, medal and a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh.

Indian Army launched Operation Sarvashakti

The Indian Army has launched Operation Sarvashakti in the Rajouri-Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir, deploying forces on both sides of the Pir Panjal range to target terrorists who have carried out a series of attacks on troops in the area.

About Operation Sarvashakti

Recent years have witnessed three major terrorist attacks in the area, resulting in the loss of 20 soldiers.
Operation Sarvashakti is an initiative of the Indian army to neutralise terrorist threats in Pir Panjal range.
As part of the operation at least three brigades of additional troops are being deployed in the sector from various reserve and strike corps formations in order to increase the density of troops.
It is similar to Operation Sarpvinash.
In 2003, Indian forces launched Operation Sarpvinash to flush out terrorists who had infiltrated from across the border and set up camps in the thick forests south of the Pir Panjal range, especially in the Hilkaka area in Poonch.
The operation flushed out terrorists and brought peace to the area that lasted until 2017-18, even as terrorist incidents continued to take place in the valley.

The deposits raised under the framework are covered by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC).

Swachh Survekshan Awards 2023

Surat and Indore have been jointly recognized as the cleanest cities in India at the Union Urban Affairs Ministry’s annual Clean City Awards 2023. Indore achieved the top rank for the seventh consecutive time.

President Smt. Droupadi Murmu conferred the Swachh Survekshan awards 2023 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

The theme for the year 2023 was -“Waste to Wealth”.

The theme for the Cleanliness Survey 2024 is “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.”

The President launched the Swachh Survekshan 2023 dashboard, emphasizing the importance of everyone’s contribution to and participation in the survey.

Key Points

In the category of cities with a population of less than 1 lakh, Sasvad, Patan and Lonavala secured the top three spots.
Mhow Cantonment Board in Madhya Pradesh was adjudged the Cleanest Cantonment Board.
Varanasi and Prayagraj won the top two awards amongst the Cleanest Ganga Towns.
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh won the top three awards for Best Performing State.
Chandigarh walked away with the award for the Best Safaimitra Surakshit Sheher, acknowledging initiatives that prioritize the safety, dignity, and well-being of sanitation workers.

About Swachh Survekshan Awards

It was launched in 2016, as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission initiated by the Government of India to promote cleanliness and sanitation in urban areas.
The annual survey ranks cities based on various sanitation parameters like door-to-door waste collection, waste treatment, public toilet management, citizen participation, and innovation in sanitation practices.
Winning cities and states receive recognition and financial incentives, aiming to motivate them to maintain and improve their sanitation standards.

NHAI Introduces ‘One Vehicle, One FASTag’ Initiative

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched the ‘One Vehicle, One FASTag’ initiative that aims to discourage user behavior of using single FASTag for multiple vehicles or linking multiple FASTags to a particular vehicle.

About the ‘One Vehicle, One FASTag’ initiative:

The initiative aims to enhance the efficiency of the Electronic Toll Collection system and provide seamless movement at the Toll Plazas.
The new arrangement Of ‘One Vehicle, One FASTag’ has also been introduced to discourage user behaviour of using single FASTag for multiple vehicles or linking multiple FASTags to a particular vehicle.
The initiative encourages FASTag users to complete ‘Know Your Customer’ (KYC) process of their latest FASTag by updating KYC as per RBI guidelines.
FASTags with valid balance but with incomplete KYC will get deactivated/blacklisted by banks post 31st January 2024.
NHAI has taken this initiative after the recent reports of multiple FASTags being issued for a particular vehicle and FASTags being issued without KYC in violation of RBI’s mandate.
The ‘One Vehicle, One FASTag’ initiative will help to make toll operations more efficient and ensure seamless & comfortable journeys for the National Highway users.

About FASTag

FASTag is a device that uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to enable toll payments while the vehicle is in motion.
It is essentially an RFID passive tag on the vehicle’s windscreen linked to a customer’s prepaid or savings/current account.
It allows customers to drive through toll plazas without stopping for toll payments.
The toll fee is deducted from the customer’s linked account.
It is also vehicle specific and once it is affixed to a vehicle, it cannot be transferred to another vehicle.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)State’s Startup Ranking 2022

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) released the State’s Startup Ranking Framework 2022 report. Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu emerged as the best-performing states in the Startup Ranking for 2022.

Categories and Participation

A total of 33 states and union territories actively participated in the evaluation, categorized under five distinct groups – best performers, top performers, leaders, aspiring leaders, and emerging startup ecosystems. The rankings serve as a testament to the varied and evolving nature of the startup ecosystem in different regions of the country.

About State’s Startup Ranking Framework 2022 report

Category A States (Population more than 1 crore)

Best performing states: Gujarat, Karnataka and Kerala
Top performing states: Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana, Orissa and Maharashtra
Leading states: Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and Andhra Pradesh
States with Ambitious Leadership: Bihar and Haryana
States developing emerging startup ecosystems: Chhattisgarh, Delhi, and Jammu and Kashmir

Category B States (Population less than 1 crore)

Best performer: Himachal Pradesh
Top Performer: Arunachal Pradesh Meghalaya
Leader: Goa, Manipur and Tripura
Aspiring leader: Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Nagaland
Emerging Ecosystems: Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu, Ladakh Mizoram, Puducherry and Sikkim

MeitY Secretary Launches India’s First Graphene Centre and IoT CoE in Kerala

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Secretary S Krishnan inaugurated the India Innovation Centre for Graphene (IICG) and a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Intelligent Internet of Things (IIoT) Sensors in Kerala.

About India Innovation Centre for Graphene (IICG): India’s first Graphene Center

Digital University Kerala (DUK) (formerly IIITMK) and Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (CMET)-Thrissur are the technical partners for setting up these centers at Makers Village Kochi.
The complete full-fledged facility for R&D, incubation, innovation, skilling, capacity building, testing & certification shall be established at these centers by the experts of these agencies.
The creation of a complete eco-system for start-ups in the area of IoT Sensors and Graphene & 2D Materials are the main objectives for setting up these centers in the country.
The complete solution with material to product/system development shall be provided at these centers in the respective areas.

Indian Army Develops Encrypted Mobile Ecosystem “SAMBHAV”

Indian Army develops end-to-end encrypted mobile ecosystem SAMBHAV (Secure Army Mobile Bharat Version). SAMBHAV’ has been developed in collaboration with leading national centers of excellence from academia and industry.

About SAMBHAV (Secure Army Mobile Bharat Version)

SAMBHAV is an end-to-end secure mobile ecosystem developed by the Indian Army.
It operates on 5G technology and aims to provide secure communication and instant connectivity.
It aims to address the information security challenges faced by the Indian Army.
Command Cyber Operations Support Wings enhance cyber capabilities at operational and tactical levels.
SAMBHAV addresses the vulnerability of mobile networks to eavesdropping, offering end-to-end security.

Command Cyber Operations Support Wing (CCOSW)

The Command Cyber Operations Support Wing (CCOSW) is being established which increases cyber security capability.
The CCOSWs are specialized units of the Indian Army that assist formations in carrying out mandated cyber security functions.
According to a report, six CCOSWs are being established for all commands. Additionally, specialized training will be provided to personnel involved in this initiative.

Assam Current Affairs – January 13-15, 2024

Posted on March 27, 2024March 28, 2024 by admin

Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – January 13-15, 2024

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for January 13-15, 2024)

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January 13-15, 2024

Buffalo Fights Revived in Assam

The Assam Government revived the traditional buffalo fight (Moh-Juj) after nine years.

About Moh Juj: A Traditional Buffalo Fight in Assam

The riverside town of Ahatguri has hosted buffalo fight tournaments as part of Magh Bihu since 1972. But these large-scale events were stopped after the 2014 prohibition.
In May 2022 there was a major development – a Supreme Court bench upheld amendments to animal cruelty legislation by certain states.
This allowed the resumption of specific bull-taming sports and related rural events.
Following this, in October 2022, the Assam Government assured the Gauhati High Court that it would formulate standard operating procedures (SOPs) to regulate traditional practices like buffalo fights.
Subsequently, in December 2023, the Assam cabinet formally approved the revival of buffalo fights under strict rules and protocols.
This nod from the state government paved the way for restarting this cultural event in a regulated manner after years of prohibition.

Seven products from Odisha Geographical Indication (GI) Tag

Recently, seven products from Odisha, ranging from the Similipal Kai chutney made with red weaver ants to the embroidered Kapdaganda shawl, have bagged the coveted Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

About Lanjia Saura Painting

Lanjia Saurpa Painting is one of the oldest tribal art forms.
It is also known as Idital. The artworks are famous for their beauty, aesthetics, ritualistic association and iconography.
It belongs to the Lanjia Saura community, a PVTG largely residing in the Rayagada district.
These paintings are in the form of exterior murals painted on the mud walls of homes.

About Kapdaganda Shawl

It is woven and embroidered by the women of the Dongria Kondh tribe, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) in the Niyamgiri hills in Odisha’s Rayagada and Kalahandi districts.
The shawl reflects the rich tribal heritage of the Dongria Kondhs.
The shawl is worn by both men and women and the Dongrias gift it to their family members as a token of love and affection.

Koraput Kala Jeera Rice

Famous for its aroma, taste, texture and nutritional value.
As the rice grains resemble cumin seeds, it is also called Kala Jeera.
Its consumption helps in increasing haemoglobin levels and improves metabolism in the body.

Nayagarh Kanteimundi Brinjal

It is known for its prickly thorns on the stems and the whole plant. The green and round fruits contain more seeds as compared to other genotypes.
It is famous for its unique taste and relatively short quick cooking time.
The plants are resistant to major insects and can be grown with minimal pesticide.

Odisha Khajuri Guda (Jaggery)

It is a natural sweetener extracted from date palm trees and has its origin in the Gajapati district.
Traditionally, the jaggery is prepared in a trapezoidal form called ‘Patali Gur’ and is organic by nature.
It is dark brown and has a unique taste.

Dhenkanal Magji

It is a type of sweet made from cheese from buffalo milk, with distinct characteristics in terms of appearance, taste, flavour, shape, and size.
It also has unique nutritional values that distinguish it from other cheese-brd sweets.

SBI Green Rupee Term Deposit (SGRTD) Scheme

Recently, the State Bank of India (SBI) launched the SBI Green Rupee Term Deposit (SGRTD) to mobilize funds to support environment friendly initiatives and projects.

About SBI Green Rupee Term Deposit (SGRTD) Scheme

The SGRTD is a deposit scheme that aims to raise funds for environmentally-friendly initiatives and projects.
The scheme is open to NRIs, non-individuals, and resident individuals.
It offers investors the flexibility to choose from three distinct tenors: 1,111 days, 1,777 days, and 2,222 days.
Pre-mature withdrawals are allowed under the scheme.
Loan/ overdraft facility will be available against the deposit.
Senior Citizens/ Staff/ Staff Senior Citizens are eligible for an additional interest rate over the applicable rate for the public.
The benefit of additional interest shall not be available to NRI Senior Citizens/NRI Staff.

About Green Deposit

A Green deposit is an interest-bearing deposit, received by the regulated entities (RE) for a fixed period, the proceeds of which are earmarked for being allocated towards green finance.

The deposits raised under the framework are covered by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC).

IUCN Assessment of the Himalayan Wolf

The Himalayan Wolf has been assessed for the first time on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and categorised as ‘Vulnerable’.

About Himalayan Wolf

The Himalayan Wolf (Canis lupus chanco), a prominent lupine predator found across the Himalayas.
The Himalayan wolf resides on the Tibetan Plateau in China, particularly in Gansu, Qinghai, Tibet, and western Sichuan provinces.
It is a subspecies of the gray wolf found in the Himalayan region, spanning areas such as Nepal, India, and the Tibetan Plateau.
Himalayan wolf has now been categorised as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List

Reason for the declining population of Himalayan Wolf

Hybridization Threats: Increasing populations of feral dogs in regions like Ladakh and Spiti pose a threat of hybridization.
Illegal Hunting: The Himalayan Wolf is hunted illegally for its fur and body parts, contributing to its declining numbers.
Conflict with Livestock: Livestock depredation conflicts are significant, exacerbated by habitat modification and depletion of wild prey.
Habitat Destruction: The IUCN Red List Assessment has highlighted an ongoing reduction in the area, extent, and quality of habitat for Himalayan wolves.

Measures should be taken to enhance the protection of Himalayan wolves

Securing and restoring healthy wild prey populations and landscapes and setting aside wildlife habitat refuges.
Enhancing livestock guarding methods, including predator-proof corral pens, sustainable herding practices, and holistic management practices.
Management of feral dog populations.
Trans-boundary efforts in conservation of the species in range countries through research and monitoring.

Pench Tiger Reserve Becomes India’s first Dark Sky Park

The Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Maharashtra has been marked as India’s first Dark Sky Park and the fifth Dark Sky Park in Asia for protecting the night sky and preventing light pollution. The certification was given by the International Dark-Sky Association, a global dark-sky movement to promote astronomy.

About India’s First Dark Sky Park:

Dark Sky Place certification focuses on lighting policy, dark sky-friendly retrofits, outreach and education, and monitoring the night sky.
The reserve’s certification recognizes its commitment to protecting the night sky, reducing light pollution, and creating an ideal environment for astronomy enthusiasts and stargazers.
This designation positions PTR as a sanctuary where tourists can witness celestial spectacles, shielded from the intrusion of artificial light pollution.

About Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR)

The Reserve is named after the Pench River, which flows from north to south through the Reserve.
It is located in the southern reaches of the Satpura hills in the Seoni and Chhindwara districts in Madhya Pradesh and continues in Nagpur district in Maharashtra as a separate Sanctuary.
The reserve is famous for large herds of Chital, Sambar, Nilgai, Gaur (Indian Bison), and wild boar.
It was declared a sanctuary in 1965, raised to the status of national park in 1975.

The Rural Development Ministry and State Bank of India signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to help rural Self-Help Groups (SHGs)

The Ministry of Rural Development and State Bank of India signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate Enterprise Financing for rural Self-Help Group (SHG) women.

Key Points

State Bank of India introduced Svyam Siddha, a financial product tailored for SHG women entrepreneurs, offering loans up to Rs 5 lakhs.
This initiative is uniquely designed to alleviate the challenges associated with extensive documentation requirements for bank loan applications and reduce the Turn Around Time (TAT).
The requirement of burdensome documents like quotations and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) has been dispensed with, allowing an easy application process where a simple loan application with KYC details can be submitted at local SBI bank branches.
DAY-NRLM will facilitate the loan application process and oversee loan repayment through its dedicated field cadre.
A training toolkit package was also launched to promote access to formal finance by SHG women entrepreneurs, marking a significant milestone in DAY-NRLM’s commitment to empowering communities and advancing financial inclusion at the grassroots level.
The toolkit covers crucial topics like fundamentals of banking, concepts on financial statements, working capital calculation etc. The key modules of this toolkit have been converted into animated videos for self-capacity building of entrepreneurs. This will facilitate access to formal finance for its SHGs women entrepreneurs.

‘Sinomicrurus Gorei’ a new species of coral snake was discovered in Mizoram

Researchers from Mizoram University’s zoology department have discovered a new species of coral snake in the state. It has been named Sinomicrurus gorei after British India doctor Gore.

This newly discovered coral snake species is locally recognised as “Rul Thi Hna” due to its striking resemblance to Thi Hna, a traditional amber necklace in the Mizo culture.

It has unique patterns and different scales, hemipenis, DNA, and skull.

In Mizoram, Sinomicrurus macclellandi is primarily found in hilly or elevated areas, while Sinomicrurus gorei is found in both low-lying and hilly areas.

Green Fuels Alliance India

Green Fuels Alliance India (GFAI) is an alliance between Denmark and India to boost collaborative efforts in the sustainable energy solutions sector.

The initiative is part of the Green Strategic Partnership signed in 2020 between India and Denmark.

Key Points

This strategic alliance, led by the Danish Embassy and the Consulate General of Denmark in India, aims to boost collaborative efforts in the sustainable energy solutions sector and advance the joint global goal towards carbon neutrality.
The initiative aims to advance the green fuels sector, including green hydrogen, through innovation and partnerships.
It promotes sustainable energy growth in India by establishing an ecosystem that encourages collaboration among businesses, government entities, research institutions, and financial stakeholders.
The alliance is significant in its potential contribution to global decarbonization efforts.

Assam Current Affairs – January 10-12, 2024

Posted on March 27, 2024March 27, 2024 by admin

Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – January 10-12, 2024

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for January 10-12, 2024)

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January 10-12, 2024

Chandubi festival

The 14th Chandubi Festival was recently held near the Chandubi Lake in Assam’s Kamrup district from January 1 to January 5.

About Chandubi festival

It is an annual five-day celebration that takes place at Chandubi Lake in Assam’s Kamrup district.
Chandubi Lake is a natural lake that was formed due to massive landslides during the 1897 Assam earthquake, blocking the flow of the Chandubi River.
The festival’s main goal is to encourage eco-tourism and protect the lake, which has been losing water.
Preserving the lake and helping the tribes like Rabhas, Garos, Gorkhas, and tea tribes are reasons for holding the festival.
The festival is deeply rooted in the cultural fabric of the region, celebrating the diversity, customs, and traditions of the local communities.
It represents the confluence of various indigenous tribes and communities, each contributing their unique rituals, arts, crafts, and cultural practices.
The festival features a rich tapestry of cultural performances including traditional dances like Bihu, Sattriya, and tribal dances, showcasing the vibrant folk culture of Assam.

National Sports Awards 2023

The national sports awards are given annually to recognize and reward excellence in sports, highlight extraordinary performance at the national and international competitive events, encourage sportsmanship and promote nation-building by creating a sense of national pride and unity in a country as diverse as India.

The awards are administered by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India.

The six categories of the National Sports Awards are:

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award:

It is considered India’s highest sporting honour, the Khel Ratna was established in 1991-92.
The award is named after the Indian hockey legend, Major Dhyan Chand.
The award is given for outstanding performances in sports spanning over a period of four years and the Khel Ratna winners receive a medallion, certificate and a cash prize.
Legendary sports figures like MC Mary Kom, S. MirabaiChanu, PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Vijender Singh, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli amongst others have received this highest sporting honour in the past.
In 2023, Chirag Shetty and Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy (badminton) were awarded with Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.

Arjuna Award

It is awarded for consistent good performance over a period of four years. The winners of the Arjuna Award receive a statuette of Arjuna, a certificate and a cash prize.

Dronacharya Award: It was instituted in 1985, is India’s highest sports honour for coaches. It is awarded to individuals for producing medal winners at prestigious international events. Awardees receive a bronze statue of Dronacharya, a certificate and a cash prize.

Ganesh Prabhakaran (mallakhamb), Mahavir Saini (para athletics), Lalit Kumar (wrestling), RB Ramesh (chess), Shivendra Singh (hockey) were awarded with Dronacharya Award for Outstanding Coaches in Sports and Games 2023.

Major Dhyan Chand Award: This award represents India’s highest honour for lifetime achievements in sports. Presented for good performance and contributing towards the promotion of sports in an individual capacity since 2002, the winners get a Dhyan Chand statuette, a certificate and a cash prize.

Manjusha Kanwar (badminton), Vineet Kumar Sharma (hockey), Kavitha Selvaraj (kabaddi) were awarded with Dhyan Chand Lifetime Award 2023

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy (MAKA): It was instituted in 1956–1957. It is given to an institution or university for top performance in inter-university tournaments over the last one year.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2023: Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar (winner), Lovely Professional University, Punjab (1st runners-up), Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra (2nd runners-up).

Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar:

Instituted in 2009.

Awarded to organisations or corporates (both private and public) and individuals for playing a role in the area of sports promotion and development over the last three years.

In 2023, JAIN (Deemed-to-be-University), Odisha Mining Corporation Limited won this award.

DRDO conducts successful flight-test of New Generation Akash missile

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful flight-test of the New Generation AKASH (AKASH-NG) missile from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.

The flight-test was conducted against a high-speed unmanned aerial target at very low altitude.

During the flight-test, the target was successfully intercepted by the weapon system and destroyed. It has validated the functioning of the complete weapon system consisting of the missile with indigenously developed Radio Frequency Seeker, Launcher, Multi-Function Radar and Command, Control & Communication system.

About AKASH (AKASH-NG) missile

It is a new generation state-of-the-art surface-to-air missile (SAM) for the Indian Air Force (IAF) to destroy high manoeuvring low radar cross section agile aerial threats.
It has been indigenously designed and developed by the DRDO and produced by defence public sector units along with other industries.
Multiple advanced versions of the missile are under development by the team.

Global Risks Report 2024

The World Economic Forum recently released the Global Risks Report 2024.

Key Highlights of the Report

Various global events in 2023, including lethal conflicts, Extreme Weather Conditions, and societal discontent, have contributed to a predominantly negative outlook.
Misinformation and disinformation are listed as the most severe risks over the next two years, highlighting how rapid advances in technology also are creating new problems or making existing ones worse.
A persistent cost-of-living crisis may lead to uncertainties in the global economic stability.
Inflation and economic downturn have emerged noteworthy top risks.
The risk of interstate armed conflict is the immediate concern. The ongoing conflicts, coupled with underlying geopolitical tensions pose the risk of conflict contagion.
In the absence of secure livelihood options, individuals may be prone to crime, militarization, or radicalization.
The countries with a history of conflict or vulnerability to climate change may face growing isolation from investment, technologies and job opportunities. There is continued dominance of environmental risks in the World.
Extreme weather events, critical shifts in Earth systems, biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse, natural resource shortages, and pollution emerge as severe risks over the next decade.

Global Risks Report 2024: Key Recommendation

To mitigate the risks of AI-enabled misinformation campaigns, the report suggests: Increasing societal resilience through renewed focus on critical thinking, media literacy, and civic responsibility education Governments collaborating with tech firms to promote information integrity while respecting digital rights Fostering international cooperation for early identification and containment of misinformation campaigns
Policymakers need to balance measures to control inflation with targeted relief for vulnerable groups to maintain social cohesion, as per the WEF.
Urgent climate mitigation and adaptation efforts are essential to prevent catastrophic outcomes, the WEF stresses. Similarly, reversing nature loss through conservation and restoration initiatives is vital for our collective future.
The collective actions of individual citizens, companies and countries may seem insignificant on their own, but at critical mass they can move the needle on global risk reduction.

ANUBHAV Awards Scheme 2024

The Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare launched Anubhav Portal in 2015, for sharing experiences of retiring/retired Central Government employees while working with the Government. It is envisaged that this culture of leaving notes by retirees will become the foundation stone of good governance and administrative reforms in future.

About ANUBHAV Awards Scheme 2024

The scheme aims to create a database of significant suggestions and work experiences.
It channels the human resource of retiring employees for nation building and also enables Ministries/ Departments to take crucial steps while considering useful and replicable suggestions.
To participate in the scheme, retiring Central Government employees/pensioners are required to submit their Anubhav write ups, 8 months prior to retirement and up to 1 year after their retirement.
Thereafter, the write-ups will be published after assessment by concerned Ministries/Departments. The published write-ups will be shortlisted for Anubhav Awards and Jury Certificates.
The last date for submission under ANUBHAV Awards Scheme 2024 is 31.3.2024.
To encourage broader participation in the Anubhav Awards Scheme, 2024, the DOPPW has undertaken an Outreach Campaign to reach out to every pensioner to submit his ANUBHAV experience.
As of now, 54 ANUBHAV Awards have been conferred since the inception of the scheme.

Ujjain Unveils India’s First Hygienic Food Street ‘Prasadam’

Union Minister of Health, Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya and Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav jointly inaugurated the country’s first Healthy and Hygienic Food Street (Prasadam) at Neelkanth Van, Mahakal Lok, Ujjain.

Key Points

It is in line with the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’.
The initiative aims to connect people in every corner of the country with pure and safe local and traditional food.
The ‘Prasadam’ initiative aims to enhance Ujjain’s tourism attraction and preserve its culinary heritage while also playing a role in promoting economic development.
The newly launched food street is designed to provide various facilities including a kids’ play area, drinking water facility, CCTV surveillance, parking, public conveniences and seating spaces.
In addition to enhancing Ujjain’s tourism appeal and preserving its culinary traditions, “Prasadam” will also contribute to economic growth and community engagement.

Indian Navy gets first India-made long endurance Drishti 10 Starliner drone

The Indian Navy has recently received its first indigenous medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drone, the Drishti 10 Starliner unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

About Drishti 10 Starliner unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)

It is developed by Adani Defence and Aerospace with technology transfer from Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems.
It is India’s first indigenous medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drone. 70% of the drone is made using indigenous components.
With an endurance of 36 hours and the ability to carry a payload of 450 kg, the drone is well-equipped for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.
It is a variant of Elbit Systems’ Hermes 900 Starliner drones.

Divyakriti Singh Becomes 1st Indian Woman Arjuna Awardee for Equestrian Sports

Divyakriti Singh has been conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award for Equestrian Sports, making her the first woman from Rajasthan to achieve this honour.

Divyakriti Singh’s remarkable journey in the equestrian world reached new heights with the Arjuna Award, recognizing her outstanding contribution to the sport.

She underwent three years of training in Germany at the Hof Kasselman dressage yard in Hagen. She secured an Individual Silver and two Bronze medals at the International Dressage Competition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Assam Current Affairs – January 07-09, 2024

Posted on March 27, 2024March 27, 2024 by admin

Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – January 07-09, 2024

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the January 07-09, 2024)

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January 07-09, 2024

Aditya-L1 successfully placed in a Halo Orbit around L1 Point

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved a significant milestone by placing the Aditya-L1 spacecraft in a halo orbit around the Lagrangian point (L1).

About Aditya-L1

Aditya-L1 is the first Indian space mission to observe the Sun, was launched in September 2023, using a PSLV-C57 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
Aditya-L1 is in a periodic halo orbit around L1, approximately 1.5 million km from Earth.
The satellite carries seven payloads to observe the photosphere, chromosphere, and the outermost layer of the Sun (corona) using electromagnetic and particle detectors.
With a mission life of five years, Aditya-L1 aims to study the sun’s photosphere, chromosphere, and corona, along with in-situ studies of particles and fields at L1.

Lagrange Point

Lagrange Points are positions in space where a small object can maintain its position relative to two larger bodies due to the gravitational balance.
Spacecraft leverage these points to minimize fuel consumption and allow spacecraft to maintain their position efficiently.

Ministry of Education launches PRERANA program

The Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India has launched ‘Prerana: An Experiential Learning program’, aiming to offer a meaningful, unique, and inspiring experience to all participants, thereby empowering them with leadership qualities.

About PRERANA program

Prerana is a week-long residential program for selected students of Class IX to XII.
It is an experiential and inspirational learning program for students with the best-in-class technology where heritage meets innovation.
A batch of 20 selected students (10 boys and 10 girls) will attend the program, every week from various parts of the country.
It will run from a Vernacular School, established in 1888, in one of the oldest living cities of India, Vadnagar, district Mehsana, Gujarat.
The curriculum of Prerana School prepared by IIT Gandhi Nagar is rooted in nine value based themes: Swabhiman and Vinay, Shaurya and Sahas, Parishram and Samarpan, Karuna and Sewa, Vividhta and Ekta, Satyanishtha and Shuchita, Navachar and Jigyasa, Shraddha aur Vishwas, and Swatantrata and Kartavya.
The program based on the above themes will inspire the youth and foster respect for Bharat’s unity in diversity, embodying the spirit of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” and will contribute by making the youth of today, a flame holder for Viksit Bharat.
The day-wise program schedule will feature yoga, mindfulness, and meditation sessions, followed by experiential learning, thematic sessions, and hands-on interesting learning activities.

Rejupave Technology

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has utilised road construction technology i.e. Rejupave technology to construct parts of the world’s highest Sela Road Tunnel and the LGG-Damteng-Yangste (LDY) road near the China border in Arunachal Pradesh.

About the Rejupave Technology

It is developed by CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI).
Rejupave asphalt modifier is a bio-oil-based product that lowers the heating requirement of bituminous mixes besides preserving the bituminous mix’s temperature during transit.
It is beneficial in constructing high-altitude bituminous roads at low and sub-zero temperature conditions.
It brings down the temperature of bituminous mixes by 30 to 40 degrees Celsius with negligible heat loss in the bituminous mix during transit.

Raghuram Iyer’s extensive experience in sports management and administration, particularly his previous roles as CEO of Indian Premier League teams Rajasthan Royals and Rising Pune Supergiants, has been recognized as making him an ideal candidate for this position.

India will host the 46th Session of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee

This will be the first instance for India to chair the UNESCO World Heritage Committee and host its 46th session in New Delhi from July 21 to 31, 2024.

About the World Heritage Committee:

It is a committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The Committee is responsible for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention, defines the use of the World Heritage Fund, and allocates financial assistance upon requests from States Parties.
It examines reports on the state of conservation of inscribed properties and asks States Parties to take action when properties are not being properly managed.
It also decides on the inscription or deletion of properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger. Structure:
The World Heritage Committee is composed of representatives from 21 member states, elected by the General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention.
According to the World Heritage Convention, a Committee member’s term of office is for six years.

World’s First Functional Semiconductor Made From Graphene

Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology have successfully developed the world’s first functional semiconductor composed of graphene.

About Graphene

Graphene is a one-atom-thick layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. It is the building-block of Graphite.
It is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity.
It is almost perfectly transparent, as it absorbs only 2% of light.
It is impermeable to gases, even those as light as hydrogen and helium.
It can be used to enhance the strength of other materials.
It is a great material for making heat-spreading solutions, such as heat sinks or heat dissipation films.
This could be useful in both microelectronics and in larger applications, for example, thermal foils for mobile devices.
It also has an extremely high surface-area-to-volume ratio.

This makes graphene a very promising material for use in batteries and supercapacitors.

Graphene may enable batteries and supercapacitors (and even fuel cells) that can store more energy and charge faster, too.

India Signs Bilateral Hajj Agreement 2024

The Indian government has recently signed a Bilateral Haj Agreement 2024 with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), marking a significant development in the facilitation of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

A total quota of 1,75,025 pilgrims from India has been finalised for Haj 2024 with 1,40,020 seats being reserved for pilgrims to proceed through Hajj Committee of India and 35,005 pilgrims would be permitted to proceed through Haj Group Operators.

Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to the sacred city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims.

It takes place during Dhu’al-Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic calendar, and is performed over five to six days.

The pilgrims wear simple white garments (Ihram) to symbolize equality and purity.

The first meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council held in Kolkata

The first meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC) concluded on January 8, 2024 in Kolkata to strengthen the inland water transport system in the country. It was organized by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the nodal agency for inland waterways under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India.

Key Points

The agenda of the first IWDC meeting had sessions centered around fairway development, enhancing cargo and passenger transport in IWT, potential of river cruise tourism to boost economic activity, sustainability practices in terms of non-fossil fuel-based vessel operations among others.
One of the key highlights of the meeting was the launch of Harit Nauka- Guidelines for Green Transition of Inland Vessels and River Cruise Tourism Roadmap, 2047.
The agenda also includes promoting eco-friendly vessels for passenger transportation, exploring economic advantages in river cruise tourism, and advocating for sustainable practices in inland waterways development.
The River Cruise Tourism Roadmap 2047 focuses on four vital pillars, including Infrastructure, Integration, Accessibility, and Policy for promoting river cruise tourism.
As a part of the roadmap, over 30 possible routes and tourist circuits along inland waterways have been identified for further development.
MoPSW stressed upon the importance of State-level institutional structure and rules in ensuring that the planning and development of the state’s inland waterway ecosystem accounts for its unique characteristics and requirements.

Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, also known as Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Day is an annual event celebrated every year on 9th January to honor the Indian diaspora and the contribution of the overseas Indian community to the country’s development.

About Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas or NRI Day is celebrated to commemorate the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India on 9 January 1915.
It was first celebrated in 2003. It was an annual event earlier, but in 2015, the government revised its format to celebrate PBD once every two years.
It has become a platform to connect the Indian diaspora with their roots and encourage their continued engagement with India’s progress.
It is held in different cities, to showcase the diversity and progress of different regions of India.
Till date, 17 conventions have been held. The last Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was celebrated in the Indore of Madhya Pradesh in 2023 with the theme “Diaspora: Reliable Partners for India’s Progress in Amrit Kaal.”

Assam Current Affairs & GK Quiz for APSC 2024 – Set 352: January 2024, Week 4

Posted on March 25, 2024March 25, 2024 by admin

Assam Current Affairs & GK Quiz for APSC 2024 – Set 352: January 2024, Week 4

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

Assam Current Affairs Quiz Home Page

Q1. India’s first Girls’ Military School inaugurated in

Vrindaban
Bhopal
Guwahati
Shillong

Vrindaban

India’s first Girls’ Military School inaugurated in Vrindavan, Mathura. The Samvid Gurukulam Girls Military School, located within the Vatsalya Gram campus and established by Sadhvi Ritambhara, aims to provide education and training to female students.

This initiative marks a significant step in extending military education traditionally reserved for male students in India to female students as well.

Q2. Vijay Raghavan Committee, recently seen in news is related to

To provide free electricity to 1 lakh households.
To make provisions for rural panchayats.
To review the functioning of the Defence Research and Development Organisation
Frame guidelines to tackle the sensitive and far-reaching problems of cybercrimes

To review the functioning of the Defence Research and Development Organisation

Q3. Exercise Cyclone was held between the Indian special forces and which of the following countries?

Myanmar
Sri Lanka
Egypt
Indonesia

Egypt

The 2nd edition of Exercise CYCLONE, a joint special forces drill between India and Egypt, is taking place in Anshas, Egypt.

Indian Army contingent, consisting of 25 personnel from The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) with the Egyptian contingent represented by the Egyptian Commando Squadron and Egyptian Airborne Platoon.

The exercise focuses on enhancing bilateral military cooperation and understanding operating procedures in desert terrain under UN Charter Chapter VII. It involves three phases, including Military Exhibitions, IED training, and Joint Tactical Exercises, fostering stronger ties between the two friendly nations.

Q4.The ‘Operation Sarvashakti’, recently seen in news is related to

Operation by the IAF to evacuate Indian citizens from Ukraine.
An initiative of the Indian army to neutralise terrorist threats in Pir Panjal range
Operation by the Indian Navy to evacuate Indian citizens and foreign nationals from Sudan during the 2023 Sudan conflict.
Repatriate Indian citizens from overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic

An initiative of the Indian army to neutralise terrorist threats in Pir Panjal range

Q5. ‘Hatti community has been granted Scheduled Tribe status by which state government recently?

Madhya Pradesh
Haryana
Manipur
Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh

The Hattis are a close-knit community that got their name from their tradition of selling homegrown vegetables, crops, meat, wool, etc. at small markets called ‘haat’ in towns. They follow a Rigid Caste System.

The Hattis are governed by a traditional council called Khumbli, which like the Khaps of Haryana, decide community matters.

The Khumbli’s power has remained unchallenged despite the establishment of the Panchayati Raj System.

Q6. What is the name of India’s first indigenously developed Hepatitis A vaccine?

Havisure
Rotavac
Comvac
Indirab

Havisure

Indian Immunologicals Ltd (IIL), has launched India’s first domestically developed Hepatitis A vaccine, named ‘Havisure.’
It is a two-dose vaccine.The first dose given to those above 12 months of age and the second dose is administered at least six months later.
The vaccine is advised for routine immunization in children and individuals at risk due to exposure or travel to regions with high hepatitis A prevalence.
Individuals with occupational infection risks and those suffering from chronic liver diseases can also receive Hepatitis A vaccination.

Q7. Which among the following institutions has been selected for the Subhash Chandra Bose Disaster Management Award-2024 in the ‘Institutional Category’?

Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management (GIDM)
60 Parachute Field Hospital, Uttar Pradesh
Disaster Mitigation & Management Centre, Uttarakhand
Lunglei Fire Station (LFS), Mizoram

60 Parachute Field Hospital, Uttar Pradesh

- 60 Parachute Field Hospitals of Uttar Pradesh have been selected for the Subhash Chandra Bose Disaster Management Award for the year 2024 for their excellent work in the field of disaster management.
- Under this award, the winning organization in the institutional category is awarded a cash prize of Rs 51 lakh and a certificate. In case of an individual, Rs 5 lakh in cash and a certificate is provided.

Q8. Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana is related to

Rooftop solar panels
Cultivation of Honey
Child Health
Cultivation of Sunflower

Rooftop solar panels

Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana is a centrally sponsored scheme, under which rooftop solar panels will be installed on more than 1 crore houses, with the help of which people will get a clean source of energy.
The objective of this scheme is to include poor and middle class persons under the rooftop solar program and also to bring self-reliance in the energy sector.

Q9. Exercise ‘SADA TANSEEQ’, is conducted between which two countries?

India and Turkey
India and Indonesia
India and Saudi Arabia
India and Kazakhstan

India and Saudi Arabia

The first joint military exercise between India and Saudi Arabia, “SADA TANSEEQ”, took place from January 29 to February 10, 2024.
The exercise was held at the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan.
The exercise aims to improve synergy, interoperability by sharing best practices between the two countries’ armies.
The Exercise will enable both the sides to share their best practices in the tactics, techniques and procedures of conducting operations in sub-conventional domain.
It will facilitate developing interoperability, bonhomie and camaraderie between troops from both sides.

Q10. Which state’s products Adi Kekir and Wancho wooden craft have recently received the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag status?

Assam
Himachal Pradesh
Goa
Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh

Recently, three items of Arunachal Pradesh have received the prestigious Geographical Indication tag, officials said on Wednesday. These are Adi kekir (ginger), Handmade carpets by Tibetan settlers and Wooden items made by the Wancho community.

Q11. Who was the President of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly?

Judge Nawaf Salam
H.E. Dennis Francis
Mr. Peter Thomson
Ajay Banga

H.E. Dennis Francis

Q12. International Purple Fest 2024 was organised in

Punjab
Assam
Goa
Uttarakhand

Goa

International Purple Fest 2024 was organised in Goa. The objective of this festival is to showcase the talents of persons with disabilities through attractive performances in music, dance and entertainment.

An extraordinary moment of the inauguration ceremony was the presentation of Purple named ‘Dhumal’. In this, performances will be given by disabled people from different areas of Goa as well as respected composers of the Indian music industry. Thus, events are primarily a symbol of inclusivity and unity.

Q13. A book named “Gandhi A Life in Three Campaigns” is authored by

Chetan Bhagat
Aravind Adiga
M.J. Akbar
Vivek Singh

M.J. Akbar

Q14. Which country has been selected to host the 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee?

Japan
India
Russia
Kazakistan

India

India is set to chair the UNESCO World Heritage Committee and host its 46th session in New Delhi from July 21 to 31, 2024.

Q15. ‘Polygonum Chaturbhunjam’ recently seen in the news, belongs to which of the following species?

Fungi
Plants
Fishes
Reptile

Plants

A new plant species named Polygonum Chaturbhujanum has been discovered at Gol Pahadi island in the Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Maharashtra. It is an herb.

Additionally, the survey revealed the presence of six plant species endemic to India within the Pench Tiger Reserve, namely Aegineta indica, Boerhavia crispa, Habenaria gibsonii var foetida, Iphigenia pallida, Petalidium barlerioides, and Barleria gibsonii.

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Important Inventions and Discoveries – ADRE 2023 Exam Notes

Posted on December 14, 2023December 14, 2023 by admin

Important Inventions and Discoveries – ADRE 2023 Exam Notes

General Knowledge (GK) is an important section for Assam Direct Recruitment ADRE 2023. Science and Technology is a part of GK section.

List of some of Important Inventions and Discoveries:

Invention/Discovery	Name of the Inventor	Year of Invention
Automatic Calculator	Wilhelm Schickard	1623
Air Conditioner	Willis Carrier	1902
Anemometer	Leon Battista Alberti	1450
Animation	J. Stuart Blackton	—
Atom Bomb	Julius Robert Oppenheimer	1945
Aspirin	Dr. Felix Hoffman	1899
Airplane	Wilber and Orville Wright	1903
Adhesive tape	Richard G. Drew	1923
Bifocal Lens	Benjamin Franklin	1779
Barometer	Evangelista Torricelli	1643
Barbed Wire	Joseph F. Glidden	1873
Blood Group	Karl Lansdsteiner	1900s
Ball Point Pen	John Loud	—
Bicycle Tyres	John Boyd Dunlop	1888
Pedal Driven Bicycle	Kirkpatrick Macmillan	1839
Celluloid	Alexander Parkes	1861
Chloroform	Sir James Young Simpson	—
Cine Camera	Wm. Friese-Greene	1889
Circulation of blood	William Harvey	1628
Clock Mechanical	Hsing and Ling-Tsan	1725
Diesel Engine	Rudolf Diesel	1892
Centigrade Scale	Anders Celsius	1742
Chlorine	Carl Wilhelm Scheele	1774
Dynamite	Alfred B. Nobel	1867
Diesel Engine	Rudolf Diesel	1895
Electric stove/cooker	William S. Hadaway	1896
Electroscope	William Gilbert	1600s
Electric Fan	Schuyler Wheeler	1882
Electric Battery	Volta	1800
Elevator	Elisha G. Otis	1852
Electric Motor (DC)	Thomas Davenport	1873
Electromagnet	William Sturgeon	1824
Fountain Pen	Petrache Poenaru	1827
Fluorine	André-Marie Ampère	1810
Gramophone	Thomas Edison	1878
Hydrogen	Henry Cavendish	1766
Helicopter	Igor Sikorsky	1939
Hovercraft	Christopher Cockerell	1959
Hot Air Balloon	Josef & Etienne Montgolfier	1783
Helium	Jules Janssen	1868
Insulin	Sir Frederick Banting	1923
Jet Engine	Hans Von Ohain	1936
Lightning Conductor	Benjamin Franklin	1752
Locomotive	George Stephenson	1804
Laser	Theodore Maiman	1960
Light Bulb	Thomas Edison	1854
Motorcycle	Gottlieb Daimler	1885
Microscope	Zacharis Janssen	1590
Microphone	Alexander Graham Bell	1876
Machine Gun	Richard Gatling	1861
Neon Lamp	Georges Claude	1915
Oxygen	Joseph Priestley	1774
Ozone	Christian Schonbein	1839
Piano	Bartolomeo Cristofori	1700
Printing Press	Johannes Gutenberg	1440
Parachute	Louis-Sebastien Lenormand	1783
Polio Vaccine	Jonas Edward Salk	–
Periodic Table	Dmitri Mendeleev	1869
Penicillin	Alexander Fleming	1928
Pacemaker	Rune Elmqvist	1952
Petrol for Motor Car	Karl Benz	1885
Refrigerator	William Cullen	1748
Radium	Marie & Pierre Curie	1898
Rubber (vulcanized)	Charles Goodyear	1841
Rocket Engine	Robert H. Goddard	1926
Radio	Guglielmo Marconi	1894
Richter Scale	Charles Richter	1935
Ship (Turbine)	Charles Parsons	1894
Steam Ship	Robert Fulton	1807
Steam Boat	Robert Fulton	1786
Submarine	Cornelis Drebbel	1620
Stethoscope	Rene Laennec	1816
Saxophone	Adolphe Sax	1846
Sewing Machine	Elias Howe	1846
Steam-Powered Airship	Henri Giffard	1852
Soft Contact lenses	Otto Wichterle	1961
Synthesizer	Dr. Robert Arthur Moog	1964
Thermometer	Galileo	1593
Theory of Evolution	Charles Darwin	1858
Typewriter	Christopher Latham Sholes	—
Transistors	John Bardeen, William Shockley & Walter Brattain	1948
Telephone	Graham Bell	1874
Valve. Radio	Sir J.A Fleming	1904
Vacuum Cleaner	Hubert Cecil Booth	1901
Vitamin A	Frederick Gowland Hpokins	1912
Vitamin B	Christiaan Eijkman	1897
Vitamin C	Albert Szent-Gyorgi	–
Vitamin K	Henrik Dam	1929
Vitamin E	Herbert McLean Evans & Katherine Scott Bishop
Windshield wipers	Mary Anderson	1903
World Wide Web	Tim Berners Lee with Robert Cailliau	1989
X-ray	Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen	1895
Xerox Machine	Chester Carlson	1928

Assam Current Affairs – November 25-27, 2022

Posted on December 24, 2022December 28, 2022 by admin

Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – November 25-27, 2022

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the November 25-27, 2022)

Go To Assam Current Affairs Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz

November 25-27, 2022

Assam Cabinet approves Rs 500 crore for building 2,000 Anganwadi centres

The Assam Cabinet approved Rs 500 crore to construct 2,000 new Anganwadi centres across the state in order to improve childcare services.

The cost of each Anganwadi centre will be Rs 25 lakh, and the total cost of all the centres will be Rs 500 crore.

The Assam Cabinet, which held a special sitting at New Delhi, sanctioned Rs 332.59 crore for building a trumpet interchange at Gauripur in North Guwahati to connect NH-17 with the under-construction six-lane road of the bridge on the Brahmaputra.

To boost the handloom sector, administrative approval was granted to start up the College of Sericulture at Titabar in Jorhat. An amount of Rs 22.14 crore has been approved to set up the institution.

India celebrates 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Barphukan

The 3-day long celebrations of the 400th birth anniversary of Ahom commander Lachit Barphukan began in New Delhi.

Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the exhibition on the occasion highlighting the life and achievement of the Ahom dynasty and Lachit Barphukan among others.

About Lachit Barphukan

Lachit Barphukan was born on November 24, 1622, was a commander and Bophukan in the Ahom Kingdom.
He is remembered throughout the country for his foresight and outstanding leadership in the 1671 Battle of Saraighat.
He was an excellent military leader who was given administrative, judicial, and military duties as one of the five Borphukans of the Ahom kingdom by king Charadhwaj Singha.
He has long been a symbol of the Assamese people’s courage, bravery, and intelligence.

Manipur celebrates Sangai Festival

Manipur Sangai Festival is organized every year to showcase the uniqueness of Manipur. The festival helps in promoting Manipur as a world-class tourism destination.

The festival is named after the state animal, Sangai, the brow-antlered deer found only in Manipur.

The festival is being organized from November 21 to 30.The 10-day festival promotes the northeastern state’s tourism sector.

This festival showcases the tourism potential of the state in the areas of arts and culture, handloom, handicraft, indigenous sports, cuisine, music, adventure sports etc.

The Sangai Festival was held at Sangai Ethnic Park located at Moirang Khunou of Bishnupur district. The festival is being celebrated across 13 venues in six districts of Manipur. The theme of the festival is the ‘festival of oneness’.

Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards announced

The Sangeet Natak Akademi has announced the list of 10 Akademi fellows and 128 artists who will receive the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award For the years 2019, 2020 and 2021.

The awards are given in the categories of music, dance, theatre, other traditional arts and puppetry, and for contribution/scholarship in performing arts.

The Sangeet Natak Akademi has also announced the names of 102 artists for the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for the years 2019, 2020, and 2021.These artists are below the age of 40 years.

The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar identifies and encourages outstanding young talents in diverse fields of performing arts and gives them national recognition so that they may work with greater commitment and dedication in their chosen fields.

The North-eastern States of the country have also been adequately represented with 19 artists from the North-east selected for the Award from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.

The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar carries a purse money of Rs. 25,000/- . The Yuva Puraskar will be presented at a special ceremony by the Chairman, Sangeet Natak Akademi.

About Sangeet Natak Akademi Award

The Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards are the highest national recognition conferred on practicing artists.
The awards are given in the categories of music, dance, theatre, other traditional arts and puppetry, and for contribution/scholarship in performing arts.
The Akademi Awards carries purse money of Rs. 1.00 lakh, a Tamrapatra and an Angavastram.

Khalid Jawed’s ‘The Paradise of Food’ won the 2022 JCB Prize for Literature

Author Khalid Jawed’s “The Paradise of Food”, won the fifth JCB Prize for Literature.The book has been translated by Baran Farooqi from Urdu.

Khalid Jawed’s book ‘The Paradise of Food’ which was originally published as ‘Ne’mat Khana’ 2014, is the fourth translation to win the award and the first work in Urdu.

The book tells the story of a middle-class joint Muslim family over a span of fifty years where the narrator struggles to find a place for himself, at odds in his home and the world outside.

Urdu writer Khalid Jawed received the prize money of Rs. 25 lakh along with a trophy- a sculpture by Delhi artist duo Thukral and Tagra, “Mirror Melting”. Baroon Farooqi also received an additional Rs. 10 lakh for the award.

The shortlisted books, which only included translation, also featured the International Booker-winning Novel ‘Tomb of Sand’ by Geetanjali Shree and Imaan by Manoranjan Byapari.

It was also the first time that the titles in Hindi and Nepali made it to the shortlist of the Literary Award.

The shortlist also included the debut books- Song of the Soil by Chuden Kabimo and ‘Valli’ by Sheela Tomy and each of the shortlisted authors also received Rs. 1 lakh, and the translators Rs. 50,000.

India’s first privately-built rocket Vikram-S has been successfully launch from Satish Dhawan Space Centre

ISRO has successfully launched the country’s first private rocket, Vikram-S suborbital vehicle from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

The launch vehicle, Vikram-S (VKS), developed by aerospace startup Skyroot Aerospace is the first-ever launch of a privately developed and built rocket in India.

Vikram launch vehicle consists of the Vikram II and Vikram III series. The Vikram-S launch vehicle can be assembled and launched within 24 hours from any launch site.

VKS is a single-stage solid fuelled rocket, built using advanced technologies including carbon composite structures and 3D-printed components.

Skyroot launched its maiden rocket under the launch mission, ‘PRARAMBH’, which was unveiled by ISRO Chairman, Dr. S. Somanath in Bangalore in November 2022.

Skyroot’s launch vehicles are named ‘Vikram’ as a tribute to the founder of the Indian space programme and renowned scientist Vikram Sarabhai.

Network Readiness Index 2022

India has improved its position by six slots and is now placed at 61st rank as per the Network Readiness Index 2022 (NRI 2022).

The report is prepared by a US-based Portulans Institute, an independent non-profit research and educational institute.

Key Points

The NRI 2022 report ranks a total of 131 economies based on their performances in four different pillars: Technology, People, Governance, and Impact.
India has not only improved its ranking in the Network Readiness Index 2022 but has also improved its score from 49.74 in 2021 to 51.19 in 2022.
As per the Network Readiness Index 2022, India secured 1st rank in “AI talent concentration”. second in ‘Mobile broadband internet traffic within the country,’ third in ‘Annual investment in telecommunication services,’ fourth in ‘ICT Services exports,’ fifth in ‘FTTH/Building Internet subscriptions,’ and sixth in ‘AI scientific publications.’
India is ranked out of 36 in the group of lower-middle-income countries after Ukraine and Indonesia. 4. Notably, the country has a score higher than the income group average in all the pillars and sub-pillars.
The United States tops the list followed by Singapore and Sweden.

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