Tag: science and technology current affairs

Assam Current Affairs – November 22-24, 2022

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Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – November 22-24, 2022

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the November 22-24, 2022)

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November 22-24, 2022

Usha Mangeshkar will be conferred with Dr Bhupen Hazarika Award

Assam Governor Prof. Jagdish Mukhi will present Bishwaratna  Dr. Bhupen Hazarika International Solidarity Award to renowned singer Usha Mangeshkar.

Usha Mangeshkar was chosen for her contributions to the music industries of Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Nepali, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, and Assamese.

The award consists of a cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh, an angavastra, a commendation and a collection of books.

A committee is set up by the Assam Sahitya Sabha to carry out the selection process for the award. Notably, the Asam Sahitya Sabha has been presenting this award in collaboration with Numaligarh Refinery Limited since 2013. 

Lubna Marium, a renowned Bangladeshi dancer, art director, researcher, and cultural activist, received the first Dr Bhupen Hazarika International Solidarity Award.

Kokrajhar wins National e-Governance Award

Assam’s Kokrajhar district received a national award for successfully implementing an e-governance project for an effective service delivery system. 

The initiative ‘Infrastructure Snapshot Kokrajhar’ won the award for e-Governance for 2021-2022 under the category ‘Excellence in District Level Initiative in e-Governance’. 

The award was given by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions of the Government of India.

The ‘Infrastructure Snapshot Kokrajhar’ app is a convergence application developed specifically for grievance redressal, supervision and monitoring.

The app was conceptualised by deputy commissioner of Kokrajhar, Varnali Deka, as a 24×7 configurable mobile based application for effective monitoring of all government schemes and public institutions with both offline and online status update facility.

Purnima Devi Barman honoured with the UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Champions of the Earth award 2022

Assam’s Purnima Devi Barman is one of the five ‘Champions of the Earth’ for this year, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced.

Dr Purnima Devi has won the award this year in the ‘Entrepreneurial Vision’ category, for her trail-blazing work in protecting the greater adjutant stork, called ‘hargila’ in Assamese. 

Hargilas are five-foot-tall birds that dwell in wetlands in some parts of southeast Asia including India and Cambodia..

Purnima Devi Barman is a wildlife biologist who won the award along with four others from different countries for their transformative action to prevent, halt and reverse ecosystem degradation. 

She dedicated the award to Mother Earth and all the mothers of the planet as the best education begins at home on the mother’s lap.

The other recipients include Lebanon’s environmental enterprise Arceniel, Peru’s Constantino (Tino) Aucca Chuta for pioneering a community reforestation model driven by a local community. Sir Partha Dasgupta of the UK in the Science and Innovation Category. Cameroon’s Cecile Bibian Ndjebet for advocating the rights of women in Africa to secure land tenure.

About the award

  • The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) established Champions of the Earth in 2005 as an annual awards programme to recognize outstanding environmental leaders from the public and private sectors, and from civil society.
  • It is an annual award accorded for transformative action to prevent, halt and reverse ecosystem degradation. 
  • In 2017, the program was expanded to include Young Champions of the Earth.

Two new dwarf varieties of Kalanamak rice has been developed

Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) successfully tested two new dwarf varieties of Kalanamak rice i.e., Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1638 and Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1652 in Uttar Pradesh . 

About Kalanamak rice

  • Kalanamak is a traditional variety of paddy with black husk and strong fragrance. 
  • It is considered a gift from Lord Buddha to the people of Sravasti when he visited the region after enlightenment. 
  • It is grown in 11 districts of the Terai region of northeastern Uttar Pradesh and in Nepal.
  • It is grown mainly without using fertilizer or pesticide residues, making it perfect for crop production.
  • It is protected under the Geographical Indication (GI) tag system.
  • It has been awarded under ‘One District One Product’ (ODOP) scheme as an ODOP product of Siddharthnagar which is an aspirational district located in Terai belt of Uttar Pradesh.

Russia  becomes India’s biggest supplier of fertilizers 

Russia has become India’s biggest fertilizer supplier in the first half of the 2022-23 fiscal year, overtaking China. 

Key Points

  • Russian exporters reportedly grabbed a 21% share of the Indian fertilizer market in the first half of the 2022-23 fiscal year.
  • Russian exports reportedly surged 371%, to a record 2.15 million tons from April to October. 
  • In monetary terms, India’s imports over this period increased by 765%, to $1.6 billion. 
  • Russia’s share of Indian fertilizer imports was hovering around 6% during the last fiscal year, while China’s stood at 24%. 
  • In the first half of 2022-23, China’s exports to India halved to 1.78 million tons amid growing Russian supplies.

Arittapatti Village in Madurai notified as Tamil Nadu’s first biodiversity heritage site

The Tamil Nadu Government issued a notification declaring Arittapatti Biodiversity Heritage site the first biodiversity heritage site in the State. The declaration was made under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.

Key Points

  • The state government notified 193.215 hectares of area spread across Arittapatti and Meenakshipuram villages in Madurai district as ‘Arittapatti Biodiversity Heritage Site’. 
  • Arittapatti village, known for its ecological and historical significance, houses around 250 species of birds including three flagship raptor species – Laggar Falcon , Shaheen Falcon, and Bonelli’s Eagle.
  • It also has Indian pangolin, python, and slender loris. 
  • The area is surrounded by a chain of seven hillocks or inselbergs that serve as a watershed, charging ‘72 lakes, 200 natural springs and three check dams.’
  • The Anaikondan Lake, built during the reign of Pandiyan kings in the 16th century is one among them.
  • Several megalithic structures, rock-cut temples, Tamil Brahmi inscriptions and Jain beds add to the historical significance of the region.

Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards 2021

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India announced “Tenzing Norgay Adventure Award” (TNNAA) for the year 2021.

The award is given in four categories which are Land Adventure, Water Adventure, Air Adventure, and Life Time Achievement.

Key Points

  • Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards are given every year to recognize the achievements of persons in the field of adventure.
  • The award aims to encourage young people to develop the spirit of endurance, risk-taking, cooperative teamwork, and quick, ready, and effective reflexes in challenging situations.
  • Awardees will receive statuettes, certificates and award money of Rs. 15 lakh each.
  • This year, the National Selection Committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Secretary (Youth Affairs). 
  • Based on the recommendations of the Committee and after due scrutiny, the Government has decided to confer awards upon the following: 
  1. Ms. Naina Dhakad  in the Land Adventure category.  
  2. Shri Shubham Dhananjay Vanmali in the Water Adventure category. 
  3. Group     Captain      Kunwar     Bhawani Singh Samyal  in the Life Time Achievement category. 

Assam Current Affairs – November 04-06, 2022

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

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

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November 04-06, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Key Points

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

SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy Rocket

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

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

Key Points

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

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

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

Key Points

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

About Niveshak Didi initiative 

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

World’s first Vedic clock  will be installed in Ujjain 

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

Key Points

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

Assam Current Affairs – October 25-27, 2022

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

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

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Current Affairs GK & Quiz Monthly – July 2022

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

October 25-27, 2022

Government of India approved the establishment of Terai Elephant Reserve in Uttar Pradesh

The Union Ministry of Forest and Environment has given its approval to establish the Terai Elephant Reserve (TER) in Uttar Pradesh. 

Key Points

  • Terai Elephant Reserve (TER), which covers 3,049 sq km including Dudhwa Tiger Reserve and Pilibhit Tiger Reserve located in Lakhimpur and Pilibhit districts.
  • It will be the 33rd elephant reserve to be set up in India.
  • This reserve will be developed in the joint forest areas of Dudhwa and Piliphit tiger reserve and will cover the conservation of four wild species including tiger, Asian elephant, swamp deer, and one-horned rhinoceros.
  • The establishment of this reserve will help to conserve the trans-boundary migration of elephant populations and will also help to protect the neighbouring villages in the Indo-Nepal border area of Uttar Pradesh.
  • The government will provide all financial and technical assistance under project Elephant, which will help in handling human-elephant conflicts.

Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has included Myanmar on the list of high-risk countries 

The Financial Action Task Force(FATF) has included Myanmar on the list of high-risk countries called as ‘Black List’ and has called on members to apply enhanced due diligence to business relations and transactions in Myanmar.

Myanmar was added to the FATF list of high-risk nations for its failure to mark strategic deficiencies as committed by it in February 2020.

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Iran was put on blacklist by the anti-terror financing and anti-money laundering watchdog earlier in february in 2020.

Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

  • The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the initiative of the G7 to develop policies to combat money laundering and to maintain certain interest. 
  • The body checks the progress in implementing its recommendations through “peer reviews” of member nations.
  • It aims to set standards and boost the effective implementation of regulatory, legal, and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and other threats related to the integrity of the International financial system.
  • It is a “policy-making body” that works to generate the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in these areas.
  • The Grey List includes countries that are considered safe haven for supporting terror funding and money laundering and the Black List includes Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories (NCCTs) that support terror funding and money laundering activities.

Indian, US Militaries Conduct ‘Tiger Triumph’ Exercise

The Indian and US militaries carried out a three-day joint humanitarian assistance exercise in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

The 2022 edition of the Tiger Triumph exercise is the second joint exercise between India and the US to coordinate disaster relief in the region. The first exercise took place over the course of nine days in November 2019.

Key Points

  • Tiger Triumph exercise is a comprehensive endeavor of the Indian and US military and diplomatic representatives to provide coordinated disaster relief to a third country hit by a super-cyclone. 
  • Its objective was to streamline diplomatic, operational, and logistical coordination between the two countries while responding to disasters. 
  • This exercise sought to improve interoperability between India and the US and create a multinational command and control model for humanitarian assistance in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). 
  • It is the first tri-services exercise between the US and India.
  • Tiger Triumph marked the third time in 2022 that Indian and US militaries have worked together in Vishakhapatnam.

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launches LVM3 M2

Indian Space Research Organisation’s Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM3) mission will launch 36 OneWeb Gen-1 satellites, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

Key Points

  • LVM3 is the dedicated commercial satellite mission of New Space India Limited (NISL), a central public sector enterprise under the Department of Space. This is the first LVM3 dedicated commercial launch on demand through NSIL.
  • The 43.5 metre LVM3 weighing around 644 tonnes carried 36 satellites weighing 5,796 kg or about 5.7 tonne. 
  • The LVM3 was conceived primarily for launching geo-stationary satellites with a payload capacity of 4T, which can be used for launching 6T payloads for LEO. 
  • This is a three-stage launch vehicle consisting of two solid propellant S200 strap-ons on its sides and core stage comprising L110 liquid stage and C25 cryogenic stage.
  • With this launch, LVM3 has made its entry into the global commercial launch service market.

Assam Current Affairs – October 13-15, 2022

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

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

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Current Affairs GK & Quiz Monthly – July 2022

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

October 13-15, 2022

IIT Guwahati researchers feature in world’s top 2% scientists’ list released by Stanford University

A total of 21 researchers and faculty members from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati has been featured among the world’s top 2% Scientists List created by Stanford University, US.

Professor TG Sitharam along with 20 other faculty members have been ranked for their research publications citations using all Scopus author profiles as of September 1, 2022 and their lifetime contribution to their specific fields of research in the list. 

The IIT Guwahati faculty members featured in the Stanford University list are from various scientific fields, including the Departments of Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Chemical Engineering, Biosciences and Bioengineering, Chemistry, Electrical and Electronics.

Scientists are classified into 22 scientific fields and 176 sub-fields. The selection is based on the top 1 lakh scientists by c-score (with and without self-citations) or a percentile rank of 2 per cent or above in the sub-field.

President Murmu flags off first Kolkata-Agartala express train 

President Droupadi Murmu and Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha flagged off the Guwahati-Kolkata-Guwahati train from Agartala Railway Station up to Agartala. 

President Murmu and Chief Minister Saha and also launched another leg of the Agartala-Jiribam-Agartala Jan Shatabdi Express to Khongsang in Manipur.

Key Points

  • President Murmu inaugurated the Tripura Judicial Academy and laid the foundation stone of the National Law University, Tripura.
  • President Murmu will lay the foundation stone for the Supercomputer facility Param Kamrupa and the facility for the design and development of high power microwave components at IIT Guwahati. 
  • The President will also lay the foundation stone of the Regional Institute of Medical College and Hospital at Dhubri, National Institute of Virology (NIV) at Dibrugarh (Assam) and Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh).
  • The President laid the foundation stone for 100 Model Secondary Schools for the tea garden areas. 
  • She introduced 3000 Model Anganwadi Centres and a modern Cargo cum Coaching Terminal at Agyathuri near Guwahati. 
  • The president also inaugurated Indian Oil Corporation Limited’s Rail-Fed Petroleum Storage Depot at Moinarbond in Silchar and also introduced two sections of National Highways connecting Silchar to Badarpur and Gohpur to Holong of Assam.

Logistics Performance Index 2022

According to a report released by the commerce and Industry Ministry, Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Gujarat are among the 15 States and UTs categorised as achievers in the logistics index chart 2022.

The index is an indicator of the efficiency of logistical services necessary for promoting exports and economic growth.

Key Points

  • Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Puducherry, Sikkim and Tripura are the other States categorised as fast movers in the ranking.  
  • Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Ladakh, Nagaland, Jammu and Kashmir, and Arunachal Pradesh are among the 15 States and UTs rated in the aspirers category.
  • The other States and UTs in the achievers category include Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
  • The first logistics report was released in 2018. 
  • The index intends to increase the focus on strengthening the performance of logistics across states for enhancing the nation’s trade and lowering transaction costs. 

About Logistics Performance Index 

  • The Logistics Performance Index (LPI) is an interactive benchmarking tool created created by the World Bank to help countries identify the challenges and opportunities they face in their performance on trade logistics and what they can do to improve their performance. 
  • It is the weighted average of the country scores on six key dimensions: customs performance, infrastructure quality, ease of arranging shipments, logistics services quality, consignments tracking and tracing and timeliness of shipments. 
  • India ranks 44 in the Logistics Performance Index 2018. 

Hyderabad wins World Green City Award 2022 

The city of Hyderabad has won the prestigious ‘World Green City Award 2022’ . Hyderabad is the only Indian city that was selected for the ‘World Green City 2022,’ award, the best across all six categories.

The city has also won ‘Living Green for Economic Recovery and Inclusive Growth’ at the International Association of Horticulture Producers (AIPH) 2022 held in Jeju, South Korea. 

Key Points

  •  Hyderabad won the World Green Cities Award for taking initiatives relying on better use of plants and nature to make better city environments and for helping fulfill local aspirations for economic, social, and environmental resilience.
  • The award is a testimony to the continuous efforts and focuses of the Telangana government on increasing the green cover in the state through its flagship program “Telangana Ku Haritha Haram” (TKHH).
  •  The program aims to increase the tree cover of the state from 24% to 33% of the total area of the state.

Category-wise winners

  •  In the Living Green for Economic Recovery and Inclusive Growth category:  Green Garland to the State of Telangana, City of Hyderabad, India.
  •  In the Living Green for Biodiversity category: Reverdecer Bogotá, Bogota D.C, Colombia.
  •  In the Living Green for Climate Change category: Mexico City’s Environmental and Climate Change Program, Mexico City, Mexico.
  • In the Living Green for Health and Wellbeing category:Transforming degraded land into Urban Micro Parks, City of Fortaleza, Brazil
  •  In the Living Green for Water category: The Phytotechnology Stations at the Montréal Botanical Garden / Space for Life, City of Montreal, Canada.  
  • In the Living Green for Social Cohesion category: OASIS Schoolyard Project, City of Paris, France.

International Solar Alliance’s Fifth Assembly will be held in New Delhi

International Solar Alliance’s Fifth Assembly to be held in New Delhi from 17th to 20th October, 2022. India currently holds the position of President of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly as per the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

Key Points

  • Ministers, missions and delegates from 109 Member and Signatory Countries are set to participate in this meeting.
  • The Assembly is the apex decision-making body of ISA, in which each Member Country is represented. This body makes decisions concerning the implementation of the ISA’s Framework Agreement and coordinated actions to be taken to achieve its objective. 
  • The Assembly meets annually at the ministerial level at the ISA’s seat. 
  • The Fifth Assembly of the ISA will deliberate on the key initiatives of ISA on three critical issues of energy access, energy security, and energy transition.
  • World leaders from ISA Member Countries will also discuss the strategic plan of the ISA in Programmatic Support for LDC and SIDS Member Countries, Capacity Building support to all developing Member Countries, and Analytics & Advocacy support to all Member Countries. 
  • The 5th Assembly is expected to lead to a greater consensus among countries for promotion of solar power. Increased international cooperation will be the backbone of energy transition, propelling investment and creating millions of new green jobs in this crucial decade of climate action.

International Solar Alliance (ISA) 

  • The International Solar Alliance is an international organisation with 109 member and signatory countries. 
  • It works with governments to improve energy access and security worldwide and promote solar power as a sustainable way to transition to a carbon-neutral future. 
  • ISA’s mission is to unlock US$ 1 trillion of investments in solar by 2030 while reducing the cost of the technology and its financing. 
  • It promotes the use of solar energy in the Agriculture, Health, Transport and Power Generation sectors. 
  • ISA member countries are driving change by enacting policies and regulations, sharing best practices, agreeing on common standards, and mobilising investments.
  • With the signing and ratification of the ISA Framework Agreement by 15 countries in 2017, ISA became the first international intergovernmental organization to be headquartered in India.

Assam Current Affairs – October 01-03, 2022

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

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

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Current Affairs GK & Quiz Monthly – July 2022

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

October 01-03, 2022

Prime Minister will inaugurate sixth edition of India Mobile Congress

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will launch 5G services in the country and will also inaugurate the 6th Edition of India Mobile Congress 2022 (IMC-2022). The IMC 2022 is scheduled to be held from 1st to 4th October with the theme of “New digital Universe”. 

Key Points

  • The cumulative economic impact of 5G on India is estimated to reach USD 450 billion by 2035.
  • The 5G technology will provide seamless coverage, high data rate, low latency, and highly reliable communications. 
  • The 5G service is expected to unleash new economic opportunities and societal benefits, serving as a transformational force for Indian society.
  • The 5G to be launched by the Prime Minister in select cities will progressively cover the entire country over the next couple of years.

Srishti Bakshi wins ‘Changemaker’ award at the UN SDG Action Awards

Srishti Bakshi, a women’s rights activist from India, was honoured with the ‘Changemaker’ award at the UN SDG Action Awards held at a ceremony in Bonn, Germany. 

The activist has traveled 3,800km around the country in less than a year to raise awareness on gender-based violence and inequality. She was awarded for “confronting gender-based violence and advocating for safe access to public spaces.”

The other award winners are ‘SUPvivors say NO MORE’ in the Mobilise category, ‘The Masungi Story’ in the Inspire category honouring youth rewriting the future of forgotten watersheds at Masungi Geosreserve in the Philippines and ‘CyprusInno in the Connect category’.

Asha Parekh will be honoured with 52nd Dadasaheb Phalke award

Veteran actress Asha Parekh has been declared the recipient of the 2020 Dadasaheb Phalke award. The award will be presented at the National Film Award ceremony in New Delhi.

The jury for the selection of 52nd Dadasaheb Phalke award consisted of five members from the film industry.

Ms Asha Parekh is a renowned film actress, director and producer and an accomplished Indian classical dancer. She was conferred the Padma Shri in 1992.

About the Dadasaheb Phalke Award

  • The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India’s largest laurel in cinema. 
  • The award was first presented in 1969 by the Indian Government to honor Dadasaheb Phalke’s contribution to Indian film.
  • It is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organisation set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
  • Dadasaheb Phalke award winners are given in the form of a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of ₹1,000,000.
  • The first recipient of the award was actress Devika Rani, who was honoured at the 17th National Film Awards.

SC-ST hub conclave organized by Ministry of MSME in Gujarat

The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has organized a national SC-ST hub conclave in Gujarat to spread awareness about the National SC-ST Hub (NSSH) Scheme and other Schemes of the Ministry.

Key Points

  • More than 300 SC-ST entrepreneurs participated in the event. The conclave provided a platform for aspiring and existing SC-ST entrepreneurs to interact with CPSEs, lending institutions, GeM, RSETI, TRIFED etc. 
  • Speaking at the event, Dr. Solanki said  more SC-ST entrepreneurs from Gujarat State should take benefits available under the NSSH Scheme. 
  • He also urged the bankers present in the audience to prioritize credit support to the SC-ST entrepreneurs so that they may not face any difficulty in augmenting their business capacities. 
  • He stressed upon Prime Minister’s vision of becoming job providers instead of job seekers and emphasized the participation of SC-ST entrepreneurs in strengthening the Indian Economy.

About NSSH scheme 

  • The ministry of MSME launched the National Scheduled Caste Scheduled Tribe Hub (NSSH) scheme to promote an inclusive economy and entrepreneurship among SC/ST communities.
  • It has been set up to provide professional support to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Entrepreneurs to fulfil the obligations under the Central Government Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises Order 2012.
  • The hub leverages the Stand Up India programme.

The President of India presented the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2022

The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, presented the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2022 at a function held in New Delhi.

Key Points

  • Indore has been adjudged India’s cleanest city for the sixth time in a row, 
  • Surat and Navi Mumbai were named as the 2nd and 3rd cleanest cities respectively. 
  • Madhya Pradesh secured the first position, followed by Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra in the category of best performing states in ‘Swachh Survekshan Awards 2022’. 
  • Haryana was in the second position while Tamil Nadu was third.
  • Among smaller states and Union territories, Andaman and Nicobar secured the first position followed by Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu and Sikkim. 
  • Telangana won the first prize under the large states category under the Swachh Survekshan Grameen (SSG) 2022 which looks into the sanitation status of rural areas.
  • In the category of cities having population fewer than one lakh, Maharashtra’s Panchgani was ranked number one, followed by Chhattisgarh’s Patan (NP) and Maharashtra’s Karhad. 
  • Haridwar was adjudged the cleanest Ganga town in the category of more than 1 lakh population, followed by Varanasi and Rishikesh. 
  • Bijnor was ranked the first among Ganga towns with fewer than one lakh population. followed by Kannauj and Garhmukhteshwar respectively. 
  • In to the survey, Maharashtra’s Deolali was adjudged the country’s cleanest Cantonment Board.

Assam Current Affairs – September 04-06, 2022

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

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

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September 04-06, 2022

Meghalaya Chief Minister launches ‘Rural Backyard Piggery Scheme’

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has launched the ambitious flagship programme for the farmers – “Rural Backyard Piggery Scheme” under National Livestock Mission at Byrnihat in Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya. 

The scheme aims to ensure the farmers earn a sustainable livelihood through different livestock farming activities.

Key Points

  • Under Rural Backyard Piggery Scheme – phase 1, the government has earmarked Rs 15.18 crore under which four high-yielding improved varieties will be distributed to 6000 families. 
  • Additional Rs 25 crore will be earmarked to roll out the second phase of the programme. 
  • The government is implementing one of the largest piggery development programmes the ‘Meghalaya Piggery Mission’. 
  • Under this mission, zero interest loan is provided for setting up fattening and pig breeding. So far 250 piggery cooperative societies have availed loans amounting to Rs 43.67 crore.
  • To further exploit the potential of the piggery sector, the government launched the “Rural Backyard Piggery Scheme” funded by the Central Government under National Livestock Mission and also by the State Government. 
  • The scheme was launched on August 10 in Samanda block in East Garo Hills district. The scheme received a good response and appreciation from farmers.
  • Under this scheme 4 pigs, 3 female and 1 male piglets will be distributed to the farmers to promote pig breeding to provide regular income to the farmers. This livestock package is Rs 25,000 per beneficiary.
  • This scheme is envisaged to benefit 6000 poor and marginal farmers and also increase pork production in the state.

Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2022

The Ministry of Women and Child Development is celebrating the 5th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2022 from 1st to 30th Sept 2022 as part of the POSHAN Abhiyaan. 

The Central Theme of Poshan Maah 2022 is “Mahila aur Swasthya” and “Bacha aur Shiksha”.

Key Points

POSHAN Abhiyaan is Government of India’s flagship programme to improve nutritional outcomes for children under 6 years of age, pregnant women and lactating mothers. 

It aims to address the challenge of malnutrition in a mission-mode. Focusing on the aims of POSHAN Abhiyaan, the government has launched Mission Poshan 2.0 as an integrated nutrition support program.

Rashtriya Poshan Maah serves as a platform to bring focus to the discourse of nutrition and good health. 

In the 5th Rashtriya Poshan Maah the aim is to convert Jan Andolan into Jan Bhagidari to fulfill the Hon’ble PM’s vision of a Suposhit Bharat.

At the Panchayat level

  • Awareness activities will be conducted by local functionaries under the guidance of the concerned District Panchayati Raj Officers and CDPOs.   
  • Poshan Panchayat Committees will work closely with field level workers (FLWs) – AWWs, ASHAs, ANMs – to support problem solving and enabling service delivery through Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), Village Health and Nutrition Day (VHNDs), and other relevant platforms to ensure all pregnant and lactating women, children below six years, and adolescent girls receive basic Integrated Child Development services.
  • Awareness Centres have also been directed to organize awareness drives about good health practices along with organization of a Swasth Balak Spardha. Health camps for anaemia check-ups will be specially organised at AWCs for adolescent girls. Officials have also been asked to identify land for setting up of Nutri-Gardens or Poshan Vatikas near Anganwadi Centres.

At the State level

  • ‘Amma ki Rasoi’ or Grandmother’s Kitchen of traditional nutritious recipes will be organised. 
  • Extensive efforts will be made to link traditional foods with local festivals during the month. 
  • A national level toy-creation workshop will also be organized to promote use of indigenous and local toys for learning in Anganwadi Centres.

Ramon Magsaysay Award 2022

The Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation (RMAF) recently announced the 64th Ramon Magsaysay Award 2022.  Ramon Magsaysay Awards are considered Asia’s version of the Nobel Prize.

This year the award will go to Sothiara Chim, Psychiatrist (Cambodia), Tadashi Hattori, Ophthalmologist (Japan), Bernadette Madrid, Pediatrician (Philippines) and Gary Bencheghib, activist and filmmaker (Indonesia).

Ramon Magsaysay Award 2022 Winners

  1. Sothiara Chhim: He is a 54-year-old Cambodian psychiatrist awarded for “his calm courage in surmounting deep trauma to become his people’s healer”. He himself was also a survivor of the ultra-Maoist Khmer Rouge regime, which in the 1970s killed nearly a quarter of Cambodia’s population through starvation, overwork and mass executions. 
  2. Tadashi Hattori: He is a 58-year-old Japanese ophthalmologist. He was honored for providing free eye surgery in Vietnam, where such specialists and facilities are limited. 
  3. Bernadette Madrid:He is a Filipino pediatrician who has been championing the Filipino Child’s Right to protection by creating safe spaces for abused children nationwide. Since 1997, she has managed the country’s first child protection center at the Philippine General Hospital in Manila. It has served more than 27,000 children over the last year. 
  4. Gary Bencheghib: He is awarded for his inspiring fight against marine plastic pollution. After relocating to Bali, Indonesia, Gary has actively worked to advance the fight against plastic pollution. He and his brother have built a kayak made of plastic bottles and bamboo to collect the garbage in the Citarum River, one of the world’s most polluted rivers.

About Ramon Magsaysay Award: 

  • The Ramon Magsaysay Award is considered as the Nobel Prize of Asia. 
  • It was established in 1957 and is regarded as Asia’s greatest honour and distinction. 
  • The Award recognizes and honours individuals that have achieved distinction in their field and help others generously. 
  • The prize is annually presented in a ceremonial ceremony in Manila, Philippines on August 31.
  • The Award has been given in five categories namely journalism, government service, public service, literature and creative communication. 

India became the world’s fifth-largest economy

India has surpassed Britain to become the world’s fifth largest economy. India is now behind the US, China, Japan and Germany in terms of economy. 

The calculations are done by Bloomberg using the IMF database and historic exchange rates on its terminal.

Key Points

  • The size of the Indian economy in ‘nominal’ cash terms in the quarter through March, 2022 was USD 854.7 billion while for the UK was USD 816 billion. 
  • The Indian economy is registering a growth of 7 per cent, while the UK economy is growing at less than 1 per cent.
  • India’s GDP expanded 13.5% in the April-June quarter. At the same time, comparing it with the April-June quarter of the last financial year (2021-22), the GDP growth rate at that time was 20.1 percent.
  • The growth, though lower than the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) estimate of 16.2%, was fuelled by consumption and signalled a revival of domestic demand, particularly in the services sector.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) inaugurated NALSA Centre for Citizen Services

Chief Justice of India, Justice Uday Umesh Lalit recently inaugurated NALSA’s Centre for Citizen Services at Jaisalmer house in New Delhi. It will provide free Legal Services to the weaker sections of the society. 

The NALSA has been constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 to provide free Legal Services to the weaker sections of the society. Its purpose is to provide free legal services to eligible candidates, and to organize Lok Adalats for the speedy resolution of cases.

The Executive Chairman of the National Legal Service Authority, (NALSA) is Dr. Justice D.Y.Chandrachud. He has been recently appointed by President Droupadi Murmu.

Before being elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Chandrachud served as the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court and prior to that a judge of the Bombay High Court.

India’s first-ever “Night Sky Sanctuary” will be set up in Ladakh

The Department of Science & Technology (DST) has announced the setting up of India’s first Dark Sky Reserve in Hanle, Ladakh.

The Dark Sky Reserve will be developed within a period of three months at Ladakh’s Hanle as part of the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary. 

Key Points

  • A tripartite MoU was also signed between Union Territory Administration, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh, and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) for launching the Dark Space Reserve.
  • Ladakh’s Henley has been chosen as the site for the development of Dark Sky Reserve because of its cold desert surrounded by mountains. 
  • The adverse climatic conditions including long harsh winters in which temperatures can drop to minus 40 degrees, make the place inhabitable, thereby limiting light pollution and an ideal site for the sanctuary. 
  • The cloudless skies and low atmospheric water vapour make it one of the best sites in the world for optical, infrared, sub-millimetre, and millimetre wavelengths.
  • To promote Astro-tourism, villages around Hanle will be encouraged to promote homestays equipped with telescopes that visitors can use to view the night sky.

Current Affairs Quiz – Set 321: September 2022, Week 1 | Watch video 

Assam Current Affairs – September 01-03, 2022

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

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

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September 01-03, 2022

Amlan Borgohain breaks 100m national record at All India Railway Championships

Assam’s Amlan Borgohain has broke the 100m national record at the 87th All India inter-Railway Championships in Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh, 

He clocked 10.25s (wind speed +1.8, legal) to break the six-year-old national record of Amiya Kumar Mallick (10.26s). 

The 24-year-old Amlan, is now the reigning national champion in the 100m and 200m. Amlan Borgohain holds the 200m national record of 20.52s, set in April this year at the Federation Cup.

Meanwhile, Himashree Roy won the women’s 100m in 11.42s while R. Rajesh (46.73s) and Kiran Pahal (53.91s) took the men’s and women’s 400m titles.

World Resource Institute (WRI) India launches online geospatial platform in Guwahati

World Resource Institute (WRI) India in partnership with Assam Energy Development Agency (AEDA) launched an online, open source, interactive geo-spatial platform, called Energy Access Explorer (EAE).

Key Points

  • Energy Access Explorer (EAE) will help visualize the extent of energy access at Assam’s health, education, and livelihood infrastructures. 
  • It claims to assist policy-makers, renewable energy industry entrepreneurs, investors, and researchers from the development sector to make integrated and impactful decisions to expand energy access in the state in the most efficient, cost-effective and sustainable way possible.
  • In the past decade, 37.7 percent of health sub-centres and 41 per cent of schools in rural Assam lack access to reliable and sustainable power, while Assam has made great strides in electricity provisioning to homes. 
  • The leverage data will be provided by the platform and create a scenario of viability and affordability for consumers.

University Grants Commission launched ‘e-Samadhan’ portal

Recently. University Grants Commission (UGC) has launched an online portal, e-Samadhan for addressing student-related grievances. 

UGC will now monitor and address all grievances of students and teaching/non-teaching staff through a centralized portal called ‘e-Samadhan’. 

Key Points

  • The e-Samadhan Portal will handle issues like non-refund of fees, making admission contrary to merit, refusal of admission in accordance with the declared admission policy, withholding of original degrees/diplomas/certificates by institutions, etc.
  • The portal will be the one-stop solution for all grievances; and all other existing portals and helplines will be merged with it except for the anti-ragging helpline.
  • Through this portal, the users can register their complaints on the portal anytime within 24 hours by following a simple procedure using their email id or by placing a call on the toll-free number 1800-111-656.

About University Grants Commission (UGC)

  • University Grants Commission is a statutory body set up by the UGC Act 1956. 
  • It is set up by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India in accordance and is charged with coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of higher education in India.
  • Its headquarters are in New Delhi, and it has six regional centres in Pune, Bhopal, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Guwahati and Bangalore.
  • It provides recognition to universities in India, and disbursements of funds to such recognized universities and colleges.
  • It provides doctoral scholarships to all those who clear JRF in the National Eligibility Test. 

Cabinet approves an MoU with Govt of Nepal on biodiversity conservation

Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for signing an MoU with the Government of Nepal on biodiversity conservation

The MoU aims to strengthen and enhance the coordination and cooperation in the field of forests, wildlife, environment, biodiversity conservation and climate change, including restoration of corridors and interlinking areas and share knowledge and best practices, between the two countries.

The MoU is expected to help in promoting cooperation between the Parties in the field of forests, wildlife, environment, biodiversity conservation, and climate change, including restoration of corridors and interlinking areas and sharing knowledge and best practices.

India’s first indigenously developed Vaccine for Cervical Cancer will be launched 

India will launch its first indigenously developed Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (qHPV) against Cervical cancer with the help of the Serum Institute of India (SII) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).

Key Points

  • The CERVAVAC vaccination will be the first quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus vaccine (qHPV) in India, to prevent cervical cancer. 
  • The vaccine would be launched once an adequate quantum of doses is manufactured and ready for distribution and will be administered with a two-dose schedule for girls in the age group of 9-14 and a three-dose schedule for girls and women in the age group of 15-26.
  • Cervical cancer is the 2nd most prevalent cancer in India and accounts for nearly one-fourth of the world’s cervical cancer deaths despite being largely preventable. 
  • Every year approximately 1.25 lakhs women are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and over 75 thousand die from the disease in India and 83 % of invasive cervical cancers are attributed to HPVs 16 or 18 in India, and 70% of cases worldwide. 
  • The most promising intervention for preventing cervical cancer is vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV). 
  • It is estimated that HPV types 16 and 18 (HPV-16 and HPV-18) together contribute to approximately 70% of all invasive cervical cancer cases worldwide.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched virtual school

Recently, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched the virtual school called the ‘Delhi Model Virtual School’, in which students from across India will be eligible for admission in classes 9 to 12. 

Key Points 

  • Delhi Model Virtual School will be affiliated to the Delhi Board of School Education (DBSE). 
  • The virtual school will prove to be a milestone in the education sector in the country. 
  • The admission will be open for students across India who are aged between 13 and 18. who has cleared class 8 from any recognised school can apply for admission to DMVS
  • The classes will be online and recorded lectures will also be uploaded online. 

Current Affairs Quiz – Set 321: September 2022, Week 1 | Watch video 

 

Assam Current Affairs – August 25-27, 2022

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

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

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Current Affairs GK & Quiz Monthly – July 2022

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

August 25-27, 2022

Godrej Agrovet signs MoUs with Assam, Manipur & Tripura for oil palm cultivation

Godrej Agrovet, a diversified agribusiness conglomerate, announced that it has signed an MoU with the governments of Assam, Manipur, and Tripura for the development and promotion of oil palm cultivation in the area under the National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm initiative. 

The partnership will bring new opportunities and growth in building oil palm plantations in these three states and would help provide the required support to the farmers. 

The Agreements are in keeping with Godrej Agrovet’s long-term goal to be the driving force behind India’s oil mission by doubling farmer income and promoting sustainable expansion of oil palm production.

Government of India launched the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEOOP) in August 2021, with a planned outlay of ₹ 11,040 Crore. 

Under this mission, the Government has envisaged raising the area under cultivation of oil palm to 10 Lakh hectares by 2025-26 and 16.7 Lakh hectares by 2029-30 with a special focus on the North East region and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

India-Bangladesh 38th Joint River Commission meeting held in Delhi

The 38th meeting of the India-Bangladesh Joint River Commission (JRC) was held in Delhi. The JRC is headed by Water Resources Ministers of both countries.

Key Points 

  • The meeting discussed several ongoing projects of mutual interest including common river water sharing, sharing of data on flood, countering river pollution, joint survey on sediment management, protection of river banks among others. 
  • Both sides finalised the contents of an MoU on interim water sharing of the Kushiara river. 
  • Both sides also welcomed the finalisation of the design and location of water intake points on Feni river to meet the needs of the people in Sabrum town in India as per the India-Bangladesh MoU signed in 2019.
  • India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers,  of which 7 rivers have been identified earlier for development of the water sharing agreement framework on priority basis. 
  • Sharing of the real time flood data is one of the most important areas of India’s cooperation with Bangladesh. 
  • India recently extended the flood information sharing period beyond October 15 to help Bangladesh deal with the unexpected floods in some areas.

Uday Umesh Lalit appointed as the 49th Chief Justice of India 

Shri Justice Uday Umesh Lalit appointed as the 49th Chief Justice of India with effect from 27th August, 2022. He will succeed incumbent CJI NV Ramana, who demits office on August 26.

Justice Uday Umesh Lalit was appointed as Judge of the Supreme Court of India in August 2014 from the Bar. Justice Lalit will become the second Chief Justice of India to be directly elevated to the Supreme Court from the Bar, after Justice S.M. Sikri, who served as the 13 th CJI in 1971. 

Justice Lalit has served as a Member of Supreme Court Legal Services Committee for two terms. He was designated as a senior advocate by the top court in April 2004. 

In January 1986, he shifted his practice to Delhi. He was appointed a special public prosecutor for the CBI to conduct the trial in the 2G spectrum allocation case.

NITI Aayog declared Haridwar as the best aspirational district in India

NITI Aayog has declared Haridwar city of Uttarakhand as the best aspirational district on the basis of five parameters. 

The district has secured the first rank in basic infrastructure theme and has become entitled to receive an additional allocation of Rs 3 crore.

Parameters for Evaluation

Parameters for Best Aspirational District It envisages rapid development of selected districts on basis of composite index based on five parameters: 

  • Health & Nutrition (30%) 
  • Education (30%) 
  • Agriculture & Water Resources (20%) 
  • Financial Inclusion & Skill Development (10%) 
  • Infrastructure (10%)

Aspirational District Programme 

  • NITI Aayog’s Aspirational Districts Programme launched in January 2018. 
  • The programme aimed at identifying potential districts that can develop into model blocks through socio-economic development. 
  • Under the programme, the central government takes steps to improve the socio-economic condition of identified districts and ensure inclusive and holistic development.
  • The ranking of aspirational districts combines innovative use of data with practical governance, placing the district at the center of inclusive growth. 
  • As per the norms for planning of aspirational districts, each district should prepare an action plan in consultation with the State and Central officers in charge, after which it should be sent to NITI Aayog for final approval of the Empowered Committee of Secretaries constituted for the programme. 

Germany Launches World’s first Hydrogen-powered Passenger Train

Recently, the world’s first fleet of hydrogen-powered passenger trains was launched by Germany.  The engine of the trains is powered by electricity generated using hydrogen fuel cells. 

The new fleet consists of 14 Coradia iLint hydrogen trains made by the French company Alstom and operated by regional rail company LNVG.

Key Points 

  • The use of hydrogen is a clean alternative to fossil fuels. 
  • Lower Saxony has invested a total of 93 million euros for the first fleet of hydrogen-powered passenger train projects. 
  • This invitation is an excellent example and effort to make the economy of Germany greener.
  • These trains have ranges up to 1000 kilometers and a maximum speed of 140 kph. 
  • After the introduction of the first fleet of hydrogen-powered passenger trains, the hydrogen produced with renewable energy, the trains will save up to 1.6 liters of diesel in a year.

Angela Merkel wins UNESCO Peace Prize 2022

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been awarded the 2022 UNESCO Peace Prize for her efforts to welcome refugees.

Merkel was awarded the 2022 Félix Houphout-Boigny-UNESCO Peace Prize for her “courageous decision in 2015 to welcome more than 1,2 million refugees, notably from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Eritrea.

She is best known for her work in North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where she condemned rape as a “weapon of war”.

About UNESCO Peace Prize 

  • The UNESCO Peace Prize was constituted in 1989 under the United Nations Charter and the UNESCO Constitution. 
  • The prize is awarded to a person, an organization or a private or governmental body for making a significant contribution for “promotion, study, safeguarding, or maintenance of peace.” 
  • The prize has been named after Félix Houphouët-Boigny, the late former president of Côte d’Ivoire. 
  • The prize includes a gold medal and a cheque of USD 150,000 along with a peace diploma. If there are multiple recipients, the cheque is shared equally.