Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – July 08-14, 2021
( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of July 08-14, 2021)
Go To Assam Current Affairs Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz
July 08, 2021
Assam govt to use only hand-woven gamosa and traditional food items in official events
- Assam Govt decided to use only hand-woven gamosa and traditional food items in official events, in an effort to support and promote locally available products.
- The move will come as a huge relief to those producing and trading gamosas and traditional delicacies because sales have been hit by the restrictions imposed to check the spread of the Covid-19.
- This step will come as a huge relief to those producing and trading gamosas and traditional delicacies because sales have been hit by the restrictions imposed to check the spread of the Covid-19.
- State Govt also decided to play the state anthem – O Mur Apunar Dex – at the beginning of all government programmes and the national anthem Jana Gana Mana at the end.
- Govt also decided a one-year service extension to best-performing non-gazetted employees.
- There are over 4,000 primary weaver cooperative societies in Assam, producing handloom fabrics, including gamosas which earned the geographical indication (GI) tag in 2019. Last year, Assam had tied up with e-commerce firm Flipkart to promote its artefacts and handloom products.
GIS-based India Industrial Land Bank (IILB) gaining popularity
- According to the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, India Industrial Land Bank will achieve pan-India integration by December 2021. The India Industrial Land Bank system (IILB) has been integrated with industry-based GIS systems of 17 states. System was integrated so that details can be updated on the portal in a real-time basis.
- IILB has grown in popularity after its website is registering 30 per cent increase in page views per month since April 2021. It has received 55,000 page views in June 2021 as compared to 44,136 page views in May. United States have maximum number of visitors after India. It is followed by Australia, United Kingdom, Singapore, UAE, Germany, and Indonesia.
FACTFILE – India Industrial Land Bank (IILB)
- IILB is a GIS-based portal and acts as one-stop repository of all industrial infrastructure-related information. Land Bank System was developed by Integrating Industrial Information System (IIS) with state GIS (Geographic Information System).
- It currently comprises 4,000 industrial parks mapped over an area of 5.5 lakh hectares of land. This portal serves as a decision support system for investors who scout for land remotely.
- Information regarding connectivity, infrastructure, natural resources & terrain are shared through this portal. Portal also share plot-level information regarding vacant plots, line of activity, and contact details.
Go To Assam Current Affairs Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz
July 09, 2021
Assam Cabinet has approved bill for protecting cattle
- The Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021, will be placed before the State Assembly in the upcoming session. It seeks to replace the existing The Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 1950, that allows the slaughter of cattle above 14 years of age with proper approval by local veterinary officers.
- The move aims to stop cattle being smuggled into Bangladesh via the international border. The legislation would prohibit cattle movement from other parts of the country into Assam as well as from the state to the rest of the country.
Cattle Slaughter Laws in India
- In 2005, the Supreme Court of India upheld the constitutional validity of anti-cow slaughter laws enacted in different states of India. Around 20 states in India currently have laws to regulate cow slaughter (it includes cattle slaughter as well).
Software Technology Parks of India to launch five Centres of Excellence in 5 NE States
- The Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) will soon launch 12 more Centres of Excellence (CoE) in various parts of the country.
- The Five CoEs will come up in North East, one each in 5 north-east capital cities — Gangtok (IT Applications in Healthcare and AgriTech), Itanagar (GIS Applications including Drone Tech), Kohima (IT Applications in Graphic Design), Aizawl (Gaming), and Agartala (Data Analytics)
- For nurturing start-up ecosystem and to create world class software products by Indian start-ups, STPI has embarked the journey of establishing domain-centric CoEs in various emerging technology areas such as Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision, Internet of Things (IoT), Fintech, Block chain, Augmented and Virtual Reality, Gaming and Animation etc through collaborative model.
- STPI has in the past launched 13 CoEs at Chennai, Bhubaneswar, Mohali, Bengaluru, Pune, New Delhi, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Shillong, Imphal and Lucknow.
- STPI under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Indian government, working with the objective of encouraging, promoting, boosting software exports, and nurturing the startup ecosystem in the country.
Go To Assam Current Affairs Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz
July 10, 2021
Fish Farming emerging as “go-to” profession in Assam
- Assam has been making steady progress in the fish farming sector since 2016 with fish production of 3.93 lakh metric tonnes in the last six years, informed state’s Fisheries Minister Parimal Suklabaidya.
- Exuding optimism that the fish production in the state would increase up to five lakh metric tonnes with the creation of gene bank, the minister informed that the government had spent Rs 10 crore for this purpose.
- State Government in Assam has been making concerted efforts to make use of the vast water resources of the state to increase fish production.
- Many youths who have come back to the state due to the COVID-induced lockdown have taken up fish farming by constructing individual and community ponds with Government subsidies. Of the 12,000 individual and community ponds, 10,000 ponds have been constructed.
New Department to be created in Assam to protect Indigenous Faith, Culture
- The Assam cabinet decided to create a new department to protect the culture and practices of people belonging to tribal and other indigenous communities. The new department would ensure that the state’s indigenous population gets to preserve their faith and traditions, while providing requisite support to them.
- The indigenous people of Assam are people belonging to ethnic groups who have been living in this region before colonialism in 1826 (when NE became a part of India) as per the United Nations Indigenous or Native or original inhabitants definition.
- The indigenous people of Assam belong to the following ethnic groups:
Khasis, Keot(Kaibarta), Jaintia, Dom/Nadiyal Kaibarta, Koch-Rajbongshis, Bodo, Mising, Rabha, Deori, Tiwa(Lalung), Ahom, Moran, Koch-Rajbongshi, Motok, Dimasa, Karbi, Sutiya, Sonowal Kachari, Thengal Kachari, Sarania Kachari, Mech Kachari, Tai Phake, Tai Khamyang, Tai Aiton, Tai Turung, Tai Khamti, other Tai ethnic groups, various Naga ethnic groups, Mizo, various indigenous Arunachali ethnic groups like Adi, Nyishi, Mishmi, Apatani, Barman Kachari, Tripuri, Kalitas of North and Upper Assam are mostly Mongoloid converts, etc., Assamese Brahmins including Ganaks, Assamese Kayasthas, Kalitas of Lower Assam (not Kalitas of North and Upper Assam as most of them are Mongoloid converts), other indigenous ethnic groups of neighbouring North-East states.
Department of Biotechnology & National Institute of Biomedical Genomics creates world’s 1st database of Oral Cancer variants dbGENVOC
- The Department of Biotechnology under the Ministry of Science and Technology & National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG) has created a first of its kind database of genomic variation in oral cancer, called dbGENVOC.
FACTFILE – dbGENVOC
- It is a free resource and a browsable online database of GENomic Variants of Oral Cancer. First release of dbGENVOC comprises of 24 million somatic and germline variants which have been derived from whole exome sequences of 100 oral cancer patients & whole genome sequences of 5 oral cancer patients.
- Somatic variation data from 220 patient samples were collected from USA and analyzed by TCGA-HNSCC project.
- dbGENVOC is a catalogue of genomic variants as well as a built-in search engine. It allows a reasonable extent of statistical and bioinformatic analysis to be carried out such as identification of variants in associated altered pathways in oral cancer.
- It will be updated annually with variation data of new oral cancer patients from India southeast Asia. It will support advances in oral cancer research.
Go To Assam Current Affairs Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz
July 11, 2021
Assam-origin Indian-American Samir Banerjee wins 2021 Junior Wimbledon title
- Indian-American Samir Banerjee, having roots in Assam, won the junior Wimbledon title after defeating Victor Lilov in the boys’ singles final at the All England Club. He became the first American to lift the junior Wimbledon title in six years.
- Samir Banerjee is an American tennis player. He has a career high ITF junior combined ranking of 2 achieved on 12 July 2021.
- Samir’s grandfather, Hiranmay Banerjee, was a resident of Assam and served as the General Manager at Oil India Limited (OIL), which has its headquarters at Duliajan in Assam’s Dibrugarh district.
Novak Djokovic won Grand Slam Wimbledon Tennis Championship Title 2021
- Novak Djokovic has won his 6th Grand Slam Wimbledon Tennis Championship men’s singles title 2021. Wimbledon Championship 2021 was the 134th edition, 53rd Open Era, and the third Grand Slam Tournament of 2021.
- Wimbledon Championship 2021 tournament was started on June 28, 2021 for which finals were played in London, England on July 11, 2021. The tournament in 2020 was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic for the first time since World War II.
- Wimbledon Men’s Single Championship 2021 was held at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, England. Roger Federer, with 8 titles, won maximum number of titles in 2021 tournament.
FACTFILE – Wimbledon Championship
- Wimbledon Championship is the oldest tennis tournament worldwide, and is widely regarded as most prestigious championship. It has been held since 1877 at All England Club in Wimbledon, London.
- Wimbledon is one among four Grand Slam tennis tournaments. Other tournaments are Australian Open, French Open and US Open.
- Wimbledon is the only major tournament which is still played on traditional tennis playing surface, Grass.
BIOGRAPHY – Novak Djokovic
- He is a Serbian professional tennis player, ranked as world No. 1 Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).
- He has been No. 1 for record of 334 weeks. He has also finished as year-end No. 1 on Open Era joint record six occasions (shared with Pete Sampras).
- As of now, he has won an all-time joint record 20 Grand Slam men’s singles titles (shared with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal) and 85 ATP singles titles.
India’s First Private LNG Facility plant inaugurated at Nagpur
- Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, inaugurated India’s first Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility plant at Nagpur, Maharashtra. Union Minister emphasized on the importance of alternate biofuels and diversification of agriculture towards the energy & power sector.
- Union Ministry have also designed a policy that encourages development of imports substitute, cost-effective, pollution-free and indigenous ethanol, LNG, bio CNG and hydrogen fuels. Surplus in rice, corn and sugar can be used as alternative fuel in order to prevent it from going to waste.
FACTFILE – Liquefied natural gas (LNG)
- LNG is natural gas, mainly methane (CH4) with some mixture of ethane (C2H6), that has been cooled down to liquid form for easier non-pressurized storage & transport. It takes up around 1/600th of volume of natural gas in gaseous state. It is odorless, colorless, non-toxic and non-corrosive gas.
- LNG is produced from hydrocarbon deposits containing a wide range of hydrocarbon products like methane (CH4), ethane (C2H6), propane (C3H8) and butane (C4H10).
- Acidic elements like hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and carbon dioxide (CO2) along with oil, mud, water, and mercury, are removed from LNG to deliver clean sweetened stream of gas.
Go To Assam Current Affairs Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz
July 12, 2021
Dibrugarh-Imphal flight becomes operational under UDAN programme
- Domestic carrier Indigo started another flight from Dibrugarh to Imphal, under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) – UDAN programme of the Government of India. The Indigo flight will now connect Kolkata and Imphal with Dibrugarh on a daily basis, and the flight will take around 1 hour and 15 Minutes to reach Imphal from Dibrugarh.
- The RCS- UDAN scheme has added wings to the existing travel experience, especially for first-time travellers. At present, there are nine flights departing from Dibrugarh Airport.
- Dibrugarh Airport is now connected to four state capitals of North East India- Guwahati, Agartala, Imphal and Dimapur.
- The flights under the RCS- UDAN scheme have connected various remote areas of North-East India, making travelling convenient for the public in the region. This is the third flight under RCS- UDAN scheme to start its operations from Dibrugarh Airport.
FACTFILE – UDAN-RCS
- UDAN-RCS, UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) is a regional airport development and “Regional Connectivity Scheme” (RCS) of Government of India, with the objective of “letting the common citizen of the country fly”, aimed at making air travel affordable and widespread, to boost inclusive national economic development, job growth and air transport infrastructure development of all regions and states of India.
- At the beginning of the scheme, out of total 486 airports, 406 were participating unserved airports, 27 were well served airports out of 97 non-RCS airports and 12 were operational airports out of 18 participating underserved regional operational airports with regular fixed-wing scheduled flights.
- UDAN scheme will add to this number by expediting the development and operationalisation of India’s potential-target of nearly 425 unserved, underserved, and mostly underdeveloped regional airports with regular scheduled flights.
Assam Govt presents deficit budget of Rs 566 crore for Fiscal Year 2021-22
- Assam’s first woman Finance Minister Ajanta Neog presented a deficit budget of Rs 566 crore for the Fiscal Year 2021-22.
- Minister Neog stated that the aggregate income of the government has been calculated at Rs 2,89,770.68 crore for FY 2021-22, and the total expenditure for the financial year has been estimated at Rs 2,89,367.10 crore.
Key highlights of the Assam Budget 2021-22
- The government has allocated Rs 40 crore for aiding the families who lost their loved ones due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The budget promises Rs 1 lakh one-time compensation to the next of the kins of those who have died due to COVID-19.
- The budget also promises smartphones to class IX and X students in government schools.
- Assam government will recruit 1 lakhs youths for government jobs in the state.
- The Budget will provide microfinance loan waivers to economically vulnerable people through incentives.
- The government has also proposed to build 1000 KM of embankments and roads so as to make Assam flood-free.
- The budget made no new tax proposal, and tax rates remain unchanged.
- The budget also allocated funds for 5 new medical colleges at Golaghat, Dhemaji, Morigaon, Bongaigaon and Tamulpur.
- Under the poverty alleviation Orunodoi scheme, financial assistance has been increased from Rs 830 to Rs 1,000 per month to ensure support for financially weaker families.
- Budget proposed piped gas supply to 2,69,648 families of tea garden workers.
National Dolphin Research Centre to be set up in Patna
- The National Dolphin Research Centre (NDRC) will be set up in Patna, Bihar. Opening up of the research centre will be a big step towards conservation of endangered Gangetic River dolphins.
- To set up the research centre, NDRC is coming up on 4,400 square metre plots of land in premises of Patna University.
- Bihar urban development department has already cleared construction of NDRC’s building at a distance of 200 metres from the Ganga.
- Dolphin habitat has been threatened and disturbed in River Ganga. Thus, NDRC is now conservation efforts of dolphins. NDRC will provide an opportunity for in-depth research on dolphins including on changing behavior, food habits, survival skills, cause of death and other such aspects.
FACTFILE – Project Dolphin
- Project Dolphin was started on the lines of Project Tiger, which has helped in increasing tiger population. This initiative got in-principle approval in December 2019 at first meeting of National Ganga Council (NGC), headed by the Prime Minister.
- This is a “Special Conservation program” taken up to save the Gangetic Dolphin. This project will be implemented by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
FACTFILE – Gangetic River dolphin
- Gangetic Dolphin is India’s national aquatic animal. It has been listed as Schedule I animal under Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. It has been declared “endangered” by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
- Gangetic Dolphin is one among four freshwater dolphin species across world. Other three freshwater dolphins are found in Yangtze River in China, Indus River in Pakistan and Amazon River in South America.
- Dolphin is found in India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Bihar is home to half of estimated 3,000 Gangetic dolphins in India.
Go To Assam Current Affairs Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz
July 13, 2021
National Asset Reconstruction Company became a legal entity
- The National Asset Reconstruction Company (NARC) has finally become a legal entity registered with the Registrar of Companies, Mumbai. NARC is also called as bad bank is finally here in India. It is considered as a one-stop solution for banking systems stressed assets menace.
- Under the first phase, 22 stressed accounts amounting to Rs 89,000 crore has been identified to transfer to NARC. With this, Rs 2 lakh crore worth of bad loans accounts will be transferred to the newly incorporated bad bank.
- SBI is expected to transfer bad loans worth Rs 20,000cr. PNB will transfer about Rs 8,000cr stressed assets while Union Bank of India will transfer about Rs 7,800cr NPAs to NARCL.
- Total stress in the banking system is more than Rs 15 lakh crore. So, banks burdened with stressed assets and limited capital find it difficult to manage NPAs. Further, Government can only provide a limited capital. Thus, this bad bank model will help both government and banks to manage NPAs.
FACTFILE – National Asset Reconstruction Company (NARC)
- NARC was Incorporated on July 7, 2021 and it has an authorised capital of Rs 100 crore and paid-up capital of Rs 74 crore.
- Sixteen banks, 12 state-owned and 4 private banks will invest in NARCL. Canara Bank will be the sole sponsor of NARL with 12% stake and SBI is going to be the second-largest shareholder with 9.9%.
Ladakh is 1st UT to achieve 100% first dose coverage
- Ladakh has become first Union Territory to vaccinate all residents and guest population; comprising of migrant labourers, hotel workers and Nepalese citizens earning their livelihood in the territory; with first dose of Covid-19 jab.
- As per data, total of 89,404 people from all eligible age groups have been administered with first dose of Covid vaccine. Second dose has been administered to 60,936 people.
FACTFILE – Ladakh
- Ladakh is a region administered by India as union territory. It comprises of part of larger Kashmir region, which has been a subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China.
- Ladakh was established as a Union Territory on October 31, 2019 after passing “Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act”.
- Ladakh is bordered by Tibet Autonomous Region in east, Himachal Pradesh in south, Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan in west while southwest corner of Xinjiang along the Karakoram Pass in north.
- Ladakh extends from Siachen Glacier in Karakoram range in north to main Great Himalayas in south. Eastern end of UT comprises of uninhabited Aksai Chin plains. Aksai Chin is claimed by Indian Government as part of Ladakh, however it is under Chinese control since 1962.
World Population Day 2021 observed on July 11, 2021
- World Population Day has observed on July 11 every year and highlights problems of overpopulation. The day also raises awareness about the effects of overpopulation on environment and development.
- The year 2021 marked the 32nd world population day. The day is observed every year with a specific theme. Theme for World Population Day 2021 is “Rights and choices are the answer: Whether baby boom or bust, the solution to shifting fertility rates lies in prioritizing the reproductive health and rights of all people.”
- Every year events and activities like seminar discussions, educational information sessions etc are organized across schools and colleges to draw attention towards issues of growing population.
- To raise people’s awareness on issues related with population like importance of family planning, poverty, gender equality, maternal health and human rights, the day becomes significant.
FACTFILE – World Population Day
- First World Population Day was observed on July 11, 1989. This day was established by the Governing Council of United Nations Development Programme in 1989.
- This day was suggested by Dr. K. C. Zachariah when population reaches Five Billion. Dr Zachariah was working as Senior Demographer at World Bank then.
Go To Assam Current Affairs Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz
July 14, 2021
Italy wins the European Championship trophy 2020
- Italy has won second European Championship trophy after defeating England by 3-2 in penalty shoot-out in final of Euros 2020 trophy at Wembley Stadium in London.
- This is the first major international trophy won by Italy since their 2006 FIFA World Cup win.
FACTFILE – UEFA European Football Championship
- It is the primary association football competition among senior men’s national teams of members of Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Competition has been held every four years since 1960.
- Euros 2020 was postponed until 2021 because of COVID-19 pandemic in Europe. It was originally called as “European Nations’ Cup”.
- In the tournament, the host nations qualify automatically while other members are required to compete in the qualifying process.
India’s first 5-star Hotel atop Railway Track in Gandhinagar
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to inaugurate a newly-built five-star hotel on the top of redeveloped Gandhinagar railway station on July 16, 2021.
- This project on redevelopment of Gandhinagar railway station and construction of five-star hotel started by Indian Railway Stations Redevelopment Corporation (IRSDC) in January 2017.
- The Luxury hotel atop the railway station is having 318 rooms.Hotel is spread across 7,400 square meters. It was built at a cost of Rs 790 crore.
NTPC to set up India’s largest solar park at Rann of Kutch, Gujarat
- Govt owned company NTPC Ltd is to set up India’s largest solar park at Rann of Kutch in Gujarat. The solar park will have the capacity of 4.75 gigawatt.
- NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd got the go-ahead from ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) for this project under “ultra-mega renewable energy power parks (UMREPP) scheme”.
- NTPC plans to list NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd. NTPC has also announced its target to reduce net energy intensity by 10% under its energy compact goals.
- NTPC has planned to invest ₹1 trillion between 2019 and 2024 in order to become a 130 GW power producer by 2032.
FACTFILE – Green Energy Parks
Under the ultra-mega renewable energy power parks (UMREPP) scheme, several state-run companies including NTPC have planned to build massive green energy parks in wind & solar resource rich states like Jammu & Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
.
Go To Assam Current Affairs Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz