current affairs and GK for APSC exam Archives

Assam Current Affairs – August 10-12, 2024

Posted on September 15, 2024September 15, 2024 by admin

Assam and NE Current Affairs & GK- August 10-12, 2024

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

Five Assamese movies Shines at 70th National Film Awards

Five Assamese movies Shines at 70th National Film Awards. Three films from Assam bagged Rajat Kamal and two other films from the state got certificates of special mention at the 70th National Film Awards for the year 2024.

Key Points

Emuthi Puthi (A very fishy trip), produced by Metanormal Motion Pictures Pvt. Ltd. and directed by Kulanandini Mahanta, bagged the Rajat Kamal Award as the best Assamese film.

Sikaisal (if only trees could talk) also bagged the Rajat Kamal Award as the best Tiwa film.
Xunyota (void) also got the Rajat Kamal Award as the best short film (up to 30 minutes).

Two other non-feature category films from Assam—Birubala ‘Witch to Padmashri’ produced by Aimee Baruah Production Society and directed by Aimee Baruah and
Hargila—The Greater Adjutant Stork, produced by PI Entertainment and directed by Partha Sarathi Mahanta—got certificates of special mention.

MEA and NSIL sign MoU for grant assistance for the launch of Munal satellite

An MoU was signed between India’s Ministry of External Affairs and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) to launch Nepal’s Munal satellite.

About Munal satellite

Munal Satellite is an indigenous satellite developed in Nepal, under the aegis of NAST. APN, a Nepali space startup, has assisted Nepali students in the design and fabrication of this satellite.
The satellite aims to build a vegetation density database of the Earth’s surface.
This satellite is expected to be launched soon on NSIL’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle.

Largest-ever Kashmiri folk dance at ‘Kashur Riwaaj’ cultural festival

Youth of Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district created a world record by registering their names to the Universal Records Forum (URF) for the largest-ever Kashmiri folk dance performed by 10,000 young women at the ‘Kashur Riwaaj’ cultural festival.

About the festival

The mega event was organised by the Dagger Division of Chinar Corps in collaboration with Baramulla District Administration and Indrani Balan Foundation (IBF).
This was the largest-ever Kashmiri Folk Dance performed by 10,000 young women at Kashur Riwaaj Cultural Fest on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day.
The festival took place at Prof. Showkat Ali Indoor Stadium to showcase the vibrant traditions of Kashmir through traditional dances, music, calligraphy and cultural activities.

Aman Sehrawat clinches 57kg wrestling bronze at Paris 2024 Olympics

Aman Sherawat won a bronze medal in the men’s 57kg freestyle event at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Aman holds the distinction of being the youngest Indian to win an Olympic medal at just 21 years. It is India’s fifth bronze and sixth overall medal from the Paris Olympics 2024.

Aman’s career has been marked by a series of impressive accomplishments. His significant achievement came in 2022 when he became the first Indian wrestler to secure a gold medal at the U23 Wrestling World Championships.

This victory set the stage for further success, including gold medals at the U23 Asian Championships and the Senior Asian Championships in 2023.

In addition to his gold medals, Aman’s consistent performances in various ranking series events have demonstrated his skill and determination. His medal haul includes victories at the 2024 Ranking Series in Zagreb and the Polyak Imre & Varga Janos Memorial, as well as podium finishes in prestigious tournaments like the Yasar Dogu and Dan Kolov & Nikola Petrov events.

India’s First Grain ATM Launched in Odisha

India’s first round-the-clock grain ATM was opened at Mancheswar in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. This initiative is known as Annapurti Grain ATM which is designed and developed by the World Food Programme India.

About Grain ATM:

This initiative would simplify the process for beneficiaries to access their entitled food grains; anyone with a Public Distribution System ration card valid in India, regardless of the State and Union Territory, can access their entitlement.
This user-friendly system ensures that beneficiaries can access their full ration of food grains without any complications.
It can dispense grain up to 50 kilograms in five minutes 24 hours a day, reducing waiting time by 70 percent.
It is an automated multi-commodity dispensing solution that provides fast, clean and precise access to commodities (rice, wheat, grains) to beneficiaries, post biometric authentication.
It will dispense rice or wheat 24/7, providing a reliable and consistent source of food for the state’s residents.

Chhattisgarh Establishes India’s Third Largest Tiger Reserve

Chhattisgarh has recently approved the creation of the Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve, due to the recent plunge in its tiger population.

About Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve

Guru Ghasidas National Park and the Tamor Pingla Sanctuary, located in the districts of Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur, Koriya, Surajpur, and Balrampur, to form the new reserve.
It is Chhattisgarh’s fourth tiger reserve, following Indravati, Udanti-Sitanadi, and Achanakmar.
It aims to bolster conservation efforts and provide a protected habitat for tigers, thereby promoting eco-tourism and creating employment opportunities for local communities.
It would promote eco-tourism and create employment opportunities for local communities.

Declining Population of Tigers

According to a National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) report released in July 2023, Chhattisgarh’s tiger population dropped from 46 in 2014 to just 17 in 2022.
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change highlighted this concerning trend in a 2023 statement, noting that states like Mizoram, Nagaland, Jharkhand, Goa, Chhattisgarh, and Arunachal Pradesh have reported worrisome declines in their small tiger populations.

About NTCA:

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
It was set up under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 which was amended in 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation.
It works on protecting habitats, stopping poaching, and involving communities.
It works with different states to improve monitoring.

IIT Indore develops e-shoes for live location tracking

IIT Indore has created advanced shoes incorporating Tribo-Electric Nanogenerator (TENG) technology, which generates electricity from human motion and integrates GPS for real-time location tracking.

Key Points

The shoes are designed to improve safety and coordination among soldiers by providing real-time location data and power for essential devices.
They offer the ability to analyze athletes’ movements, potentially enhancing performance.
These shoes can be beneficial for monitoring movement of Alzheimer’s patient’s, tracking school children, and managing factory worker attendance.
The first set of 10 pairs of these high-tech shoes has been sent to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for testing and evaluation. This project is led by Professor Suhas Joshi at IIT Indore, with support from Professor I A Palani, demonstrating the institution’s dedication to developing cutting-edge technology.

India Names Three Underwater Structures in Indian Ocean

India has successfully proposed names for three underwater geographical structures located in the Indian Ocean. These are the Ashoka Seamount, Chandragupt Ridge, and Kalpataru Ridge.

These names were proposed by India and approved by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC).

Key Facts About the Underwater Structures

Previously Named Structures:

Raman Ridge (1992): Named after the famous physicist Sir CV Raman.
Panikkar Seamount (1993): Honoring oceanographer NK Panikkar.
Sagar Kanya Seamount (1991): Named after the Indian research ship.
Wadia Guyot (1993): Recognizing geologist DN Wadia.

Recently named Structures

Ashoka Seamount: Discovered in 2012 by a Russian research ship called Akademik Nikolay Strakhov, this underwater mountain covers about 180 square kilometers.
Chandragupt Ridge: Found in 2020 by the Indian research ship MGS Sagar, this ridge is elongated and oval-shaped, stretching across 675 square kilometers.
Kalpataru Ridge: Also discovered in 2012 by the Akademik Nikolay Strakhov, this ridge covers 430 square kilometers and might serve as a habitat and food source for marine life.

Significance of Discoveries: These structures contribute to understanding marine life habitats and offer insights into the geological and biological processes of the Indian Ocean.

Assam Current Affairs – August 04-06, 2024

Posted on September 9, 2024September 9, 2024 by admin

Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – August 04-06, 2024

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for August 04-06, 2024)

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August 04-06, 2024

Om Prakash Mathur sworn in as 18th Governor of Sikkim

Om Prakash Mathur was sworn in as the 18th Governor of Sikkim.

He was administered the oath of office by Sikkim High Court Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder during a function held at the Raj Bhavan.

Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, State Cabinet Ministers, MLAs, and senior officials of state civil and police administration were present on the occasion.

Om Prakash Mathur is a former member of Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan state in India and is a senior politician from Bharatiya Janata Party.

Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera Assumes Charge as Assam Rifles Director General

Lt General Vikas Lakhera assumed charge as the new Director General of the Assam Rifles. He succeeds Lieutenant General P C Nair.

Lt General Vikas Lakhera is often referred to as the “Sentinels of the Northeast“. Lt Gen Lakhera has held various command and staff appointments Served as the Additional Director General Military Operations, handling information warfare Gained extensive experience in planning and executing counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeastern region

Lt Gen Lakhera has been awarded several honors, including the Ati Vishist Seva Medal, Sena Medal, and multiple commendation cards, reflecting his commitment to excellence and significant contributions to the Army.

Dr. Nani Gopal Mahanta has been appointed as the 18th Vice Chancellor of Gauhati University

Dr. Nani Gopal Mahanta, a noted academician and political scientist, has been appointed as the new Vice Chancellor of Guwahati University.

Dr. Mahanta, who previously served as the academic advisor to the Assam government from 2021 to February 2024, is widely recognized for his extensive work in political science.

Before his advisory role with the government, he was a professor in the Political Science department at Guwahati University.

Holding an MA in Political Science from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and a PhD from Guwahati University, Dr. Mahanta’s academic journey also included a two-year course on Peace, Conflict Resolution, and Policy Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, as a Rotary World Peace Fellow.

Swapnil Kusale Wins Bronze Medal in 50m Rifle 3 Position

Swapnil Kusale has become the first Indian shooter to secure a medal in the 50m Rifle 3 Position (3P) event at the Paris Olympics.

Swapnil steadily climbed the ranks to finish 3rd with a total score of 451.4 points, securing a Bronze medal for the nation. This is India’s third medal at the Paris Olympics, with all three coming from shooting events.

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.

Swapnil won gold in 50m rifle prone 3 in the junior category in 2015 Asian Shooting Championships in Kuwait.

He also won the 59th National Shooting Championship held in Tughlakabad ahead of Gagan Narang and Chain Singh in the 50m rifle prone event.

He repeated the same performance in 61st National Championship in Thiruvananthapuram by winning a gold in 50m rifle 3 position.

President Murmu conferred with Fiji’s Highest Civilian Award

President Droupadi Murmu has been awarded the Companion of the Order of Fiji, the highest civilian honour from Fiji recognising the strong India-Fiji ties. President Murmu is the first Indian President to visit the South Pacific island nation of Fiji.

President Murmu’s visit aims to strengthen diplomatic ties and build on shared historical and regional interests in the Indo-Pacific. The cultural exchanges and recognition during the visit show mutual respect and a commitment to supporting smaller island nations in the Pacific.

During the meeting, President Murmu was awarded the Companion of the Order of Fiji, the highest honour in Fiji. This award signifies deep respect and strong connections between India and Fiji.

VIRAASAT: Handloom Expo

VIRAASAT”, a fortnight long exhibition dedicated to celebrating 10th National Handloom Day began at Handloom Haat in Janpath New Delhi, on 3rd August 2024.

The event was organized by the National Handloom Development Corporation Ltd (NHDC) under the aegis of the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, will conclude on 16th August 2024.

The exhibition aims to celebrate the rich tradition of handloom and handicrafts in India and to provide a platform for handloom weavers and artisans to connect with buyers.

About VIRAASAT:

It is organized by the National Handloom Development Corporation Ltd (NHDC) under the Ministry of Textiles.
The series “VIRAASAT”- the “Exclusive Handloom Expo” is a continuation of celebrations held during previous years around the National Handloom Day.
The event focuses on the glorious tradition of Handloom and Handicrafts.
It also provides a market connected to the handloom weavers and artisans.
The unique products such as Banarasi, Jamdani, Baluchari, Madhubani, Kosa, Ikkat, Patola, Tussar Silk, Maheshwari, Moirang Phee, Baluchari, Phulkari, Laheriya, Khandua and Tangaliya will be featured in this exhibition.

Significance of National Handloom Day:

The first National Handloom Day was celebrated on 7th August 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai.

The National Handloom Day highlights the socio-economic contribution of the handloom sector and reaffirms the Government’s resolve to protect handloom heritage and empower weavers with better opportunities.

Srinagar Designated as World Craft City

Srinagar has become the fourth Indian city to be recognized as a ‘World Craft City’ by the World Craft Council (WCC).

Jaipur, Malappuram and Mysore are the other Indian cities that have previously been recognised as World Craft Cities.

In the year 2021, Srinagar was designated as a creative city as a part of the UNESCO Creative City Network (UCCN). Craft products like paper pulp, walnut wood carvings, carpets, Sozni embroidery, pashmina and Kani shawls are made here.

About About World Craft Council (WCC):

It was founded in 1964 to promote the preservation, protection, and development of traditional crafts and foster economic development through crafts.
The World Craft Council (WCC) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization affiliated with UNESCO.
Mrs. Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay of India, one of the founding members of WCC-International, attended the first WCC General Assembly.
This program helps in opening up new markets for the artisans and new opportunities for the craft products made by them and they get the benefit of advanced training programs and workshops

About UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) :

UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was launched in 2004.
It is primarily aimed at cities that recognize creativity as a key factor in their urban development.
The seven creative sectors under this network include crafts and folk arts, media arts, film, design, gastronomy, literature and music.

Bhoj Wetland

The Union Government denied that the international Ramsar site, Bhoj Wetland in Bhopal faces no threat of delisting from Ramsar Convention list of wetlands of International importance.

About Bhoj Wetland

Bhoj Wetland is located in the center of Bhopal district in Madhya Pradesh.
The wetland includes two man-made lakes: the upper lake and the lower lake.
Since August 2002, they have been recognized as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
The Upper lake is called Bhojtal (Bada Talaab) and the Lower Lake is known as Chhota Talaab.
The Upper Lake is surrounded by Van Vihar National Park on the south, human settlements on the east and north, and agriculture fields on the west. The Upper Lake is a major source of potable water for Bhopal.
The Bhoj Wetland, recognized as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention since August 2002, supports a rich variety of flora and fauna, including numerous waterbirds.

India’s Rankings in International Index & Reports in 2024 & 2023 (Latest Rankings)

Posted on September 5, 2024September 5, 2024 by admin

India’s Rankings in International Index & Reports in 2024 & 2023 (Latest Rankings)

India’s Rankings in International Indices & Reports is a very important topic for any exams.

Books for Assam General Knowledge

Economy of Assam

Environment & Ecology

Geography of Assam

Assam – Art & Culture

History of Assam – Ahom and British Period

History of Assam – Ancient Period

Index	Index released by	India’s Rank	1^stRank
QS World University Rankings	Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) and the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Bombay and Delhi	150th	IIT Bombay
WEF’s Global Gender Gap Index	World Economic Forum	129th	–
IEP’ Global Peace Index 2024	Institute for Economics & Peace	116th	Iceland
WEF’s Energy Transition Index	World Economic Forum	63rd	Sweden
World Press Freedom Index 2024	global media watchdog Reporters	159	Norway
World University Rankings (CWUR) 2024	The Center for World University Rankings	Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad	Harvard University
Young University Rankings 2024	Times Higher Education	Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU)	Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore
Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024	World Economic Forum	39th	United States
Oxford Economics Global Cities Index 2024	Oxford Economics	350th position, New Delhi	New York City
Bloomberg Billionaires Index 2024	Bloomberg L.P.	Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani	Bernard Arnault from France
Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings 2024	Times Higher Education magazine	Indian Institute of Science (IISc), 32nd position.	Tsinghua University and Peking University in China
The Business Environment Rankings (BER) for 2024	The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)	10th	Singapore
Hurun global unicorn index 2024,	Hurun research institute	3rd with 67 unicorns	United states with 703 unicorns
World University Rankings by Subject for 2024.	Quacquarelli Symonds (QS)	The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has secured the 45th rank	1st place in this category is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States of America
‘World cybercrime index’	International team of researchers	10th	Russia
World airport traffic dataset	The airports council international (aci)	Delhi’s igi airport was ranked 10th globally	Hartsfield-jackson atlanta international airport.
Hurun Global Rich List 2024,	Hurun Research Institute	3^rd	China
Human Development Index (HDI)	United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)	134^th	Switzerland
Women, Business, and the Law (WBL) 2024	World Bank Group	113^th	Belgium
State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2023	Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and the Alliance for an Energy-Efficient Economy (AEEE)	Karnataka	–
Gender Inequality Index (GII)	United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),	108^th	Denmark
Indian Institutional Ranking Framework	Education Post, a monthly magazine	Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad	–
Brand Guardianship Index 2024	Brand Finance	2nd (Mukesh Ambani of Reliance)	First rank is held by Huateng Ma of China-based Tencent
FIFA rankings	Fédération Internationale de Football Association	117^th	Argentina
International IP Index 2024	Global Innovation Policy Center (GIPC) of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce	42^nd	USA
Henley Passport Index 2024	International Air Transport Association & Henley & Partners	80^th	France
MSCI Emerging Markets (EM) index	Morgan Stanley Capital International	2^nd	China
2023 Corruption Perceptions Index	Transparency International	93^rd	Denmark
Global derivatives market	World Federation of Exchanges	3^rd	US
The 2024 Military Strength Ranking	Global Firepower	4^th	US
World Digital Competitiveness Ranking	IMD World Competitiveness Center	49th	U.S.A
QS World University Rankings	Quacquarelli Symonds	220th in the world	Toronto
S&P’s Ranking	S&P Global Market Intelligence	4th largest insurer	Allianz SE from Germany.
Inclusiveness Index	Othering and Belonging Institute (OBI) at California	117th	New Zealand
Global Mobile Speed Ranking	Ookla	47th	UAE
Global Innovation Index	World Intellectual Property Organization	40th	Switzerland
World University Rankings	Times Higher Education	4th	University of Oxford
Digital Quality of Life Index	Surfshark	52nd	France
World Trade Statistical Review	World Trade Organization	18th	–
THE Young University Rankings	Times Higher Education	77th	Singapore
Global Peace Index	Institute for Economics & Peace	126	Iceland
WEF’s Energy Transition Index	World Economic Forum	67th	Sweden
Global Liveability Index	Economist Intelligence Unit	46th	Vienna
Global Gender Gap Index	World Economic Forum	127th	Iceland
World Press Freedom Index	Reporters Without Borders	161	Norway
Global Business Environment Rankings	Economist Intelligence Unit	52nd	Singapore
Brand Guardianship Index 2023	Brand Finance	2nd (Mukesh Ambani of Reliance)	Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia
Electoral Democracy Index	—	108th	—
Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2022-23 Global Report Adapting to a “New Normal	Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) and National Entrepreneurship Context	4th	UAE
Electricity Market Report 2023	International Energy Agency’s (IEA)	—	China
World Happiness Index 2023	Sustainable Development Solutions Network	136th	Finland
Global Firepower Report 2023	—	4th	America

Index	Published by	India’s Rank
Climate Change Performance Index 2023	Germanwatch	7th rank
International IP Index 2024	U.S. Chamber of Commerce	42nd position unchanged since 2022
Global Soft Power Index 2024	Brand Finance	29th rank (28th position in 2023)
Human Development Index (2023-2024)	United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)	134th out of 193 countries (135 in 2022)
Henley Passport Index 2024	International Air Transport Authority (IATA)	80th rank
Gender Inequality Index 2022	UNDP	108th out of 193 countries (122 rank in 2021)
Future Possibilities Index 2024	Newsweek Vantage and Horizon Group	35th rank
World Happiness Report 2024	UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)	126th rank
Global Terrorism Index 2023	Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP)	13th rank
Global Innovation Index 2023	World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)	40th rank out of 132 economies
Global Hunger Index 2023	Concern Worldwide and Welt Hunger Hilfe	111 (slipped four positions as compared to last year)
Global Competitiveness Index	International Institute for Management Development (IMD).	40th rank
Global Peace Index 2023	Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP)	126th (two places higher than its previous position)
Corruption Perceptions Index 2023	Transparency International	93rd (85th rank in 2022)
World Press Freedom Index 2023	Reporters Without Borders (RSF).	161th rank
Rule of Law Index 2023	World Justice Project	79th rank
Global Liveability Index 2023	Economist Intelligence Unit	New Delhi and Mumbai: 141st Chennai: 144th Vienna: ranked 1st
Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2023	United Nations Development Programme and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI)	– 415 million poor people moved out of poverty from 2005/2006 to 2019/2021. – Decline in the poverty head-count ratio from 44.3% in 2005/2006 to 11.8% in 2019/2021.
Energy Transition Index 2023	World Economic Forum	67th
Democracy Index 2023	Economist Intelligence Unit	41st (placed in the category of a “Flawed Democracy”)
World Economic Outlook 2024	International Monetary Fund	India’s growth projected at 6.5% in 2024 and 2025. Global growth projected at 3.1% in 2024 and 3.2% in 2025.
Global Remittances Inflow Report 2023	World Bank	India tops remittance flows at USD 125 billion in 2023.
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Report	Oxford University Press	India was the world’s top arms importer in 2019-23 with imports having gone up by 4.7% compared to the 2014-18
Military Strength Ranking 2024	Global Firepower (GFP)	4th
Logistics Performance Index 2023	World Bank	38th (Improved by six places from 44 in 2018)
World Air Quality Report 2024	IQAir	India ranks as the third most polluted country. New Delhi ranked as the most polluted capital city.

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)

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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.

Paris 2024 Paralympics – India’s Highest Medal Tally & Best Performance (29 Medals)

Posted on August 30, 2024September 11, 2024 by admin

Paris 2024 Paralympics – India’s Highest Medal Tally & Best Performance

A record 84 para-athletes are representing India at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, which is being conducted from August 28 to September 8, 2024. India will compete across 12 disciplines at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.

India has previously won 31 medals across Paralympic Games with the most successful Paralympic campaign being the 2020 Tokyo edition with 19 medals including five gold, eight silver and six bronze medals.

In this edition of the Paralympics, India has won 29 medals with four gold, eight silver, and ten bronze medals in the Games, which marked India’s highest ever medal tally in a single Paralympic Games surpassing there Tokyo 2020 tally of 19 medals.

India’s Medal Tally – Full List

Total	Gold	Silver	Bronze
29	7	9	13

DAY 9

Navdeep Singh won Gold in Athletics Javelin throw F41 event
Simran Sharma won Bronze in Athletics Women’s 200 m T12 event

DAY 8

Praveen Kumar won Gold in Athletics High jump T64 event
Hokato Hotozhe Sema won Bronze in Athletics Men’s Shot put F57 event

DAY 7

Kapil Parmar won Bronze in Judo Men’s J1 -60 kg event

DAY 6

Harvinder Singh won Gold in Archery Individual recurve open event
Sachin Khilari won Silver in Men’s shot put F46 event
Dharambir Nain won Gold in Club throw F51 event
Pranav Soorma won Silver Club throw F51 event

DAY 5

Ajeet Singh Yadav won Silver in Javelin throw F46 event.
Silver Sharad Kumar won Silver in High jump T63 event
Deepthi Jeevanji won Bronze in Women’s 400 m T20 event
Mariyappan Thangavelu won Bronze in Men’s high jump T63 event
Sundar Singh Gurjar won Bronze in Men’s javelin throw F46 event

DAY 4

Kumar Nitesh won Gold in Badminton Men’s singles SL3 event
Sumit Antil won Gold in Athletics Men’s javelin throw F64 event
Yogesh Kathuniya won Silver in Athletics Men’s discus throw F56 event
Thulasimathi Murugesan won Silver in Badminton Women’s singles SU5 event
Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj won Silver in Badminton Men’s singles SL4 event
Manisha Ramadass won Bronze in Badminton Women’s singles SU5 event
Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar won Bronze in Archery Mixed team compound event
Nithya Sivan won Bronze in Badminton Women’s singles SH6 event

Books for Assam General Knowledge

Economy of Assam

Environment & Ecology

Geography of Assam

Assam – Art & Culture

History of Assam – Ahom and British Period

History of Assam – Ancient Period

DAY 3

Preethi Pal wins BRONZE in women's Women's 200 m T35 event

Preethi Pal creates history with India’s first-ever Bronze in women’s Women’s 200 m T35 event at Paris Paralympics 2024

Nishad Kumar wins SILVER in men's high jump T47 event

Nishad Kumar secured his second successive silver in the men’s high jump T47 event. He also won the silver medal at the 2020 Summer Paralympics at Tokyo.

DAY 2

Rubina Francis won Bronze in P2 10 m air pistol SH1 event

Rubina Francis She won the bronze medal at the P2 10 m air pistol SH1 event at the 2024 Paralympics Games. She made history by becoming the first Indian woman to clinch a Paralympics medal in pistol shooting by winning a bronze.

DAY 1

Avani Lekhara won Gold in Women's 10m air rifle (SH1)

Avani Lekhara has become the first Indian to win successive Paralympic gold medals with a record-shattering performance in the women’s 10m air rifle (SH1) event. Avani shot a superb 249.7, breaking her own Paralympic record of 249.6 set in Tokyo three years ago.

Manish Narwal wins SILVER medal in 10m air pistol SH1 event

Manish Narwal won silver in the 10m air pistol SH1 event at the Paris Paralympics. Manish had won gold in the mixed SH1 50m pistol at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

Mona Agarwal wins BRONZE in Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event

Mona Agarwal settles for bronze medal in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 even, finishing with a score of 228.7. This is the first time two Indian shooters have medaled in a single Paralympic event.

Preethi Pal wins BRONZE in women's T35 100m for India's first track medal

Preethi Pal won India’s first medal in a Paralympics track event as she clinched a bronze in the women’s T35 100m competition with a personal best time of 14.21 seconds at the Paris Games on Friday. All the athletics medals India had won since the 1984 edition of the Paralympics have come from field events.

Important Books for Assam General Knowledge

Economy of Assam

Environment & Ecology

Geography of Assam

History of Britain

Assam – Art & Culture

History of Assam – Ahom and British Period

History of Assam – Ancient Period

Assam Current Affairs – January 28-31, 2024

Posted on April 3, 2024April 3, 2024 by admin

Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – January 28-31, 2024

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for January 28-31, 2024)

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January 28-31, 2024

Ministry of Education releases All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021-2022

The Ministry of Education, Government of India releases All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021-2022. The Ministry has been conducting AISHE since 2011, covering all Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in the country registered with AISHE collecting detailed information on different parameters such as student enrollment, teachers, infrastructural information, etc.

Key findings of the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021-22

Total enrollment in higher education increased from approximately 4.14 crore in the previous session to nearly 4.33 crore in 2021-22, marking an increase of around 19 lakh students.
Female enrollment increased from 2.01 crore in 2020-21 to 2.07 crore in 2021-22. The increase in female enrollment from 2014-15 (1.57 crore) to 2021-22 (2.07 crore) accounts for around 50 lakh students.
In 2021-22, 57.2 lakh students were enrolled in the science stream, with female students outnumbering male students (29.8 lakh versus 27.4 lakh).
Female Ph.D. enrollment doubled from 0.48 lakh in 2014-15 to 0.99 lakh in 2021-22. The annual increase in female Ph.D. enrollment for the period 2014-15 to 2021-22 is 10.4%.
The enrollment of Scheduled Tribe (ST) students increased from 16.41 lakh in 2014-15 to 27.1 lakh in 2021-22, marking a 65.2% increase.
Total student enrollment in North East States increased from 9.36 lakh in 2014-15 to 12.02 lakh in 2021-22. Female enrollment in North East States (6.07 lakh) surpassed male enrollment (5.95 lakh) in 2021-22.
OBC student enrollment increased by 45% in 2021-22 (1.63 crore) compared to 2014-15 (1.13 crore). Minority student enrollment increased from 21.8 lakh in 2014-15 to 30.1 lakh in 2021-22, with female minority enrollment witnessing a 42.3% increase
The total number of Universities / University level institutions registered is 1,168, Colleges 45,473 and Standalone Institutions 12,002.
In all, 341 Universities/University level institutions have been established since 2014-15. 17 Universities (of which 14 are State Public Universities) and 4,470 Colleges are exclusively for women.

About All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE):

The All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) is an annual statistical exercise conducted by the Ministry of Education (formerly known as the Ministry of Human Resource Development) in India.
It has been published since 2011 with the objective to portray the status of higher education in the country.
The survey covers all institutions providing higher education in the country.
Data is being collected on multiple parameters, such as teachers, student enrollment , programmes, examination results, education finance and infrastructure.
Indicators of educational development such as institution density, gross enrollment ratio, student-teacher ratio, gender parity index, per student expenditure will also be calculated from the data collected through AISHE.

Laughing Gull Spotted for the First Time in India

The laughing gull, a migratory bird originating from North America, has been observed for the first time in the country at the Chittari estuary in Kasaragod district of Kerala.

About Laughing gull

The laughing gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) is a species of bird belonging to the family Laridae.
It is a medium-sized gull with a distinctive appearance characterized by its black head, black legs, long drooping bill white body, and long wings.
The bird is known for its unique laughter-like calls which resemble human laughter.
These birds are most commonly found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of North America, as well as the Caribbean and parts of Central America.
They are known for their adaptability and opportunistic feeding habits.They eat mainly fish, shellfish, crabs, molluscs, insects, bird eggs, and young birds.

E-Ink displays

An E-ink display is a screen that aims to replicate the experience of reading and writing on paper. They are used in e-readers like the Amazon Kindle.

About E Ink displays

The technology was originally developed in the 1990s at MIT and is now owned by E Ink Corporation.
The screens work by manipulating microcapsules filled with positively and negatively charged particles, creating text and images without the need for backlighting.
This makes them ideal for prolonged reading, as they reflect light like paper and consume minimal power.
They are being used at bus stop displays, walking direction signs, and some restaurants’ menu boards.

Pros and Cons

Advantages: E Ink displays excel in low power consumption, making them suitable for devices requiring extended battery life. They also minimize eye strain due to their paper-like visual experience, matte surface, and outdoor readability.

Disadvantages: E Ink displays have slower refresh rates compared to LCD and OLED screens, rendering them unsuitable for video or animation. They also have limitations regarding color and resolution and remain relatively expensive for larger sizes.

The PM inaugurates the Diamond Jubilee celebration of the Supreme Court of India

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Diamond Jubilee celebration of the Supreme Court of India at the Supreme Court auditorium in Delhi. He also launched citizen-centric information and technology initiatives that include Digital Supreme Court Reports (Digi SCR), Digital Courts 2.0 and a new website of the Supreme Court.

About the Supreme Court of India

The Supreme Court of India is the apex judicial body under the Constitution of India.
Article 124 of the Constitution states that “There shall be a Supreme Court of India.”
The Supreme Court came into existence on January 26, 1950, with the coming into force of the Constitution.
The Supreme Court has original, appellate, and advisory jurisdiction.
It serves both as the final court of appeals and the final interpreter of the Constitution.
Its exclusive original jurisdiction extends to any dispute between the Government of India and one or more States or between the Government of India and any State or States on one side and one or more States on the other, or between two or more States, if and insofar as the dispute involves any question (whether of law or fact)on which the existence or extent of a legal right depends.
Article 32 of the Constitution gives extensive original jurisdiction to the Supreme Court for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights.

Status Report of Snow Leopards in India

The Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change released the report on the Status of Snow Leopards in India during the National Board for Wildlife meeting held in New Delhi.

The report was released as part of the Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) Program, which is the first-ever scientific exercise that reports Snow leopard population of 718 individuals in India.

About Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) Program

The SPAI systematically covered over 70% of the potential snow leopard habitat across the trans-Himalayan region, including UTs of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, and states such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.
The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is the National Coordinator for this exercise that was carried out with the support of all snow leopard range states and two conservation partners, the Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysuru and WWF-India.
The assessment was conducted from 2019 to 2023 using a meticulous two-step framework, including evaluating snow leopard spatial distribution and estimating snow leopard abundance using camera traps.
The first step involved evaluating Snow leopard spatial distribution, through an occupancy-based sampling approach in the potential distribution range. In the second step, Snow leopard abundance was estimated using camera traps in each identified stratified region.

Recommendations of the SPAI Program

The report emphasises the need for establishing a dedicated Snow Leopard Cell at WII under the MoEFCC to focus on long-term population monitoring.
Consistent monitoring through periodic population estimation is proposed to ensure the long-term survival of snow leopards and to identify challenges, address threats, and formulate effective conservation strategies.

India Nominates ‘Maratha Military Landscapes’ for UNESCO World Heritage List 2024-25

The “Maratha Military Landscapes of India” will be India’s nomination for recognition as the UNESCO World Heritage List for the year 2024-25.

This nomination comprises 12 components, each holding a unique place in history and culture. The twelve component parts of this nomination are, Salher fort, Shivneri fort, Lohgad, Khanderi fort, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala Fort, Vijay durg, Sindhudurg in Maharashtra and Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu. These components, distributed across diverse geographical and physiographic regions, showcase the strategic military powers of the Maratha rule.

About Maratha Military Landscapes

The Maratha Military Landscapes of India, which developed between the 17th and 19th centuries, represent an extraordinary fortification and military system envisioned by the Maratha rulers. This extraordinary network of forts, varying in hierarchies, scales and typological features, is a result of integrating the landscape, terrain and physiographic characteristics distinctive to the Sahyadri mountain ranges, the Konkan Coast, Deccan Plateau and the Eastern Ghats in the Indian Peninsula.
There are more than 390 forts in Maharashtra out of which only 12 forts are selected under the Maratha Military Landscapes of India, of these eight forts are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.
These are Shivneri fort, Lohgad, Raigad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala fort, Vijaydurg, Sindhudurg and Gingee fort whereas Salher fort, Rajgad, Khanderi fort and Pratapgarh are protected by the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Maharashtra.
In the Maratha Military Landscapes of India Salher fort, Shivneri fort, Lohgad, Raigad, Rajgad and Gingee fort are hill forts, Pratapgad is hill-forest fort, Panhala is hill-plateau fort, Vijaydurg is coastal fort whereas Khanderi fort, Suvarnadurg and Sindhudurg are island forts.

Maratha Military Ideology

The origins of Maratha Military ideology can be traced back to the 17th century during the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (circa 1670 CE).
This enduring legacy continued through subsequent rules, including the Peshwa rule until 1818 CE.

Nomination and Criteria

There are two categories of nomination- cultural and natural criteria, the Maratha Military landscapes is nominated in the category of cultural criteria.
There are six criteria (i to vi) for cultural sites and four criteria (vii to x) for natural sites for inclusion in the World Heritage List.
The Maratha Military Landscapes of India is nominated under criterion (iii): To bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization that in living or which has disappeared,
criterion (iv): to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble, or landscape that illustrates significant stage(s) in human history and
Criterion (vi): To be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance.

India’s UNESCO Heritage

At present in India there are 42 World Heritage sites, out of which 34 are cultural sites, seven are natural sites whereas one is mixed site.
In Maharashtra there are six World Heritage Sites, five cultural and one natural these are, Ajanta Caves (1983), Ellora Caves (1983), Elephanta Caves (1987), Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) (2004), Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai (2018) and western Ghats of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala is serial property in natural category (2012).
The Maratha Military Landscapes of India included in the Tentative List of World Heritage sites in 2021 is the sixth cultural property nominated for inclusion in the World Heritage List from Maharashtra.

India-Saudi Arabia Joint Military Exercise ‘SADA TANSEEQ’

The inaugural edition of India-Saudi Arabia Joint Military Exercise ‘SADA TANSEEQ’ commenced at Mahajan, Rajasthan. The Exercise is conducted from 29th January to 10th February 2024.

Participation and Representation:

The Saudi Arabian contingent comprising 45 personnel is being represented by Royal Saudi Land Forces.
The Indian Army contingent also comprising 45 personnel is being represented by a Battalion from the Brigade of the Guards (Mechanised Infantry).

Objectives

Aim of the Exercise is to train troops of both sides for Joint Operations in Semi Desert terrain under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.

About Exercise Sada Tanseeq

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 the sides.
The Exercise will involve Establishment of Mobile Vehicle Check Post, Cordon & Search Operation, House Intervention Drill, Reflex Shooting, Slithering and Sniper Firing.
The Exercise will provide an opportunity to both the contingents to strengthen their bond.
It will act as a platform to achieve shared security objectives, enhance the level of defence cooperation and foster bilateral relations between the two friendly nations.

Assam Current Affairs – January 22-24, 2024

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

Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – January 22-24, 2024

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for January 22-24, 2024)

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January 22-24, 2024

Amit Shah unvelis book ‘Assam’s Braveheart Lachit Barphukan’

Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently launched a book titled ‘Assam’s Braveheart Lachit Barphukan‘.

The book was released at the Srimanta Sankardev International Auditorium in Guwahati in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

The book, authored by Arup Kumar Dutta, delves into the life of the legendary 17th-century Ahom warrior Lachit Barphukan.

The book highlights Lachit Barphukan’s significant role in defending Assam against the Mughal army, chronicling historical events and the enduring influence of Barphukan’s legacy.

The book has been published in English language by the state government and translated into 24 scheduled Indian languages.

India-Egypt Joint Special Forces Exercise CYCLONE

The 2nd edition of Exercise CYCLONE, a joint special forces drill between India and Egypt, is taking place in Anshas, Egypt, from January 22 to February 1, 2024. The exercise is designed to develop bilateral military cooperation and strengthen bond between two armies through conduct of discussions and rehearsal of tactical military drills.

About Exercise Cyclone

The Indian contingent is being represented by troops from The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) and an Egyptian contingent comprising 25 personnel is being represented by Egyptian Commando Squadron and Egyptian Airborne Platoon.
Aim of the Exercise is to acquaint both the sides with each other’s operating procedures in the backdrop of Special Operations in desert/ semi desert terrain under Chapter VII of United Nations Charter.
The Exercise will involve planning and execution of special operations in sub conventional domain and conducted in three phases.
While the first phase will include Military Exhibitions and Tactical Interactions, second phase will focus on training on Improvised Explosive Device (IED), counter IED and Combat First Aid. The third and final phase will encompass Joint Tactical Exercise based on Fighting in Built-up Area and Hostage Rescue Scenarios.
The Exercise will provide an opportunity to both the contingents to strengthen their bond and share best practices. It will also act as a platform to achieve shared security objectives and foster bilateral relations between two friendly nations.
The first edition of the exercise was conducted last year in India.

Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana

The PM announced Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana, a pioneering government initiative aimed at installing rooftop solar power systems in one crore households across the nation.

About Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana

This scheme is a new attempt to help reach the target of 40 GW rooftop solar capacity.
It will involve installing solar power systems at rooftops for residential consumers.
The scheme would help not only reduce electricity bills of the poor and middle class, but also push India’s goal of becoming self-reliant in the energy sector.

Current Solar Capacity in India

According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, solar power installed capacity in India has reached around 73.31 GW as of December 2023.
Meanwhile, rooftop solar installed capacity is around 11.08 GW as of December 2023. Overall, solar power has a major share in the country’s current renewable energy capacity, which stands at around 180 GW.
High performing states In terms of total solar capacity, Rajasthan is at the top with 18.7 GW. Gujarat is at the second position with 10.5 GW.
When it comes to rooftop solar capacity, Gujarat tops the list with 2.8 GW, followed by Maharashtra by 1.7 GW.

Previous schemes to promote rooftop solar system

In 2014, the government launched the Rooftop Solar Programme. This had aimed to achieve a cumulative installed capacity of 40,000 megawatts (MW) or 40 gigawatts (GW) by 2022.

‘Hamara Samvidhan, Hamara Samman campaign’

The Vice-President of India had inaugurated ‘Hamara Samvidhan, Hamara Samman’ to commemorate the 75th Year of India as a Republic. The campaign, led by the Ministry of Law and Justice, aims to reaffirm commitment to the Constitution, celebrating shared values.

This nationwide initiative envisage to instill a sense of pride and responsibility to uphold the ideals outlined in the constitutional framework. It will also give opportunity to every citizen to participate in various ways, empower them to contribute in a meaningful way in our democratic journey.

Some of the themes to be covered during the Campaign include:-

Sabko Nyay Har Ghar Nyaya – Connecting the villagers and spreading awareness of legal services. The citizens would also get the opportunity to showcase their talents and to test their knowledge on the Constitution.
Vidhi Jagriti Abhiyan – Involving the students to carry the message Panch Pran in the villages adopted by the Law colleges, under the Pro Bono Club scheme.
Nyaya Setu – Expanding the legal services till the last mile. The event also released the achievement booklet of the Scheme on Access to Justice ‘Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice’ (DISHA).
Partnership with IGNOU – To allow Paralegals to acquire certifications in diverse field of laws to increase their employability. Partnership with Bhashini – To break the barriers of language in accessibility to justice.

The 9th India International Science Festival (IISF)

The 9th edition of India International Science Festival, (IISF-2023) held from 17 to 20 January at Faridabad, Haryana.

The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India is organizing the 9th edition of IISF and its autonomous organization National Innovation Foundation-India is the coordination and implementation body of IISF 2023.

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) institutes Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) – Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) located in Faridabad (Haryana) is the host institute of the grand event

Objectives

The aim of this science festival is to celebrate the achievements of India in the frontier areas of science and technology.
The festival also aims to acknowledge the achievements of science enthusiasts and inculcate scientific temper among young students and spread the same among the Indian citizens.

Theme

The central theme of IISF 2023 is “Science and Technology Public Outreach in Amrit Kaal”.

This time, 22 countries are also participating at IISF 2023. These include Argentine Republic, Republic of Armenia, Commonwealth of Australia, Kingdom of Cambodia, French Republic, Federal Republic of Germany, Republic of Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Kenya, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Republic of Namibia, Republic of the Philippines, Republic of Rwanda, Republic of Singapore, Republic of South Africa, Kingdom of Thailand, United Kingdom, United States of America (USA), Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and Republic of Zimbabwe.

19th NAM Summit held in Uganda

The 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit was held in Kampala, Uganda. Uganda has taken over as chair from Azerbaijan, to run until 2027.

Theme: ‘Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence.’

Key discussions

- Israel-Hamas war: The leaders of NAM countries have denounced Israel’s offensive in Gaza and demanded an immediate ceasefire during the summit.
- India’s “Vishwa Mitra” initiative: India emphasized its role as a friend to the world, or “Vishwa Mitra” to global solidarity and cooperation in his address.
- A call for multipolar world

About Non-Aligned Movement

The NAM was established in 1961 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, through the initiative of five leaders of newly independent countries: Josip Broz Tito of Yugoslavia, Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Jawaharlal Nehru of India, Sukarno of Indonesia, and Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana.
It was formed during the Cold War as an organisation of States that did not seek to formally align themselves with either the United States or the Soviet Union but sought to remain independent or neutral.
Currently it has 120 Member States, 17 Observer Countries and 10 Observer organizations.
NAM does not have a permanent secretariat or a formal founding charter, act, or treaty.
The summit usually takes place every three years.

Assam Current Affairs – January 19-21, 2024

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

Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – January 19-21, 2024

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for January 19-21, 2024)

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January 19-21, 2024

Arunachal Pradesh celebrated the 9th edition of the Pakke Paga Hornbill Festival

The 9th edition of the Pakke Paga Hornbill Festival (PPHF) celebrated in Arunachal Pradesh, highlighting the region’s commitment to wildlife conservation, with a special focus on hornbills.

The festival took place at Seijosa in the Pakke Kessang district from January 18-20, 2024.

About Pakke Paga Hornbill Festival

The first-ever Pakke Paga Hornbill Festival was held in 2015.
It aims to recognise the role played by the Nyishi tribal group in conserving hornbills in Pakke Tiger Reserve (PTR).
The festival also aims to establish alternative income sources, steering away from harmful practices like hunting and logging.
It serves as a platform for creating national awareness about the natural wonders of the Pakke Tiger Reserve and its surroundings.
The festival brings together diverse communities to unite in their efforts to protect these iconic birds and promote environmental awareness.
This year, the festival’s theme is Domutoh Domutoh, Paga hum Domutoh. It translates to ‘Let Our Hornbills Remain’ in the Nyishi language.
This year’s festival aims to underscore the critical need for preserving these iconic birds.

India Inc lauds establishment of gender equity Alliance at WEF meet 2024

Indian industry lauded the government for establishing the ‘Alliance for Global Good- Gender Equity and Equality’ announced on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting 2024.

Highlights of the Alliance for Global Good- Gender Equity and Equality

It seeks to build on the initiatives of the Engagement Group and frameworks like Business 20, Women 20, and G20 EMPOWER.
The idea of this alliance emerged from the G20 Leaders’ Declaration and India’s abiding commitment to the cause of women-led development as propounded by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
The primary and stated objective of this new Alliance is to bring together global best practices, knowledge sharing and investments in the identified areas of women’s health, education, and enterprise.
Supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the alliance will be housed and anchored by the CII Centre for Women Leadership.
The alliance aims to champion women-led development, leveraging India’s spectacular inclusive growth story and its philosophy of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Prayas” (Together with all, Development for all and Effort for all).

Union Ayush Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal lays foundation stone for State-of-the-Art ‘Ayush Diksha’ centre at Bhubaneswar

The Union Minister of Ayush and Ports, Shipping & Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal laid the foundation stone for ‘Ayush Diksha’,a groundbreaking center at the Central Ayurveda Research Institute in Bhubaneswar.

Key Points

The ‘Ayush Diksha’ center is set to become a hub for the advancement of human resources in Ayush, with a primary focus on Ayurveda professionals.
The institution aims to foster collaboration with prominent national institutes to enhance capacity, strengthen human resources, facilitate research and development, and achieve self-sustainability for revenue generation.
The institution will offer training programmes for Ayush professionals, especially those from Ayurveda, as it aims to collaborate with national institutes of prominence for capacity development, strengthening human resources, facilitate research and development, achieve self-sustainability with an objective to generate revenue.
The Ayush Diksha centre is being built with a budget of ₹30 crores. It will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities including two auditoriums, 40 modern rooms with all amenities, suites for VIPs, dedicated space for a natural library, discussion rooms, modular kitchen, dining lounge, among other amenities.
The CARI, Bhubaneswar is a unit under the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India. This ground breaking initiative marks a significant step towards promoting and advancing research in Ayurveda on scientific lines.

WHO Releases Guidelines for Multi-Modal Generative AI in Healthcare

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released comprehensive guidance on the ethical use and governance of large multi-modal models (LMM) in healthcare.

About the Guidelines

The guiding document identified five broad applications of LMMs in healthcare: Diagnosis and clinical care, such as responding to patients’ written queries; patient-guided use for investigating symptoms and treatments; clerical and administrative tasks in electronic health records; medical and nursing education with simulated patient encounters; and scientific research and drug development.
It also recommends designing LMMs for well-defined tasks with the necessary accuracy and understanding of potential secondary outcomes.
It offers a roadmap for harnessing the power of LMMs in healthcare while navigating their complexities and ethical considerations.
This initiative marks a significant step towards ensuring that AI technologies serve the public interest, particularly in the health sector
WHO’s six core principles for AI in health: protect autonomy, promote well-being, ensure transparency, foster responsibility, ensure inclusiveness, and promote sustainability.

Risks Associated with LMMs in Healthcare Generation of False or Biased Information:

LMMs may produce inaccurate or biased information due to biases present in the training data, potentially leading to misguided health decisions.
LMMs might perpetuate healthcare disparities based on factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, and age, reflecting the biases present in their training data.
There is a risk of automation bias, where healthcare professionals and patients may overly trust the output of LMMs, leading to the oversight of potential errors.
As LMMs rely on trustworthy algorithms, any compromise in these algorithms could result in the release of sensitive patient information, posing cybersecurity risks.

The WHO Recommendations for Mitigating Risks

Encourages investment in public infrastructure, such as computing power and datasets, adhering to ethical principles.
Stressed on the need for global cooperative leadership to regulate AI technologies effectively.
Governments from all countries must cooperatively lead efforts to effectively regulate the development and use of AI technologies, such as LMMs.
Calls for the implementation of mandatory post-release audits and impact assessments.
Advises developers to engage a diverse range of stakeholders, including potential users and healthcare professionals, from the early stages of AI development.
Emphasizes designing LMMs for well-defined tasks with the necessary accuracy while understanding potential secondary outcomes.

President Droupadi Murmu confers Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar

The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu conferred the “Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar” instituted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India to 19 children at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

This year’s awardees include one child each in the categories of Bravery, Science & Technology and Innovation, four in the category of Social Service, five in the category of Sports, and seven in the category of Art & Culture.

Every year, the Government of India acknowledges the exceptional achievements of children in the age group of 5 to 18 years by conferring the ‘Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) upon them. Each awardee received a medal and a certificate from the President.

Saiyam Mazumdar from Assam has been awarded Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar Award, 2024 in the field of social service.

He is a wildlife conservationist who started off by saving and taking care of stray animals, exhibiting incredible compassion.

He bravely saved snakes and informed others about their ecological significance.

President of India inaugurates the 5th edition of the Meghalaya Games

The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the 5th Edition of the Meghalaya Games in Tura, Meghalaya on January 15, 2024.

The President said that the North East region has a tremendous potential for the development of sports and sportspersons

She emphasized the need to support the talent from the tribal areas and groom them to become professional sportspersons.

With Government’s new initiatives and encouragement to the athletes, Indian sportspersons are now winning more medals than ever in global events.

Programmes such as Khelo India are helping in identifying and nurturing future sports champions.

Assam Current Affairs & GK Quiz for APSC 2024 – Set 353: January 2024, Week 5

Posted on March 29, 2024March 29, 2024 by admin

Assam Current Affairs & GK Quiz for APSC 2024 – Set 353: January 2024, Week 5

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

Assam Current Affairs Quiz Home Page

Q1. Which of the following traditional sports was organised for the first time under government guidance in Assam?

Cock Fight
Horse Fight
Elephant Fight
Buffalo fight

Buffalo fight

Q2.Who individual/s has been awarded witth the Padma Shri Awards 2024 from Assam?

Ms. Parbati Baruah
Shri Sarbeswar Basumatary
Shri Drona Bhuyan
All of the above

All of the above

Assam’s first female elephant mahout, Parbati Baruah, is recognized for her commitment to mitigating human-elephant conflict.

Sarbeswar Basumatary also known as “Chirang ke Krishi Chiraag,” is a farmer whose innovative approach to farming, incorporating various technologies, has not only transformed his own agricultural practices but has also garnered attention at the national level.

Folk artiste from Assam Drona Bhuyan, an exponent of Ojapali and Deodhani dancer.

Q3. Mukhya Mantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan is launched to

Promote the development of rural women who are part of self-help groups.
Promote the health sector in the state.
Provide free lunch to school-children.
Improve school education in six states covering 10 million teachers.

Promote the development of rural women who are part of self-help groups.

Mukhya Mantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan scheme is designed to promote the development of rural women who are part of self-help groups.

It aims to transform them into “Rural Micro Entrepreneurs” with an annual income target of ₹1 lakh per member.

Q4. Which teacher from Assam has received the National Teachers’ Award 2023 during the Teachers Day celebration?

Madhav Singh
Bhupinder Gogia
Kumud Kalita
Netai Chandra Dey

Kumud Kalita

Q5. Who among the following has been awarded with Sahitya Academy Award for the short stories category for his book titled ‘Sreshtha Galpa.’

Dhirendra Nath Chakraborty
Pranavjyoti Deka
Joysurya Bora
Kunal Saikia

Pranavjyoti Deka

Q6. What is the objective of ‘Amrit Brikshya Andolan’ initiated in Assam?

It is an initiative aimed at planting a total of 1 crore commercially-viable saplings across the State by individuals.
It aims to stimulate the tree-based economy within the state, generating sustainable livelihoods and income opportunities.
It aims to increase Assam’s forest cover as a measure to combat climate change and promote environmental conservation.
All of the above

All of the above

The Assam Amrit Brikshya Andolan is a massive tree planting initiative launched by the Assam government in 2023.

The initiative aimed at increasing the state’s green cover by planting saplings, primarily of commercial trees.

The initiative aims to increase Assam’s forest cover as a measure to combat climate change and promote environmental conservation.

The Andolan aims to stimulate the tree-based economy within the state, generating sustainable livelihoods and income opportunities.

The primary objective of the campaign was to plant 1 crore saplings across Assam, involving thousands of people from various regions of the state.

Q7. Which place of Assam has been selected as the best tourism village of India 2023?

Dhordo village
Biswanath Ghat
Ranthali
Sualkuchi

Biswanath Ghat

Q8. The government of Assam conferred the Artists Award (Silpi Bota) for the year 2024 to

Chetana Das
Dr. Pradipjyoti Mahanta
Manisha Hazarika
Jagadish Barman

Manisha Hazarika

The Artists Award (Silpi Bota) for the year 2024 was bestowed upon distinguished artist Manisha Hazarika, along with seven other notable individuals recognized for their substantial contributions to the Assamese socio-cultural and literary spheres.

Q9. Who among the following has won the Sukapha Award 2023?

Kuladhar Saikia
Rajendra Prasad Basumatari
Kashinath Barua
Dhirendra Nath Bezbaruah

Dhirendra Nath Bezbaruah

Q10. As per the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), what penalty is prescribed under the new hit-and-run law?

10 years in jail and a fine of Rs 7 lakh
10 years in jail and a fine of Rs 5 lakh
5 years in jail and a fine of Rs 8 lakh
15 years in jail and a fine of Rs 10 lakh

10 years in jail and a fine of Rs 7 lakh

As per the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), which is a replacement for the British-era Indian Penal Code (IPC), if a driver causes a serious road accident due to careless driving and then leaves without informing the police or any official, they could be punished with up to 10 years in jail and a fine of Rs 7 lakh.

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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)

Go To Assam Current Affairs Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz

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.

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Assam Current Affairs – January 16-18, 2024

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