General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - November 2014

Nov 2014

Jul 18, 2022

Centre's Jal Jeevan Mission Gets International Endorsement

The Centre's flagship programme, 'Har Ghar Jal' has got international endorsement with Nobel laureate Professor Michael Kremer appreciating its implementation and assuring his collaboration in it.
Prof Kremer met officers of Union Jal Shakti Ministry's Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), which implements Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) under Har Ghar Jal programme. He appreciated its implementation in India which is geographically big and diverse.
Its implementation in some states and UTs, like in the desert areas of Rajasthan and mountainous terrain of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and north-eastern States is challenging.
He assured of collaboration with regard to safe storage of water, new and cost-effective water treatment technologies and impact studies on tap water availability in villages.
JJM seeks to provide every rural household in the country with piped drinking water by 2024.
Prof Kremer is an American economist who was jointly awarded Nobel Prize for the year 2019 for experimental approach to alleviating global poverty.

Margaret Alva, Opposition's V-P Pick

Congress stalwart and former Union Minister Margaret Alva, who also served as Governor of four states, was named as the joint Opposition candidate for the vice presidential election, the voting for which will take place on August 6.
The decision to field Alva against ruling NDA's Jagdeep Dhankhar was taken at a meeting of 17 opposition parties.
Alva served as the 17th Governor of Goa, 23rd Governor of Gujarat, 20th Governor of Rajasthan and fourth Governor of Uttarakhand. A five-time parliamentarian, she served as a Cabinet Minister in the government headed by Rajiv Gandhi.

NDA Names Jagdeep Dhankhar as Vice Presidential Candidate

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) selected West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar as its candidate for the post of vice president of India.
Lauding the governor, PM Modi said that Dhankhar always worked for the well-being of farmers, youth, women and the marginalised.
Dhankhar has excellent knowledge of the Constitution and he is also well-versed with legislative affairs.
Prior to his present role as the governor, Dhankhar has been a noted lawyer and was instrumental in getting OBC status for Jats in Rajasthan.

Manipur Governor La. Ganesan Gets Additional Charge of West Bengal

President Ram Nath Kovind accepted the resignation of West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, who was nominated as the vice president candidate by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The President appointed La. Ganesan, Governor of Manipur, to discharge the functions of the governor of West Bengal, in addition to his own duties.

PM Modi Inaugurates Bundelkhand Expressway

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Bundelkhand expressway.
The PM was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak and other dignitaries.
The 296-km-long Bundelkhand expressway connects Chitrakoot in the underdeveloped Bundelkhand region with the Lucknow-Agra Expressway near Etawah. The fourth expressway project in the state, was completed in record 28 months – 8 months ahead of its deadline. Modi laid the foundation of the project in February 2020.

Rajesh Bhushan Gets Charge of Secretary, Department of Health Research

Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan was given the additional charge of the Secretary, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The decision came after the tenure of Dr. Balram Bhargava as Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Secretary, Department of Health Research came to an end.
Bhargava's tenure as ICMR D-G was on April 12 extended for three more months. He was appointed as the Director General of the apex research body on April 16, 2018 for four years. He was also the secretary of the Health Research Department under the health ministry.

Laxmikant Bajpai is BJP's New Chief Whip in Rajya Sabha

Rajya Sabha member Laxmikant Bajpai was appointed as the BJP's new chief whip in the House.
Bajpai, a former Uttar Pradesh BJP president, succeeded Shiv Pratap Shukla who retired from the house.
Bajpai has served as a member of the Uttar Pradesh assembly for four terms.
Meanwhile, the BJP again appointed Piyush Goyal as its leader in the Upper House.

Jul 17, 2022

Meeting of BIMSTEC Expert Group on Cyber Security Cooperation in New Delhi

A two-day meeting of the BIMSTEC Expert Group on Cyber Security Cooperation was held in New Delhi. The meeting was based on the agreement made during the meeting of the BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs held at Bangkok in March 2019 that the BIMSTEC Expert Group would formulate an Action plan to deal with Cyber Security challenges in the BIMSTEC region. The in-person meeting was chaired by the National Cyber Security Coordinator Lieutenant General Rajesh Pant and witnessed the participation of delegates from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. All the delegates are experts in Cyber Security.
India, as a lead country for Security Sector in BIMSTEC forum, took the initiative to organise this meeting on Cyber Security Cooperation and develop a Plan of Action on Cyber Security. The BIMSTEC Member States were represented by the senior officials of their government organisations that deal with cyber security and incident response.

BJP Retains Piyush Goyal as Its Leader in Rajya Sabha for the Third Time

The BJP retained Union Minister Piyush Goyal as its leader in the Rajya Sabha, paving the way for him to continue as the leader of the House following his election to Parliament for a third term.
Bharatiya Janata Party communicated its decision to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
Goyal holds the charge of three ministries -- Commerce and Industry, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles.

Jul 16, 2022

Goa's Mopa Airport Commissioning after August 15

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the Mopa International Airport, which is expected to double the number of flights landing in the state, will be commissioned after August 15.
After the commissioning of the Mopa Airport, the existing Dabolim Airport in the coastal state will not be closed and flight operations will continue there.

Jul 15, 2022

Eknath Shinde Restores Emergency Pension Scheme Scrapped by Thackeray Govt.

The Maharashtra government led by Eknath Shinde restored the pension scheme meant for those political activists who were imprisoned during the Emergency imposed in 1975.
The scheme, which was introduced by the Devendra Fadnavis government in 2018, was scrapped by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) dispensation in 2020.
The Fadnavis government, which was in power between 2014 and 2019, had taken the decision to provide pension to the activists, who had protested against the Emergency imposed by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi.
The pension amount ranged from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000 depending upon the jail term they faced between 1975 and 1977.

Jul 14, 2022

Delhi Govt, UNICEF Join Hands to Provide Job Opportunities to Students

The Kejriwal government announced a new pilot project with the UNICEF to enable access to employment opportunities for students of the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU).
The government said that the DSEU and UNICEF have introduced 'Career Awareness Sessions' for students.
Skill Varsity of Delhi joined hands with YuWaah (Generation Unlimited India) at UNICEF to enable access to employment opportunities, assist students in becoming job ready as well as listen to and amplify the voices of young people.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi Inaugurates 6th National Conclave on Mines and Minerals

Union Minister for Mines Pralhad Joshi inaugurating the 6th National Conclave on Mines and Minerals in New Delhi. Joshi said that Sustainable Mining is the need of the hour. Mr. Joshi also stated that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mineral Mining Sector has reached its zenith of growth and under his vision mineral production is scaling new heights.
Minister of State for Mines Raosaheb Patil Danve said that in the last eight years, India has witnessed development and it is becoming self-reliant.
The conclave was organised as a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

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