General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - December 2014

Dec 2014

Oct 30, 2023

Parliamentary Panel on Home Affairs Withholds Draft Report on Bills Replacing Criminal Laws

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affair postponed its adoption of a draft report on three Bills seeking to replace the existing criminal laws, after pressure from the Opposition seeking more time to examine it. According to sources, the English version of the draft report was circulated just last week and the Hindi version was sent to members of the Parliamentary panel, just hours before the adoption of the report was slated at meeting of the panel.
Congress MPs Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary and Digivijay Singh, along with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP N. R. Elango — have so far filed dissent notes. They are demanding several changes in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 that will replace the Indian Penal Code, and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 that will replace the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). More dissent notes are expected to follow.
The panel's draft report accepted a host of suggestions on the Bharatiya Sakshya, 2023 that is meant to replace the Indian Evidence Act; there is unanimity on that portion of the draft report.

India, EU Review FTA Negotiation Progress

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal discussed progress in India-EU Free Trade Agreement negotiations with European Commission's Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis in Japan as an invitee for the G7 Trade Ministers' Meeting in Osaka.

Mumbai's Iconic 'Kaali-peeli' Taxis Take their Final Ride

The iconic black-and-yellow 'Premier Padmini' taxis, affectionately referred to as 'kaali-peeli,' took their final bow on the bustling streets of Mumbai.
These taxis have been an integral part of Mumbai's identity for several decades and were recently retired, following the phasing out of the city's iconic red double-decker diesel buses operated by the BEST (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport) undertaking.
The last Premier Padmini taxi to be officially registered as a black-and-yellow taxi in Mumbai was noted on October 29, 2003, at the Tardeo RTO, responsible for the island city of Mumbai. This marked the beginning of the end for Premier Padmini taxis in Mumbai since the city's cab age limit is 20 years.

Oct 29, 2023

IFS Officer Vani Sarraju Rao New Indian Ambassador to Italy

Senior diplomat Vani Sarraju Rao was appointed as India's new ambassador to Italy.
Rao, who is a 1994-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, succeeded Neena Malhotra.
Rao served as an Additional Secretary in the MEA.

India to Issue Visas to Canadians but Not under These Four Categories

In what comes as the first sign of a thaw between Canada and India following weeks of tensions over the Khalistan issue, India resumed visa services for Canadians.
The Indian embassy in Ottawa started processing business, medical and conference visas.
Emergency services will continue to be handled by the Indian High Commission and the consulates in Toronto and Vancouver.
However, it mentioned that visa services won't be available for the following purposes: Tourism, Studies (For students), Employment and Cinema.
The embassy added that these services would be dealt with as the circumstances dictate.

India May Host QUAD Leaders' Summit around Republic Day Next Year (2024)

India is expected to host the Quad Leaders' Summit around Republic Day next year (2024), depending on the availability of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The Quad consists of four nations, viz, Australia, India, Japan, and the United States.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had previously announced India's intention to host the Quad summit in 2024. The Quad is a significant grouping formed in 2017, with its member nations emphasising that it is not a military alliance.

J&K Gets a New Police Chief

R. R. Swain, an AGMUT cadre IPS officer of 1991 batch, is set to take charge as Director General of Police, Jammu & Kashmir, from November 1.
Swain will succeed DGP Dilbag Singh, who retires October 31.
After taking over as intelligence chief in June 2020 following his repatriation to the Union Territory after 15 years of central deputation, Swain has been instrumental in destroying the terror ecosystem by initiating stern action against militant sympathisers and their over-ground workers, as well as their channels of funding.
As head of the intelligence wing of the UT police, he became the first ex-officio Director of the State Investigation Agency (SIA), which was constituted by the J&K government in November 2021 to coordinate with the National Investigation Agency and other central agencies for speedy and effective investigation and prosecution of terror-related cases.

Oct 28, 2023

PM Modi Inaugurates the 7th Edition of Indian Mobile Congress (IMC) in New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 7th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. This prestigious event brought together leading figures from the telecommunications industry to showcase cutting-edge technologies, discuss vital issues, and promote innovation.
Under the theme 'Global Digital Innovation,' IMC 2023 aims to reinforce India's position as a developer, manufacturer, and exporter of cutting-edge technologies. This includes 5G, 6G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and critical discussions on issues related to the semiconductor industry, green technology, and cybersecurity.
This year (2023), IMC introduces a start-up program called 'Aspire' to facilitate connections between start-ups, investors, and established businesses. The program promotes fresh entrepreneurial initiatives and collaborations, fostering an environment of innovation and growth.

India to Host UN Forum on Forests to Deliberate on Forest Fires and Certification

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change held a Country-Led Initiative (CLI) event as part of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) from 26-28 October, 2023 at the Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
More than 80 delegates participated from over 40 countries and 20 international organizations, both in person and online.
The Country Led Initiative (CLI) of UNFF focuses on two thematic areas -- forest fires and best practices on its prevention and restoration in fire- affected areas, and forest certification and sustainable forest management.
The United Nations Forum on Forests promotes the management, conservation, and sustainable development of all types of forests. India holds the distinction of being a founding member of UNFF.
The UN General Assembly adopted the first-ever UN Strategic Plan for Forests for the period of 2017-2030. This Strategic Plan serves as a global framework for actions at all levels to achieve the sustainable management of all types of forests, including trees outside forests, and to combat deforestation and forest degradation.
The meeting is expected to come out with implementable frameworks and recommendations for management of forest fire and forest certification leading towards Sustainable Forest Management, which will be considered for discussions at the 19th session of UNFF scheduled at UN Headquarters, New York in May 2024.

Oct 27, 2023

BPRD to Conduct 5G Hackathon VIMARSH 2023

The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) will conduct a 5G Hackathon VIMARSH 2023 to address the challenges faced by Law Enforcement Agencies. The students can submit their ideas between the 1st of November to the 9th of December this year (2023). The grand finale of VIMARSH 2023 will be organised on the 28th of February 2024.
Director General, BPRD Balaji Srivastava said that the Hackathon will be jointly organised by the Home Ministry, the Department of Telecom and Telecom Centres of Excellence India. He said, nine Problem Statements have been formulated to conduct a Hackathon with students and start-ups. A cash award of one lakh fifty thousand rupees will be given to each winning team.
The Hackathon will involve three stages of ideas screening - Stages I and 2 will be done in virtual mode whereas Stage -3 in physical mode.
The BPRD functions under the Union home ministry as the central police think tank.

Eight Former Indian Navy Officers Get Death Penalty in Qatar

Eight former Indian Navy personnel, who had been employed by a company in Doha, Qatar were handed the death penalty by a local court in Doha in an alleged case of espionage. The Indian government expressed its shock at the verdict, and said that all legal options were being explored.
The eight men have been in the custody of Qatari authorities since August 2022. The Court of First Instance of Qatar passed the judgment against them.
The Indian nationals, who were employed by the Al Dahra company in Doha, were allegedly accused of breaching sensitive secrets at the time of their arrest last year. In their work with Dahra Global Technologies and Consultant Services, the former navy personnel were reportedly involved in training various security-related service providers of the State of Qatar. The company was also involved in producing high-tech Italian-origin submarines that are known for stealth capabilities.

Oct 26, 2023

PM Modi Hails Cabinet Nod to Jamrani Dam Multipurpose Project's Inclusion under PMKSY-AIBP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the Union Cabinet's approval to the inclusion of the Jamrani Dam Multipurpose Project of Uttarakhand under the accelerated irrigation benefit programme, saying it is a significant stride towards a prosperous and sustainable Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
The government approved the inclusion of the project under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana-Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (PMKSY-AIBP), which will cost Rs. 2,584 crore.
The project envisages the construction of a dam near Jamrani village across River Gola, a tributary of River Ram Ganga in Nainital district of Uttarakhand. The dam will feed the existing Gola barrage through its 40.5 km length of canal system and 244 km long canal system completed in 1981.

India Resumes Some Visa Services in Canada Month after Suspending Them

India partially resumed visa services in Canada, closed last month (September) amid a diplomatic row, the Indian High Commission in Ottawa said. Services resumed for entry visa, business visa, medical visa, and conference visa, the High Commission said.
The visa services were suspended towards September-end as ties between the two nations faced severe strain following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations of potential involvement of Indian agents in the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was the chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force and one of India's most-wanted terrorists.

Rajkummar Rao is Election Commission's National Icon

The Election Commission appointed actor Rajkummar Rao as its national icon, ahead of assembly elections in five states.
More than 161 million people in five states across India will vote in assembly elections next month (November 2023).
Mizoram will vote on November 7, Chhattisgarh, which has a 90-member assembly, will be held in two phases on November 7 and 17, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana will go to the polls on November 17 and 30 , respectively and Rajasthan, which was earlier scheduled to go to polls on November 23, will now go to polls on November 25.
The votes will be counted on the 3rd of December.

Share on

TCY Analytics (View Subscription Plans)

Subscribe to GK Updates

I want to receive

GK Tags

July GK, June GK, May GK, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, ENVIRONMENT, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, SPORTS, NATIONAL AFFAIRS, DEFENCE, PERSONS IN NEWS, DAYS AND EVENTS, AWARDS AND HONOURS, GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES, GENDER/ HEALTH/ EDUCATION, ART AND CULTURE, BOOKS AND AUTHORS, TOURISM AND HOTEL INDUSTRY AWARENESS, ART AND CULTURE, LAW AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Start Discussion

On any topic

Take Tests

Compiled from GK updates

Login

Sign Up

Forgot Password

Download TCY App

Unlock All Services And Enjoy The Premium Benefits

US$ 10

US$ 13

US$ 15

US$ 17

US$ 19

US$ 20

US$ 21

US$ 22

US$ 23

US$ 24

US$ 25

US$ 26