General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - December 2014

Dec 2014

Jun 01, 2023

Amarendu Prakash Takes over as SAIL Chairman

Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) said that Amarendu Prakash took charge as the company's new Chairman.
He succeeded Soma Mondal, who retired from the post in April 2023.
A B.Tech in Metallurgy from BIT Sindri, Prakash is an accomplished technocrat and possesses over 30 years of experience, comprising 24 years in plant operations at BSL, 4 years at the Chairman's office in SAIL, and 2 years as a Director on SAIL Board as an In-charge of BSL.
He began his career at SAIL in 1991, with a posting in rolling mills.
SAIL, under the Ministry of Steel, is the country's largest steel-making company, with an annual capacity of around 21 million tonnes.

Angshumali Rastogi is India's Representative to Council of International Civil Aviation Organization

Senior bureaucrat Angshumali Rastogi was appointed India's representative to the council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal, Canada, according to a Personnel Ministry order.
Rastogi, a 1995 batch officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME), was appointed in place of Shefali Juneja for three years.
Hemang Jani, Secretary of the Capacity Building Commission, was named Senior Adviser to the Executive Director, World Bank, Washington DC, for three years.
Jani, who has earlier worked as a senior private sector specialist at the World Bank headquarters in Washington DC, was appointed in place of Ritesh Kumar Singh.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved 12 appointments for filling up various foreign posts.

May 31, 2023

Naveen Patnaik Launches 'Odisha for AI, and AI for Youth' Initiative

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik unveiled two groundbreaking initiatives aimed at leveraging the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the state. The initiatives, named 'Odisha for Artificial Intelligence' and 'Artificial Intelligence for Youth', are poised to make a significant impact on digital literacy, technological advancements, and economic growth.
The initial phase of the initiatives will focus on the cities of Bhubaneswar, Puri, and Cuttack. These cities will serve as the testing grounds for the comprehensive integration of AI solutions in various sectors. By launching these initiatives, the Odisha government aims to revolutionize the state's technological landscape and create a model for other regions to follow.
One of the primary goals of the initiatives is to enhance digital literacy among the masses and familiarize them with cutting-edge technologies. By augmenting the digital skills of individuals, the initiatives aim to bridge the technological divide and empower citizens to thrive in an increasingly digital world. The State Electronics and IT Department, in collaboration with Intel India, has been instrumental in driving these efforts.
The 'Odisha for AI' course will be offered by Intel on its app/site. This free 4-hour course aims to educate residents of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Puri about the fundamentals of AI.
The 'AI for Youth' initiative specifically targets students below 18 years from 2000 5T schools of phase 1 and Odisha Adarsh Vidyalayas. This program aims to provide young minds with the opportunity to explore the world of AI and develop their skills in this transformative field.

Northeast Gets its First Vande Bharat Train

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off northeast region's first Vande Bharat Express virtually. The train connects Guwahati in Assam with New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal and the journey takes five-and-a-half hours. Earlier, the fastest train on the route took six-and-a half hours to cover the distance of nearly 400 km.
Mr. Modi also dedicated 182 route km of newly electrified sections to the nation. Now, 425 km of railway tracks in Assam and Meghalaya have been electrified.

Kerala Launches Project to Make Capital Largest Solar city in India

The Kerala government launched an ambitious project to turn every rooftop in Thiruvananthapuram into a solar energy-producing station.
Through this project, the state capital is expected to become one of the largest 'solar cities' in the country.
The solar city project aims to meet all power requirements of a city from renewable energy sources. The government in Thiruvananthapuram identified the potential for the production of 800 MW solar energy and three lakh buildings suitable for installation through the creation of a solar atlas.
Solar panel installations have already started in 600 government buildings, out of which 150 were commimisioned. The remaining buildings would be commisioned within two months.

May 30, 2023

Jolt to Congress in West Bengal, Lone Party MLA Joins TMC

In a jolt to the Congress, its lone MLA in West Bengal Assembly, Bayron Biswas, joined the TMC in the presence of the ruling party's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
Soon after Biswas, the Sagardighi MLA, switched over to the TMC, Banerjee asserted that the Congress has to decide whether it wants to oppose the ruling party in the state or the BJP at the Centre.
Biswas switched over to the TMC during the party's mass outreach campaign – Trinamool eh Nabojowaar (New wave in Trinamool).

Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni on 3-day Visit to India

Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni arrived in New Delhi for a three-day visit to India. Union Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh received the Cambodian King at the airport.
Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni's visit to India marks the culmination of the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations. This visit by the King of Cambodia is taking place after almost six decades.
During his visit, Cambodia King will hold bilateral meetings with President Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will call on the King.
India and Cambodia enjoy warm and friendly nations marked by civilisational, cultural and economic linkages and deep-rooted people-to-people ties. The ties between the two nations are based on shared cultural values, commitment to foster economic growth, collaboration in the fields of defence & security and convergence on regional and global issues.

MVA to Contest Maharashtra Assembly, Lok Sabha Polls Together

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar said that Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will contest the Maharashtra assembly and Lok Sabha polls together to defeat the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance.
The MVA allies include the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Congress, and the NCP.
He said that the leaders of MVA will decide together regarding the candidate to contest the election on merit without thinking of their own party.

May 29, 2023

Modi Inaugurates New Parliament Building

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the country's new Parliament building. It is a modern complex built as part of the government's grand plan to give a makeover to the British colonial-era architecture in the nation's capital. Several religious leaders lauded the Prime Minister for the inauguration of the new building, which also houses the historic 'Sengol'.
The inauguration of the new Sansad Bhavan coincided with the birth anniversary of Hindutva ideologue V. D. Savarkar. Several opposition parties targeted the government, with the Congress calling it a complete insult to the country's founding fathers.
Besides modern technology, the new parliament has a total of 1,272 seats in two chambers, nearly 500 more than the old building, and at least three times as much space to accommodate new lawmakers in the world's most populous nation.
The triangular-shaped parliament complex is just across from the old, circular heritage building built by British architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker in 1927, two decades before India's independence.
The old parliament will be converted into a museum.

Suman Sharma Sworn in as UPSC Member

Senior bureaucrat Suman Sharma was sworn in as the member of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
Sharma is a 1990-batch Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) officer.
UPSC Chairman Manoj Soni administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly appointed member.
Sharma was working as Managing Director of Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) Ltd. under Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, to her parent cadre.
During her stint as MD, SECI, the company witnessed significant growth in its revenue and profits and also received 'Mini Ratna' status during her tenure.
Sharma, in her illustrious career of more than 30 years, has held several important positions and has been closely involved with the subject matters of international taxation, transfer pricing, power trading agreements and new foreign trade policy in India.

Siddaramaiah Keeps Key Departments, D. K. Shivakumar Gets Two

Members of the newly expanded Karnataka Cabinet, comprising 34 ministers, were assigned their portfolios with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah keeping five ministries, including Finance, with himself.
His deputy D. K. Shivakumar was assigned the ministries of Irrigation and Bengaluru Development.
Besides Finance, the CM kept the ministries of Cabinet Affairs, Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Intelligence, Information, and other unallocated portfolios. Senior Congress leader G. Parameshwara, a Dalit who remained the Deputy Chief Minister, was given the Home Ministry while Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's son Priyank Kharge was given the Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.

PM Presides over 8th NITI Aayog Governing Council Meeting

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the eighth governing council meeting of the NITI Aayog.
Themed on 'Viksit Bharat @2047: Role of Team India', the meeting was held at the new Convention Centre in the national capital's Pragati Maidan.
As the chairman of NITI Aayog, PM Modi presided over the meeting, which deliberated on issues related to health, skill development, women empowerment and infrastructure development, with an aim to make India a developed nation by 2047.
Chief Ministers of several states participated in the council meeting that was attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

May 28, 2023

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Inaugurates International Conference on India Pharma, India Medi...

Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Mansukh Mandviya asked the pharma and medical device industries to focus on the manufacturing of affordable and quality products.
Inaugurating the international conference on the pharma and medical device sector in New Delhi, he said that quality cannot be compromised in this competitive industry and the government is taking measures to ensure it.

Giriraj Singh Launches SAMARTH Campaign to Promote Digital Transactions at Gram Panchayat Level

The Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Giriraj Singh launched the 'SAMARTH Campaign on Promoting Digital Transactions in 50,000 Gram Panchayats' under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in Lucknow. This campaign, initiated by the Ministry of Rural Development, aims to promote digital transactions in rural areas, with a particular focus on empowering women. The launch event witnessed the participation of various dignitaries, including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Minister of State Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti.

Sushil Gupta is AAP Haryana Unit President

The Aam Aadmi Party constituted its Haryana unit and appointed Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Gupta as its president with an eye on the assembly elections in the state next year.
Ashok Tanwar, former state Congress chief who joined the AAP after a brief association with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in April 2022, was appointed as the party's campaign committee chairman.
Journalist-turned-politician Anurag Dhanda was named as senior state vice president and Balbir Singh Saini as state vice president.
The announcement of the new office bearers by the AAP's Haryana unit comes at a time when the party is looking to further strengthen its base in the state, where polls are due next year (2024).

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