General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - December 2014

Dec 2014

Nov 29, 2022

India's First Buddhist International Varsity in Tripura

Shakya Gasan, chief monk of the World Buddhist Pope Association of South Korea, laid the foundation stone for the International Buddhist University at Manu Bankul in Sabroom of South Tripura district.
The Dhamma Dipa International Buddhist University (DDIBU) would become the first Buddhist-run university in India to offer Buddhist education along with courses in other disciplines of modern education as well.
The Dalai Lama has sent best wishes for the international Buddhist university.
Apart from Shakya Gasan Bhikkhu from South Korea, who joined as chief guest, Bhikkshuni Mani, who is an eminent Buddhist nun from South Korea was also present. There were guests from Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and from Canada.

Gujarat elections 2022: Veteran BJP leader Jay Narayan Vyas Joins Congress

Days before the first phase of the Assembly elections in Gujarat, the Congress got a shot in the arm in the state with veteran politician Jay Narayan Vyas joining the party at a function in Ahmedabad in the presence of party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and other senior leaders.
Vyas, reputed to be the face of BJP in Gujarat owing to his frequent appearances in television debates to represent the party, severed his over three-decade-old association when he resigned from the party on November 5.

Vinay Mohan Kwatra Gets 14-month Extension as Foreign Secretary: Report

Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra was granted a 14-month extension in the post beyond his date of superannuation on December 31, 2022, a Personnel Ministry order said.
Kwatra had assumed office as Foreign Secretary on May 1, 2022, succeeding Harsh Vardhan Shringla to the post.
The extension of his tenure came at a time when India is assuming the presidency of the G-20. India is set to host the G-20 Summit next year.
Earlier, Kwatra served as India's envoy to Nepal.
Kwatra is known to have extensive expertise in dealing with India's neighbourhood as well as the US, China and Europe.

Nov 28, 2022

Egypt President to be Chief Guest at Republic Day Celebrations

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi will be the chief guest at the Republic Day in January 2023.
Mr. Sisi will be the first such guest since 2020, as plans for guests in 2021 and 2022 were cancelled due to COVID-19.
This is the first time that the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt will be the Chief Guest at our Republic Day.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sent a formal invitation to al-Sisi which was handed over to the Egyptian President by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in October.
Both countries are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year.

Udaipur Gears up for First G20 Sherpa Meeting under India's Presidency

From painting walls to depicting the Indian culture to decking up heritage sites with lights, hectic preparations are underway in Rajasthan's Udaipur for the first G20 Sherpa meeting under India's presidency.
The meeting will be held from December 5 to 7.
Udaipur will set a unique example in front of the country and the world by extending Mewari hospitality during the event.
The delegates will get a glimpse of rural life at Shilp gram. Attractive cultural performances will be the highlight of the hospitality.
During their visit, the delegates will visit the City Palace and Jagmandir, where cultural performances will be held, according to official sources.
The three-day meeting will have sessions on various topics like accelerated, inclusive and resilient growth; multilateralism; food, fuel and fertiliser; and women-led development.

India Forms Panel to Revamp Only Govt. Job Guarantee Scheme

India's Union rural development ministry formed a panel to revamp its only job guarantee scheme in the hope of directing more work to the country's poorer regions.
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, or MNREGA, was in high demand in the India's rural areas as they emerged from the pandemic amid soaring inflation and limited non-farm job opportunities.
Residents of relatively affluent states, however, may have fared better in securing work under the key anti-poverty job program, triggering calls for changes to the scheme.
The spending of states such as Bihar and Odisha, for instance, under the jobs scheme lags those of states such as Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, which have a higher per-capita income, government data shows.
The MNREGA jobs programme, introduced more than 15 years ago, allows citizens to enrol for works such as building roads, digging wells or creating other rural infrastructure, and receive a minimum wage for 100 days each year.

Prasar Bharati Hosting ABU General Assembly 2022 in New Delhi

Prasar Bharati, India's Public Service Broadcaster, is hosting the 59th Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) General Assembly 2022. The conference began in New Delhi on November 25 and will end on November 30.
The theme of this year's assembly is 'Serving the People: Media's Role in Times of Crisis'. The event coincides with Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to mark the 75th year of the India's Independence.
The ABU is a non-profit, professional association of the broadcasting organisations of Asia and pacific region.
Prasar Bharati CEO, Gaurav Dwivedi informed that around 300 international delegates from 40 countries representing 50 organisations are participating in the event.
The conference is first of its kind in the Broadcasting sector, which is being held after Covid pandemic, in the physical form. It is expected to strengthen relations with foreign broadcasters, particularly from ASEAN countries, thus favouring the Act East Policy of the Government.

Ayush Ministry Partners Department of Science to Promote Evidence-based Research

The Ministry of Ayush signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Science and Technology to explore cooperation, convergence, and synergy for evidence-based scientific intervention in the Ayush sector.
The MoU will identify the potential areas of research to explore cooperation, convergence, and synergy for evidence-based scientific intervention in the Ayush sector and further application of these into the public health care system.
The Ayush ministry and DST have agreed to jointly undertake R&D activities on scientific validation of Ayush concepts, procedures and products, create a platform for the exchange of information and bring about the application of modern science toward understanding the Ayush-related basic concepts and principles.
The MoU will also focus on special calls for proposals under Ayush related R&D activities solicited from the individual or group of National scientists who are actively engaged in research and technology development in academic institutions, research organizations, governments agencies, and industries.

Nov 27, 2022

Centre Appoints Three Indian Foreign Service Officers in PMO

Three Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officers were appointed to different posts in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
Deepak Mittal, a 1998-batch IFS officer, was appointed as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the PMO. Vipin Kumar and Nidhi Tewari were appointed as Deputy Secretary and Under Secretary, respectively in the PMO.
Kumar is a 2013-batch IFS officer and Tewari belongs to the 2014 batch.

Odisha Launches Anaemia Eradication Programme 'AMLAN'

In a bid to ensure complete eradication of anaemia problem among women and children in Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched AMLAN- 'Anaemia Mukta Lakhya Abhiyan' in the state.
The state formulated a multi-pronged approach for accelerated reduction of anaemia among targeted groups.
The programme will be implemented with joint efforts of several departments including Health and Family Welfare, School and Mass Education, Women and Child Development, Mission Shakti and ST and SC Development Department.

Nov 25, 2022

UIDAI Asks State Governments, Entities to Verify Aadhaar before Accepting It

Unique Identification Authority of India asked state governments and entities to verify Aadhaar before accepting it either in the physical or electronic form to check its misuse.
Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) said that it maintains that verification of the Aadhaar number following the consent of the Aadhaar holder is the right step to establish the genuineness of any form of Aadhaar -- Aadhaar letter, e-Aadhaar, Aadhaar PVC card, and m-Aadhaar, presented by an individual.
UIDAI has also issued circulars to emphasise the necessity of verification and specify the protocol to be followed.

Nov 24, 2022

Vinit Kumar Assumes Charge of CEO of KVIC

Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVlC) under Ministry of MSME appointed Vinit Kumar as CEO of KVIC Central Office, KVIC Mumbai.
He is an IRSEE officer of 1993 batch and has served as the Chairman of Syama Prasad Mukherjee Port, Kolkata (erstwhile Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Port, Kolkata) and was welcomed by Manoj Kumar, Chairman, KVIC.
Previously he also worked as Chief Electrical Engineer in Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Ltd. and looked after World Bank funded MUTP project before joining as CEO, KVIC.

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