Election Commission Appoints Maithili Thakur as Bihar's State Icon
Folk singer Maithili Thakur was appointed the state icon for Bihar by the Election Commission.
Thakur, trained in Indian classical and folk music, was selected for the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar of the Sangeet Natak Akademi for her contribution to the folk music of Bihar for 2021.
According to the state election commission, the singer will create awareness among the voters for their participation in the electoral process.
India's First Underwater Metro to Become Operation by December 2023
In a first, Kolkata will soon have India's first underwater metro service. The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) said that the East-West Metro Corridor project is expected to be completed by December 2023.
The underwater metro which will run through the Hoogly River will be connecting Howrah and Kolkata and reduce the travel time from 90 minutes to 40 minutes. The metro trains that will use the underwater track will take just 45 seconds to cross the 520-meter tunnel. The Kolkata metro tunnel in Kolkata is 13 metres below the riverbed and 33 metres below the ground.
PM Modi Addresses 108th Indian Science Congress
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 108th Indian Science Congress through video conferencing and gave an address on the theme "Science and Technology for Sustainable Development with Women Empowerment." He pointed out that the efforts of science can bear fruit only when they are taken from labs to the land.
The 108th Indian Science Congress was hosted by Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU) at its Amravati Road Campus. The event was held after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic. The previous edition of the Indian Science Congress, a key event in the science calendar, was held in Bengaluru in January 2020.
President Murmu Inaugurates Constitution Park at Rajasthan Raj Bhavan
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the newly-constructed Constitution Garden and beautification works related to it at Rajasthan Raj Bhavan.
On this occasion, she also interacted with Kathodi and Sahariya tribals.
Governor Kalraj Mishra, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Assembly Speaker Dr C.P. Joshi, Urban Development and Housing Minister Shanti Dhariwal and other dignitaries will be present at the programme.
On the innovative initiative of the Governor, Rajasthan became the first state in the country where a Constitution Garden has been established at the Raj Bhavan to create constitutional awareness among the common people.
Jan 02, 2023
BJP Will Go it Alone in 2023 Karnataka Assembly Polls
Urging party workers to ensure that BJP forms a government with two-thirds majority in Karnataka, Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that the party will go alone in the 2023 assembly polls, and said it will be a direct contest as voting for JD(S) is like casting the ballot for Congress.
He also urged people to decide whether they are standing with a party of patriots, referring to the BJP, or with "tukde-tukde gang" under the leadership of Congress.
Karnataka will go to the polls by April-May, 2023.
Tamil Nadu Information Commission Lowest Performing in RTI Responsiveness
The State Information Commission of Tamil Nadu has the lowest performance of responsiveness under the RTI Act concerned, with only up to 14% of the information sought. Maharashtra was second lowest with sharing only 23% of the information asked for.
The report was issued on the Performance of Information Commission (ICs) in India for 2021-22 by Satark Nagrik Sangathan.
Only 10 ICs provided the full information in response to the RTI applications filed as part of this assessment.
These included Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, and the north-eastern states of Tripura, Nagaland, and Sikkim.
Pakistan, India Exchange List of Nuclear Installations, Facilities
Pakistan and India exchanged a list of their nuclear installations that cannot be attacked in case of an escalation in hostilities, as part of an annual ritual that has been in practice between the two neighbours for more than three decades.
The lists of nuclear installation and facilities were exchanged as per the provisions of the Article-II of the Agreement on Prohibition of Attacks against Nuclear Installations and Facilities, signed on December 31, 1988 and ratified on 27 January 1991.
India's Second Longest Cable-stayed Zuari Bridge Opens in Goa
Union Minister of Roads Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the country's second longest cable-stayed eight-lane Zuari Bridge in Goa. Right-hand side (4-lane corridor) across the Zuari River and approaches from Bambolim to Verna were thrown open for vehicular traffic. Gadkari also launched the PWD Goa App for integrated operations management. Through the insurance scheme of the Government of Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant gave Rs. 2 lakh each to the families of the workers who died during the construction of the bridge.
The Zuari Bridge is a bridge between North Goa and South Goa, India. It carries the NH 66 over the tidal part of the Zuari River, between the villages of Agaçaim and Cortalim. It is a few metres downstream of the Konkan Railway Bridge. The 640-metre-long bridge and the 13.20 km roads on both sides have been built in 3 phases. The Zuari Bridge work began in June 2016.
India Assume Chairmanship of Wassenaar Arrangement for One Year
India assumed the chairmanship of the plenary of the Wassenaar Arrangement for one year. The 42-member Wassenaar Arrangement is a voluntary export control regime that monitors transfers of conventional weapons and dual-use goods. At the 26th annual plenary of the Wassenaar Arrangement held in Vienna in December 2022, Ireland's ambassador Eoin O'Leary handed over the chairmanship to India's ambassador Jaideep Mazumdar, who is the permanent representative to the UN and international organisations in Vienna. India joined the Wassenaar Arrangement in December 2017 as its 42nd participating state.
The Wassenaar Arrangement is a multilateral export control regime that works to promote transparency and greater responsibility in transfers of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies through regular exchanges of information among its members. The regime is aimed at tracking such transfers and preventing "destabilising accumulations" of conventional arms and dual-use goods.
The plenary of the Wassenaar Arrangement is the main decision-making body that operates on consensus. As the incoming chair of the body, India "remains ready and committed to work in close cooperation with other members to further the Wassenaar Arrangement goal of contributing to regional and international security and stability", the external affairs ministry said. Membership of the Wassenaar Arrangement has also bolstered India's efforts to gain access to sensitive goods and technologies from leading players in the West.
Assam Merges 4 Districts with 4 Others, Changes Jurisdiction of Villages
The Assam government merged four districts with four others and changed the administrative jurisdiction of a few villages, a day before the Election Commission's freeze on redrawing administrative units came into effect.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the decisions were taken with a heavy heart keeping in mind the interests of Assam, its society and administrative exigencies. He added it was only temporary and did not disclose the reason behind the decisions.
While Biswanath district was merged with Sonitpur, Hojai was merged with Nagaon, Bajali was merged with Barpeta and Tamulpur was merged with Baksa.
The decisions had to be taken at the cabinet meeting as the Election Commission had imposed a ban on creating new administrative units in Assam from January 1, 2023 as the poll panel would undertake the delimitation exercise in the state.
Jan 01, 2023
Election Commission Proposes Remote Voting for Inter-state Migrants
Election Commission proposed introduction of 'remote voting' for domestic migrants, using a multi-constituency electronic voting machine (EVM) that will retain all security features of the EVMs currently in use. This modified form of EVM can handle up to 72 multiple constituencies from a single remote polling booth.
The initiative, if implemented, can lead to a social transformation for the migrants and connect with their roots as many times they are reluctant to get themselves enrolled at their place of work for various reasons such as frequently changing residences.
In this regard, the Commission has invited all Recognised National and State Political Parties on 16th of January next year to demonstrate the functioning of the multi-constituency prototype Remote Electronic Voting Machine. The Technical Expert Committee members will also be present in the meeting.
Dec 31, 2022
MoHUA Launches Initiatives for Ranking Cities Based Beautification
Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri released draft guidelines for a new ranking system of cities based on financial performance and beautification.
City Finance Rankings 2022 aim to evaluate, recognise and reward urban local bodies (ULBs) on the basis of their strength across three financial parameters -- resource mobilisation, expenditure performance and fiscal governance systems.
According to Manoj Joshi, Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, it is also an effort to analyse and help the ULBs in identifying areas in their financial performance where they can make further improvements, to be able to deliver quality infrastructure and services, and hence a good quality of life to its citizens.
India and Cyprus Sign a Number of Agreements
India and Cyprus have signed a number of agreements in various areas including on Defence and Military Cooperation between the two countries.
A Letter of Intent on Migration and Mobility Partnership was also signed to provide a common framework of arrangement and cooperation to facilitate the mobility of students, academics, business people and professionals. It will also help in combating irregular migration.
The agreements were signed following talks between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Foreign Minister of Cyprus.
Tata Sons Chairman to Head Maharashtra's New Economic Advisory Body
Tata Sons chairman N. Chandrasekaran will head the new Economic Advisory Council of Maharashtra.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis made the announcement in the Legislative Council in Nagpur.
To make Maharashtra a trillion dollar economy, the state government is setting up an Economic Advisory Council, to be headed by Tata Sons chairman N. Chandrasekaran.
It will function as a private research organization with focus on issues related to agriculture, banking, engineering and education, among others.
President Murmu Laid Foundation Stone for PRASHAD Project for Two Temples in Telangana
Droupadi Murmu laid the foundation stone of the project 'Development of Pilgrimage Facilities at Bhadrachalam Group of Temples' at Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamivari Devasthanam, Bhadrachalam in Telangana.
The President of India laid the foundation stone for another project called 'Development of Pilgrimage and Heritage Infrastructure of UNESCO World Heritage Site at Rudreshwara Temple in Telangana. These projects were approved under the PRASAD Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
President Droupadi Murmu informed that the famous temples of Telangana are visited by lakhs of pilgrims, and they form the major components of domestic and foreign tourists.
Tourism increases the livelihood opportunities and income of the people.
The President appreciated the Ministry of Tourism for boosting spiritual and cultural tourism by developing pilgrimage sites under the 'PRASHAD' scheme.
The PRASHAD scheme was launched in 2014-15 and aims to provide integrated infrastructure development to pilgrimage and heritage tourism destinations in India.
Dec 30, 2022
Praveen Kumar Srivastava Appointed Acting CVC
Vigilance Commissioner Praveen Kumar Srivastava was appointed as the acting Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC).
Srivastava's appointment came after Suresh N. Patel completed his term as the chief of the anti-corruption watchdog Central Vigilance Commission on December 24.
The commission is headed by a CVC and can have a maximum of two Vigilance Commissioners.
Besides Srivastava, former Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Arvind Kumar is the other Vigilance Commissioner.
Mr. Srivastava is a 1988-batch (retired) Indian Administrative Service officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre. He superannuated as Secretary (Coordination), Cabinet Secretariat on January 31, 2022.
Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) is an apex Indian governmental body created in 1964 to address governmental corruption. In 2003, the Parliament enacted a law conferring statutory status on the CVC. It has the status of an autonomous body, free of control from any executive authority, charged with monitoring all vigilance activity under the Central Government of India, advising various authorities in central Government organizations in planning, executing, reviewing and reforming their vigilance work.
It was set up by the Government of India Resolution on 11 February 1964, on the recommendations of the Committee on Prevention of Corruption, headed by K. Santhanam, to advise and guide Central Government agencies in the field of vigilance.
Amit Shah Launches Mobile App 'Prahari'
Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the 'Prahari' Mobile app and Manual of Border Security Force (BSF) in New Delhi. The Prahari app will enable jawans to access personal information and information related to accommodation, Ayushmann-CAPF, and leaves on their mobile.
The App will also provide access to GPF, Bio Data, or grievance redressal on the 'Centralized Public Grievances Redress and Monitoring System' or Information on various welfare schemes. The app also connects the Jawans with the portal of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
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