General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - September 2015

Sep 2015

Sep 08, 2020

Sanjay Raut Shiv Sena's New Chief Spokesperson

The Shiv Sena appointed its Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut as the chief spokesperson of the party.
Raut, who is also the executive editor of Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana', has been engaged in a war of words with actor Kangana Ranaut after she likened Mumbai to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Besides, Lok Sabha members Arvind Sawant and Dhairyasheel Mane, Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi, Maharashtra ministers Uday Samant, Anil Parab, Gulabrao Patil, MLAs Sunil Prabhu and Pratap Sarnaik, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar and senior leader Neelam Gorhe have been nominated as the party's spokespersons.

Atal Innovation Mission Partners with Freshworks to empower AIM Startup Innovators

To provide robust support to innovators and entrepreneurs in India, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, has partnered with Freshworks Inc., a customer-engagement software company.
The collaboration aims to increase the efficacy of the institutions and startups in the AIM portfolio and foster innovation and entrepreneurship among startup innovators.
Under this partnership, Freshworks will provide credits for its suite of products to AIM and its beneficiaries, which will empower startups to function efficiently while keeping a tab on costs in related activities. The credits offered to the beneficiaries are related to Freshsales—Sales CRM Software, Freshdesk—Customer Support Software, Freshchat—Customer Messaging Software, Fresh Release—Agile Project Management Software, Freshcaller—Cloud Telephony Software, Freshmarketer—Marketing Automation Software, Freshteam—HR Management Software, Freshservice—and IT service management software.
According to the Statement of Intent (SoI), Freshworks will do a white-glove onboarding for startups, which includes functional training in sales, marketing, and customer support use of cloud technology for providing better customer experiences.
Resources and mentorship to startups in Freshworks' area of expertise will also be made available, including access to virtual or physical office hours to interface with functional leaders from Freshworks and an extended mentor network.
Various webinars will be organised with AIM, including workshops, training of modules and other relevant topics.

Literacy Rate: Kerala Tops the Chart

With 96.2% literacy, Kerala has once again emerged as the most literate state in the country, while Andhra Pradesh featured at the bottom with a rate of 66.4%, showed a report based on National Statistical Office (NSO) survey.
The report on 'Household Social Consumption: Education in India as part of 75th round of National Sample Survey - from July 2017 to June 2018' provides for state-wise detail of literacy rate among the persons aged seven years and above.
According to the study, after Kerala, Delhi has the best literacy rate at 88.7%, followed by Uttarkhand's 87.6%, Himachal Pradesh's 86.6% and Assam's at 85.9%.
On the other hand, Rajasthan is the second worst performer with literacy rate at 69.7%, followed by Bihar at 70.9%, Telangana at 72.8%, Uttar Pradesh at 73% and Madhya Pradesh at 73.7%.
The study has pegged the overall literacy rate in the country at about 77.7%. In rural areas, the literacy rate is 73.5% compared to 87.7% in urban areas of the country.

IAS Officers' Body Drops Colonial-era Reference from Name, Rechristens it as IAS Association

Shedding the colonial tag, the Indian Civil & Administrative Services (Central) Association has been renamed as IAS Association. The new nomenclature -- which drops the reference to the colonial-era ICS (Indian Civil Services) -- for the association of IAS officers highlights Indian ethos.
Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra, also the President of the association, said that the new name was unanimously decided at the association's Annual General Body Meeting.
The name is symbolic, which aptly represents all IAS officers across the country. The change in nomenclature is a historic and significant decision as it will help in shedding the perceived baggage of colonial-era Indian Civil Service (ICS). The new name -- IAS Association -- also highlights the Indian ethos.
There are 5,205 IAS officers working across the country. The IAS association is an organisation of both the serving and retired members of the service.

Sep 07, 2020

India and Russia Explore Partnership in Agri, Health, IT, Arctic and Connectivity Projects

India and Russia apart from traditional pillars of partnership are exploring potential areas of cooperation in including agriculture, coking coal, pharma & health sector, digital & IT sectors besides connectivity projects.
"Apart from the traditional pillars, we are working together to explore potential areas of cooperation in areas like agriculture, coking coal, pharma & health sector, digital & IT sectors, exchange of skilled manpower, cooperation between the regions including in the Far East, cooperation in the Arctic, logistics and connectivity. Our joint efforts towards gradual reduction of trade barriers and forging free trade agreements would have a multiplier effect in this direction," suggested MoS External Affairs V. Muraleedharan in his message for India-Russia Young Scholars International Conference.

Jitin Prasada & Raj Babbar Out of Key Congress Panel for 2022 UP Polls

Former MP Jitin Prasada, and ex-UP Congress committee chief Raj Babbar were not included in four core committees announced by the party keeping in mind the 2022 UP elections.
The two were among 23 senior Congressmen who wrote a letter last month to the party chief Sonia Gandhi, dragging her attention towards the uncertainties about the leadership. Former MP RPN Singh is also among prominent leaders from the state who could not make it to these committees.
Total 27 senior Congress members were included in these committees.

Sep 06, 2020

Additional Secretary in Rajya Sabha Secretariat Refuses Extension

Chairman M. V.enkaiah Naidu's close aide A. A. Rao, who worked in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat as Additional Secretary on contract basis, demitted the office on August 31 despite being offered an extension of one more year.
As per an official statement, A. A. Rao expressed his inability to accept the offer owing to personal reasons.

India Calls For Deeper Cooperation In Dealing With Terrorism At BRICS Meet

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar called for boosting cooperation among the five-nation grouping BRICS in dealing with the threat of terrorism during a virtual meeting of the bloc which was also attended by his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
In his address, Mr. Jaishankar also emphasised the need to reform the United Nations to reflect contemporary global realities, and the feelings of millions of people in the world, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
He also called for expansion of the UN Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories besides pitching for reforms in international bodies like World Trade Organisation, International Monetary Fund and World Health Organisation.
The BRICS comprises five major emerging countries -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
The meeting was chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and attended by Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araújo, China's Wang, South African Foreign Minister Grace Naledi Pandor and Mr. Jaishankar.
A joint declaration issued after the meeting said the ministers expressed concern at the rise of violence and continuing conflicts in different parts of the world that have significant impact at both the regional and international levels.

National Tribal Research Conclave

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) organised a two-days 'National Tribal Research Conclave' through virtual platform in September 2020. The conclave was chaired by the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Shri Arjun Munda, who reviewed and discussed the outcome and the best practices of various research projects being implemented under partnerships with TRIs and other stakeholders. About 120 participants across the country including State Tribal Welfare Ministers, State Tribal Welfare Secretaries, TRI Directors, CoEs along with Officers of Ministry and IIPA attended the meet and shared their views on tribal research and development.
Union Minster of Tribal Affairs Shri Arjun Munda appreciated the initiatives taken by various partners/stakeholders with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. He also announced that agreement has been signed between Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) for setting up National Tribal Research Institute (NTRI) in their campus, which would help in better coordination and management among TRIs and would go a long way in improving tribal research resulting in evidence based planning and development of tribal areas across the country.

Sep 05, 2020

New Afghan Envoy to India Calls Nation Generous Neighbour

Afghanistan's new envoy to India Farid Mamundzay called the nation a generous neighbour who has stood with us in difficult times and have shared their bread with us. Farid who was earlier the senior political advisor at the Afghan National Security Council tweeted on his appointment, "I am honoured & humbled to have been designated as the new Afghan ambassador to India, a traditional and historic friend of Afghanistan."
India has been the biggest development partner of Afghanistan in the region and has built mega infrastructure projects like India Afghan friendship dam and the Afghanistan Parliament.
Farid was also Deputy Director General at the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) which is an Afghan government agency for all local administrations in the country. His appointment comes even as intra-Afghan talks between the Afghanistan government and Taliban are expected to begin.

Bihar Elections, 65 Pending Bypolls to be Held Around Same Time

According to the the Election Commission, the pending by-election to one Lok Sabha and 64 assembly seats spread across 15 states and the Bihar assembly polls will be held around the same time.
The term of the Bihar assembly ends on November 29 and elections are likely to be held sometime in October-November.
Among the 64 vacant assembly seats, 27 are in Madhya Pradesh. Most of these 27 seats fell vacant when rebel Congress members resigned from the party and the assembly to join the BJP.
With the resignations of the Congress members, the Kamal Nath-led government fell and the BJP returned to power.
The issue of holding the by-elections came up at the meeting of the Commission after taking into account various factors.

Defence Ministers Meet Amid Tension

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe in Moscow in the first highest-level contact after border tension erupted in Ladakh in May as the Indian leader said that peace and security in the region demanded a climate of trust, non-aggression, peaceful resolution of differences and respect for international rules.
According to Indian Government sources, the bilateral meeting was requested by the Chinese Defence Minister. Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar and Indian Ambassador to Russia DB Venkatesh Varma were part of the Indian delegation at the talks.
Mr. Singh said that India was committed to the evolution of a global security architecture which would be open, transparent, inclusive, rules-based and anchored in international laws.

Sep 04, 2020

ASI Declares Site and Remains at Baghpat to be of National Importance

The archaeological site and remains at Sadikpur Sinauli in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat district, which where evidence of the existence of a warrior class around 2,000 BCE, discovered in 2018 have been declared to be of "national importance" by the Archaeological Survey of India.
The ASI's notification under provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 brings the 28.67-hectare-site under Central protection. The site would now be maintained by the ASI and development works around it would be subject to Central rules.
The notification comes two years after the ASI unearthed remains of chariots, shields, swords and other items indicating the presence of a warrior class at the site that is 68 km from Delhi.

BJP's Syed Zafar Alam Elected Unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh

BJP candidate Syed Zafar Alam was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh. Friday was the last day for the withdrawal of nominations and no one else was in the fray for the by-election, which was scheduled on September 11.
The Rajya Sabha seat fell vacant following the death of SP MP Amar Singh in Singapore on August 1.
Zafar will serve the remainder of Singh's term till July 4, 2022.
BJP's Govind Narain Shukla and Independent Mahesh Chandra Sharma had filed nominations.
Sharma's nomination got rejected as he did not have the backing of 10 MLAs as required, while Shukla withdrew his nomination the next day.

Assam Assembly Passes Bills for Creation of Three Autonomous Councils

Assam assembly passed bills for creation of three autonomous councils which included Moran, Motok and Kamtapur Autonomous Council.
These proposals were mauled by the government at height of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protest early this year.
Meanwhile opposition congress in Assam has declared that if voted back to power in 2021 assembly polls cases slapped for participating in anti CAA protest will be withdrawn within one week of coming to power.
The assembly passing the proposal has led to celebrations in some areas. Welfare of Plain Tribes and Backward Classes Minister Chandan Brahma said that this is a historic day as the assembly passed three bills enabling creation of these councils.
Two factions representing Koch Rajbongshi Students Union and eight other organisations representing the Koch RajBongshi community thanked the Chief Minister for the Kamtapur Autonomous Council.
Sonowal also assured that the government is doing everything possible to give a final shape to the Council at the earliest.

India Ready to Hold Quad Ministerial Meet in Delhi

India has said that it is ready to hold Quad--India, US, Australia and Japan meet later this year and details are being worked out.
Earlier this month, US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun said that a Quad ministerial meet is being planned in Delhi.
Last year, the Quad foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New Yeat, which was the first such meet of the grouping.
Notably, Quad is viewed with suspicion by China as a grouping that is anti-Bejing.

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