General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - September 2015

Sep 2015

Nov 25, 2017

Practice for Recapture of Andaman by Armed Forces

In an unprecedented event, troops of the three armed forces have carried out a military exercise with a scenario to recapture an island in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. It has been a five-day trial services by Army, Navy, and the Indian Air Force, and called as “Defence of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Exercise (DANX). This was first such exercise to prepare for a contingency at this scale on the islands located in the Bay of Bengal and very close to vital straits of Malacca. The main objective of the exercise was to practice and validate procedures and drills of all commands forces aimed at defending Andaman and Nicobar islands.

Country’s Second Marina to be Opened in Mumbai

The Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) has decided on the developer-operator of a marina project in Belapur, Navi Mumbai, which is to be constructed close to the upcoming international airport. Upon completion, it will be the country’s second marina of international standards after Kochi.

‘Golden Temple’- The Most Visited Place of the World in Record Book

The Golden Temple has been declared “ the most visited place of the world” by the London-based World Book of Records (WBR). An estimated 80,000 devotees visit Golden Temple daily and 55,000 - 60,000 of them partake of langar in the Gurudwara.

Website to List Hospital Details and Treatment Costs

To ensure transparency and accountability in the medical tourism sector, the state plans to launch a portal that will serve as a single window for information. The website that will provide foreign patients with a fair idea of the treatment programmes, cost and success rate is likely to be functional in a month’s time.

State cuts extra marks for arts & culture in SSC

Ahead of the SSC examination in March next year, the state has revised its rules for awarding additional marks to students excelling in arts and culture. Students can now earn up to 15 marks extra, as opposed to 25. Besides, the state has done away with the 2% reservation students who got the extra marks could avail in first year junior college admissions. In addition to the marks doled out for participation in sports, for the first time in March 2017, extra marks were given for art and cultural activities for Std X students.

Nov 24, 2017

Pune Lab Designs Indigenous Booster for BrahMos

The premier Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) unit High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) in Pune has developed a solid propellant booster of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, which was successfully fired for the first time from a Sukhoi — 30MKI fighter jet in the Bay of Bengal. The indigenously developed, cost-effective propellant booster will soon be inducted in the missile, and will help save a significant amount of money. As of now, India imports the boosters from Russia.

President Clears Ordinance Amending Forest Act

President Ram Nath Kovind cleared an ordinance amending the Indian Forest Act, omitting bamboo grown on non-forest areas from the definition of a “tree”. It would help in exempting it from requiring permits for felling or transportation. The brief ordinance, aimed at increasing bamboo plantation, states that clause seven in Section 2 of the Act will omit the word “bamboo”.

Russian Made Choppers in India May be Exported

Russia-made Kamov Ka-226T military helicopters assembled in India could be exported to third countries. Under the Indo-Russian deal for 200 Kamov helicopters, the first 60 will be manufactured in Russia and the remaining 140 will be assembled in India. Subsequently, additional Kamov helicopters in India could be exported to third countries. A joint venture to implement the project will decide on the rate of production and the volume of deliveries and will look for new clients, officials indicated.

Nov 23, 2017

Cabinet Approves 15th Finance Commission

The Union Cabinet approved setting up of the 15th Finance Commission to decide on the new formula for sharing of resources between the Centre and the states. The new commission will have a heavier agenda, given major changes following introduction of GST. In addition, the committee on amendments to the fiscal responsibility law, headed by former Planning Commission member N K Singh, had also sought a detailed examination of its proposal by the new finance commission to cap state debt at 20% of GDP, while capping overall government debt at 60% of GDP.

BrahMos Test- Fired from Sukhoi

In a significant milestone, the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile, BrahMos, was mated and test-fired from a Sukhoi 30-MKIfighter jet, completing the triad or the ability to launch the missile from land, sea, and air. The BrahMos was fired for the first time from an Indian Air Force‘s Su30MKI fighter aircraft against a sea-based target in the Bay of Bengal. The IAF is the first air force in the world to have successfully fired an air launched 2.8 mach surface attack missile of this category.

First Batch of Women Pilots in Indian Navy

Lt Shubhangi Swaroop and three other officers become the first batch of women pilots in the Navy. Their induction in the Naval Armament Inspection branch signalled the increasing recognition of women power in combat duty. The four young women passed out of the Ezhimala Indian Naval Academy.

Approval to India’s Membership to EBRD

The Union Cabinet has approved India’s membership for European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), a move intended to enhance India’s international profile and promote its economic interests. The membership of EBRD was under consideration as it was considered appropriate that India should expand its presence on the global developmental landscape beyond its association with the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). The membership will increase the scope of cooperation between India and the multilateral institution through co-financing opportunities in manufacturing, services, information technology, and energy.

8 cities chosen for women’s safety projects

The Centre has selected eight cities—Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Lucknow—to undertake projects to make public places safe for women. The cities have been asked to submit proposals in one-and-a-half months so that projects can be rolled out quickly The projects will be financed from the Nirbhaya Fund.

Punjab CM Unveils Draft Startup Policy

Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh unveiled the draft Punjab Startup and Entrepreneurship Development Policy 2017, underlining the government’s commitment to promote women entrepreneurs.

IIT- Bombay Rises Four Notches in 2018 QS World University Rankings

IIT- Bombay has been ranked 9th in the QS World University Rankings for BRICS. The table is once again led by China’s Tsinghua University, and Chinese Institutions take 4 of the top 5 places. IIT Delhi and IIT Madras also feature in the top 20. IISc Bangalore, Institute of Chemical Technology Mumbai, and IIT Delhi received 100/100 for papers per faculty. In all, 65 Indian Universities have been ranked.

Cabinet Approves Revision of Salary for SC and HC Judges

The centre approved revision of salaries of Supreme Court and High Court Judges. The revision would include salary, gratuity, allowances, pension, etc. of sitting and retired judges. The decision follows the implementation of recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission in respect of Civil Servants. The approval will pave the way for necessary amendments to the two laws- Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Act, 1958 and High Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Act, 1954- which govern the salaries of the CJI, judges of the Supreme Court, Chief Justices, and all judges of the High Court.

Nov 22, 2017

Plan to Bring Legislation to End Triple Talaq by Winter Session

The government plans to bring a legislation in the winter session of Parliament to end the practice of instant triple talaq, and a ministerial committee has been formed to draft the law. The Supreme Court on August 22, in a majority judgment, had set aside the practice of talaq-e-biddat among Muslim husbands. It is learnt that in order to implement this SC order, the government is planning to bring about a suitable legislation, or amend the existing penal provisions, which shall make instantaneous triple talaq an offence.

BMC makes NGO ‘persona non grata’

In a first such move, the civic body declared the non-profit Praja Foundation, its representatives and employees as persona non grata on Monday. The civic body has been at loggerheads with the NGO over the latter’s alleged “misrepresentation” of tuberculosis and malaria death figures for the city that were obtained through the Right to Information Act.It simply means the municipal corporation refuses to identify them as persons, so whatever they publish henceforth will be treated as null and void.

Nov 21, 2017

New Delhi to Get ‘Eco-Friendly’ Industrial Hub

The Delhi government is planning to build an eco-friendly industrial hub at Ranikhera by 2021. The industrial estate would cater to specific needs of IT, ITeS industry, and research and will have 10-12 clusters of different industries. The new facility promises to be a large multilevel manufacturing hub for industries to set up or expand activities in the “non- polluting” manufacturing sector.

First Indigenous Powered Submarine set to be Commissioned

Eighteen years after an action plan was announced for having 24 modern submarines by 2030, the first indigenous conventionally powered submarine is set to be commissioned in mid-December. The submarine named ‘ Kalvari’ will be the first diesel-electric version to be commissioned under the action plan announced in 1999. The Kalvari is the first of the six scorpene-class diesel-electric submarines being built by Mazagon Docks Limited, in collaboration with France’s Naval Group.

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