General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - December 2015

Dec 2015

Apr 05, 2022

Vinay Mohan Kwatra is India's New Foreign Secretary

India's envoy to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra was appointed as the new Foreign Secretary, succeeding Harsh Vardhan Shringla who will retire at the end of this month.
Before his diplomatic posting to Nepal in 2020, he served as the Ambassador of India to France from August 2017 to February 2020.
A career diplomat with over 32 years of experience, Kwatra has also held the position of a Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) for two years between October 2015 to August 2017.

CM Jagan Mohan Reddy Launches 13 new Districts in Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy formally launched 13 new districts in the state taking the total number to 26. Reddy extended his heartiest wishes and congratulations to the people, officials and employees for the formation of the new districts and asked the officials to ensure that people are benefited by the schemes announced by government. Each district will now have six to eight assembly segments except in one tribal district.
Reddy, during the poll campaign for the 2019 Assembly elections, promised that his party, if voted to power, would make every Lok Sabha constituency as a district.

CIC Uday Mahurkar's Office Disposed of Record 5,056 RTI in 2021-2022

Citing a ruling on ancient Sanskrit manuscripts, Central Information Commissioner Uday Mahurkar said he "passed landmark judgements without fear or favour. Central Information Commissioner Uday Mahurkar said his court disposed of 5,056 RTI, or right to information, appeals in 2021-22, the highest in any year by a commissioner in 16 years of CIC's history. In a series of tweets, Mahurkar said his office took "creative steps like coordinating with Public Information officers of Union Ministries under my charge." The commissioner added that he even called "group meetings to know their problems while strictly directing them to ensure" the RTI Act's objectives of transparency and accountability.
The Central Information Commission was constituted under the Right to Information Act, 2005, with jurisdiction extending to all Central Public Authorities.

Apr 04, 2022

NCW Launches Anti-Human Trafficking Cell

The National Commission for Women (NCW) launched an anti-human trafficking cell. The facility will raise awareness among law enforcement officials and promote capacity-building. It will also conduct gender sensitisation training workshops for police officials and prosecutors at the regional, state and district level.
The complaints related to human trafficking received by the Commission will be addressed by this Cell. The Cell will further help survivors of trafficking in rebuilding lives by providing them with need-based training.

Dr. S. Raju Takes over as DG, Geological Survey of India

Dr. S. Raju took over as the Director General of Geological Survey of India (GSI) in Kolkata. After taking over as DG, GSI Dr. Raju said that Geological Survey of India is poised to focus continuously on the programs of core national importance in the field of mineral resources augmentation in the country and to aim at for closer interactions and engagements with the mining sector, industries and academic institutes of national and international repute.

BJP First Party since 1988 to Cross 100-seat Mark in Rajya Sabha

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) became the first party since 1988 to touch the 100-seat mark in the Rajya Sabha with the results of biennial elections to the Upper House. The BJP and NDA's growing strength in Rajya Sabha is also likely to translate into the government legislation having a smoother passage in the Upper House.
The rise of BJP numbers in the House has been accompanied by a decline in Congress numbers as the opposition party has lost a string of assembly polls since 2014.

Apr 03, 2022

CJI Ramana Launches 'FASTER' Software for Transmitting Judicial Orders

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana launched 'Fast and Secured Transmission of Electronic Records' (FASTER) software to transmit court orders swiftly and securely through electronic mode, ensuring quicker communication of judicial orders. A total of 1887 e-mail IDs were created for this system across the country. The FASTER Cell has been established in the Registry of the Supreme Court. It will transmit Record of Proceedings or Orders related to bail and release passed by this Court to the concerned Nodal Officers and duty holders through e-mail.
For the purposes of authentication, all such Orders or Record of Proceedings would bear digital signatures of authorised Nodal Officers of the Supreme Court as well as Institutional digital signatures. In this way, without loss of much time, such orders would be received by all concerned for necessary action at their end.

Apr 02, 2022

Punjab Assembly Passes Resolution Seeking Transfer of Chandigarh to State

Except the BJP, members of all political parties including the AAP, Congress, SAD and the lone BSP legislator came out in support of the resolution and dubbed the Centre's move as dictatorial and autocratic. The one-day special session comes amid a political row sparked by Union Home Minister Amit Shah's announcement that central service rules will apply to the employees of Chandigarh.
Chandigarh is the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.

Rajya Sabha Bids Farewell to 72 Retiring MPs

The Prime Minister said that experience has its own importance, and the MPs should take it forward in the service of the nation. Rajya Sabha bade farewell to 72 members retiring this year as Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed their contribution and MPs fondly reminisced on their experiences. He said knowledge alone can't bring about the change that the combined force of knowledge and experience can, which many senior retiring members brought to the House.
The 72 Rajya Sabha members are set to retire between March and July. Sixty-five of them represent 19 states while seven are nominated members.

Shah Announces Reduction of Areas under AFSPA in Nagaland, Assam, Manipur

In a major outreach to the Northeast, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced reduction of the disturbed areas imposed under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur after decades.
The decision does not imply that the AFSPA has been completely withdrawn from the three insurgency-hit states but will continue to be in force in some areas of the three states.
The AFSPA has been in force for decades in the three Northeastern states to assist the armed forces operating there to tackle insurgency.
The AFSPA empowers security forces to conduct operations and arrest anyone without any prior warrant besides giving immunity from arrest and prosecution to the security forces if they shoot someone dead.

Apr 01, 2022

DMRC Inaugurates First Interchange Station at Punjabi Bagh

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation inaugurated a new interchange station at Punjabi Bagh which connects the green and pink lines of the Delhi Metro. Meanwhile, the platforms of the two operational corridors are connected with a 212 metre-long footover bridge. This is for the first time that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has built such a station which connects two operational corridors. The two lines earlier crossed each other but there was no halt facility. However, there were demands from the people to provide an interchange provision at the intersection.

Share on

TCY Analytics (View Subscription Plans)

Subscribe to GK Updates

I want to receive

GK Tags

September GK, August GK, July GK, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, ENVIRONMENT, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, SPORTS, NATIONAL AFFAIRS, DEFENCE, PERSONS IN NEWS, DAYS AND EVENTS, AWARDS AND HONOURS, GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES, GENDER/ HEALTH/ EDUCATION, ART AND CULTURE, BOOKS AND AUTHORS, TOURISM AND HOTEL INDUSTRY AWARENESS, ART AND CULTURE, LAW AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Start Discussion

On any topic

Take Tests

Compiled from GK updates

Login

Sign Up

Forgot Password

Download TCY App

Unlock All Services And Enjoy The Premium Benefits

US$ 10

US$ 13

US$ 15

US$ 17

US$ 19

US$ 20

US$ 21

US$ 22

US$ 23

US$ 24

US$ 25

US$ 26