General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - December 2015

Dec 2015

Nov 20, 2021

Jaishankar Meets Singapore PM and Top Ministers to Enhance Bilateral Ties

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar called on Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and discussed how the two countries can work towards an even stronger partnership in the post-pandemic world.
Jaishankar, also met a number of top ministers and exchanged views with them on ways to strengthen the strategic partnership between India and Singapore.

M. Duraiswamy is Acting CJ of Madras HC

Justice M. Duraiswamy was appointed as the acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court.
Justice Sanjib Banerjee, who was heading the High Court, was shifted as the head of the Meghalaya High Court.

Punjab Government Appoints Patwalia as New AG

The Punjab government appointed Senior Advocate D. S. Patwalia as the new Advocate General, giving in to the demand raised by state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.
Patwalia's appointment as the state's top law officer comes days after Punjab Cabinet accepted the resignation of senior advocate APS Deol, who had to put in his papers in the face of strong pressure exerted by Sidhu.

Nov 19, 2021

Centre Approves new Rajya Sainik Board for Ladakh

The Centre approved a new Rajya Sainik Board (RSB) for Ladakh. The Board will be an effective link between the Centre and the Ladakh Administration. Rajya Sainik Board will play an advisory role on the matters relating to the ex-servicemen, war widows, widows and non-combatants, including serving soldiers and their dependents. Zila Sainik welfare offices of Leh and Kargil will function under the newly constituted Rajya Sainik Board.
The board provides access to the welfare schemes under the Raksha Mantri Ex-servicemen Welfare Fund and welfare and resettlement of ex-servicemen.
Approximately sixty thousand retired and serving army personnel would get benefit from the establishment of the Rajya Sainik Board in Ladakh.
Ladakh Scouts Regiment Center will avail maximum benefit from the welfare schemes extended through the Rajya Sainik Board.

A. K. Antony to Head Congress Disciplinary Panel

The Congress reconstituted the party's disciplinary committee with veteran leader and former Defence Minister A. K. Antony being appointed as its chairman.
The five-member All India Congress Committee (AICC) panel includes former Union Minister Ambika Soni and senior leader Tariq Anwar.
Former Delhi MP Jai Parkash Aggarwal and G Parameswar are the other members of the all-important panel.

PM Narendra Modi's Big Announcement: Three Contentious Farm Laws to be Rolled Back

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Friday during which he made a major announcement that his government has decided to repeal the three controversial farm laws.
PM Modi said that the three laws were for the benefit of farmers but "we couldn't convince a section of farmers despite best efforts". The goal of the three farm laws was to empower farmers, especially small farmers.

Rajnath Inaugurates Revamped War Memorial in Eastern Ladakh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a revamped war memorial in eastern Ladakh's Rezang La, the site of an epic battle where Indian troops bravely fought the Chinese soldiers in 1962.
Singh described the monument as an example of the determination and indomitable courage displayed by the Indian Army that he said is not "only immortal in the pages of history, but also beats in our hearts".
The Battle of Rezang La is considered one of the ten greatest and most challenging military conflicts in the world.

Nov 18, 2021

Congress Appoints New Secretary for Himachal, Chief of Punjab Women's Unit

The Congress appointed Bodhraj Bhardwaj as secretary of the party's Himachal Pradesh unit and Balbir Sodhi as president of Punjab Pradesh Mahila Congress.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi also approved a proposal for appointing Perpeet Brar, Shahnaz Yasmin Haque and Pratima Singh as general secretaries and Sai Anamika Jha, Sashmita Behera, Shamima Raina, Priyanka Singh and Jansirani M as secretaries of the All India Mahila Congress.

Central Bureau of Investigation Gets 3 New Joint Directors

Senior IPS officers Vidya Jayant Kulkarni, Ghanshyam Upadhyay and Nawal Bajaj were appointed as Joint Directors in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Kulkarni, a 1998-batch IPS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, was appointed for a period of five years on a deputation basis.
Upadhyay, a 1999-batch IPS officer of Odisha cadre, would have his tenure till June 29, 2026.
Bajaj, who is from a 1995 batch and belongs to the Maharashtra cadre, will have a combined tenure of five years, i.e. up to June 6, 2026.

Indian Railways Gets First Pod Hotel at Mumbai Central Station

Passengers of Indian Railways and even common people can now avail of modern resting facilities at comparatively cheaper rates thanks to the first-of-its-kind pod hotel which has come up at the Mumbai Central station.
According to a senior Western Railway (WR) official, one has to pay Rs. 999 for 12 hours and Rs. 1,999 for 24 hours for staying in this pod hotel where facilities like WiFi, TV, a small locker, adjustable mirror, and reading lights etc. will be provided.
A pod hotel has several small bed-sized capsules and provides affordable overnight accommodation.

Nov 17, 2021

AIMIM to Make Foray into Rajasthan

The All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is set to make its political debut in Rajasthan.
It will be launching its state unit within the next two months. It is set to contest the 2023 Assembly election as the third political front in a possible alliance with regional parties.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who visited Jaipur to analyse the political situation in the state, said that the party would focus on Muslims and Dalits in an attempt to evolve an independent and credible leadership for them. The party would shortly establish its organisation and appoint office-bearers at various levels.

Ahead of Himachal Assembly Polls, BJP May Carve more Districts out of Kangra

As per reports, the BJP facing anti-incumbency in Kangra, the largest district of Himachal Pradesh in terms of population having 15 Assembly segments, the ruling party may carve out new districts out of it. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur gave an indication to this affect.
This is not for the first time that the BJP is contemplating creation of new districts. During the tenure of then CM Prem Kumar Dhumal, the party had posted ADCs in Palampur, Nurpur and Dehra as an indication of creating new districts.

AAP Begins Expanding Itself in Several States to be a National Party before 2024 General Election

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has begun moves to expand itself in several states so as to get status as a national political party before the 2024 general election.
The party wants to register its presence electorally across states, and in the immediate context other than the National Capital Territory of Delhi where it is in power, it has focused on Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Goa where Assembly elections will be held in February-March, 2022.
The party has started preparations in earnest for the Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, which will be held in the latter half of the next year.
The party has started working in Haryana,Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh.

Nov 16, 2021

UN Secretary General Guterres Appoints Shombi Sharp as UN Resident Coordinator in India

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres appointed Shombi Sharp of the United States as the UN Resident Coordinator in India.
Sharp has devoted more than 25 years of his career to promoting inclusive and sustainable development internationally, bringing experience he has acquired at the United Nations and externally to this new position.
Within the world organisation, he most recently served as United Nations Resident Coordinator in Armenia.
Sharp has held several leadership positions at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Kaiser-i-Hind: Arunachal's State Butterfly

State Cabinet of Arunachal Pradesh, headed by Chief Minister Pema Khandu, approved "Kaiser-i-Hind" as state butterfly.
Kaiser-i-Hind' is a large and brightly coloured butterfly.
It is an elusive swallowtail butterfly, which carries 'India' in its name.
It is found in China and now it has been approved as the State butterfly of Arunachal Pradesh.
Kaiser-i-Hind is scientifically known as Teinopalpus imperialis. In literal terms, it means Emperor of India.
It is found across six States along Eastern Himalayas at the elevations from 6,000-10,000 feet in a well-wooded terrain. They also flutter in Bhutan, Nepal, Laos, Myanmar, southern China and Vietnam.

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