General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - January 2016

Jan 2016

Apr 02, 2025

"Connecting with Care" - A Month Dedicated to Listening, Learning & Leading

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), India's pioneering state-owned telecommunications provider, announced April 2025 as "Customer Service Month" — a nationwide initiative dedicated to enhancing customer experience and building stronger connections with its users under the unifying theme 'Connecting with Care.'
As part of BSNL's renewed focus on service excellence and its long-standing commitment to "Customer First", all BSNL Circles, Business Areas, and Units will actively participate in this month-long engagement drive.
The initiative aims to re-engage customers across all segments — rural, urban, enterprise, and retail — with a dedicated emphasis on:
Improving mobile network quality
Enhancing FTTH and broadband reliability
Enhancing leased circuits/MPLS reliability
Ensuring billing transparency
Expediting customer grievance redressal

India, Chile Agree to Begin Talks for Economic Partnership Pact

As India and Chile agreed to start negotiations for a comprehensive economic partnership agreement after a bilateral meeting with the visiting President of Chile Gabriel Boric Font, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Chile as the "gateway to Antarctica".
In the field of agriculture, cooperation will be done to ensure food security by combining each other's capabilities.
Describing Chile as an important partner of India in Latin America, Modi said: "India is ready to share its positive experience with Chile in Digital Public Infrastructure, Renewable Energy, Railways, Space and other areas."

Apr 01, 2025

Sagarmala Programme Completes 10 Years since Implementation

Launched in March 2015, the Sagarmala Programme is the flagship initiative of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways aimed at transforming India's maritime sector. With a 7,500 km coastline, 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways, and a strategic location on global trade routes, India has immense potential for port-led economic growth. Sagarmala focuses on modernizing ports, enhancing connectivity, promoting industrial development, and boosting coastal shipping and inland waterways to reduce logistics costs and improve trade competitiveness.
As a key pillar of the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 (MAKV), Sagarmala plays a vital role in India's goal to become a global maritime leader. Through strategic investments, the program supports port modernisation, industrialisation, sustainability, and coastal community development. The Sagarmala 2.0 initiative and the Sagarmala Startup Innovation Initiative (S2I2) are expected to further drive maritime infrastructure, shipbuilding, innovation, and economic expansion, aligning with India's vision for Viksit Bharat and Atmanirbhar Bharat 2047.

President of India Inaugurates National Conference on 'Environment - 2025'

The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, inaugurated the National Conference on 'Environment – 2025' in New Delhi. In her address, she emphasised that environmental protection should be a continuous effort integrated into daily life. The President highlighted India's commitment to green initiatives and the role of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in environmental governance.

Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament 2025 to Kick Off in New Delhi

The three-day Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is being held in New Delhi from April 1 to 3. Like traditional Youth Parliament, the event serves as a powerful platform to connect young individuals with politics and public policy, fostering their engagement in governance and nation-building. For the first time since COVID-19, all 300 District Nodal Rounds were conducted in person.
After successful district and state rounds, the top 3 candidates from each State and UT, totalling 108 youth, were are participating at the national level. The participants will also attend sessions in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for firsthand exposure to governance. The event will conclude on April 3, as the Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament Awards and National Youth Awards will be conferred.

Uttarakhand Renames 17 Places with Mughal Reference

Amid the ongoing controversy over Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb in Maharashtra, the BJP-led Uttarakhand government renamed 17 locations across four districts, removing all Mughal-era references.
At least ten places which underwent a name change are located in Haridwar district, four in Dehradun, two in Nainital and one in Udham Singh Nagar.
Aurangzebpur in Haridwar was renamed Shivaji Nagar, Ghaziwali as Arya Nagar, Khanpur as Shri Krishnapur and Khanpur Kursali as Ambedkar Nagar.
Likewise, Miyawala in Dehradun will now be called Ramjiwala, Chandpur Khurd as Prithviraj Nagar, Nawabi Road in Nainital got a new name Atal Road and Panchukki Marg was renamed Guru Golwalkar Marg after the second RSS chief.

Mar 31, 2025

India Launches 'Operation Brahma' For Quake-Hit Myanmar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Myanmar's Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and assured India's humanitarian assistance to help deal with the devastating aftermath of the earthquake that struck Myanmar. The conversation between the two leaders came just hours after India launched 'Operation Brahma', an emergency relief mission aimed at providing disaster relief, search and rescue operations, and medical assistance to the affected regions.

Centre Appoints IFS officer Nidhi Tewari as PM Modi's Private Secretary

The government issued a memorandum announcing the appointment of Nidhi Tewari, a 2014-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, as Private Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Tewari has been serving as Deputy Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) since November 2022. Earlier she was Under Secretary at Disarmament and International Security Affairs Division at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

India, Japan Sign Loan Agreements for 6 Projects

India and Japan signed loan agreements worth 191.736 billion Japanese yen for six projects under Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) to India. The six projects are in forest management, water supply, urban transport, aquaculture, biodiversity conservation and investment promotion.

Mar 30, 2025

India's Social Security Coverage Doubles: ILO Report 2024-26

India has made remarkable strides in expanding social security coverage, as highlighted in the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) World Social Protection Report (WSPR) 2024-26. The report reveals that India's social protection coverage has doubled from 24.4% in 2021 to 48.8% in 2024, demonstrating the impact of various government welfare initiatives.
According to the Ministry of Labour & Employment, nearly 920 million people (65% of the population) now benefit from at least one form of social protection, either in cash or in-kind, through central government schemes. India's progress has also contributed to a 5% increase in global social protection coverage, highlighting its role in shaping international welfare policies.

Mar 28, 2025

Govt to Launch 'Sahkar Taxi' Service across India to Compete with Ola, Uber

The union government has announced plans to launch a new taxi service called "Sahkar Taxi". The new service will be an alternative to platforms like Ola, Uber, and Rapido, and will offer bike, cab, and auto rides. Announcing the initiative in the Parliament, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah said "Sahkar Taxi will register two-wheeler taxis, auto-rickshaws, and four-wheeler taxis across the country". He said that the goal is to help drivers earn directly without sharing profits with big companies.
"Profits from this service will not go to any big industrialist but will go solely to the drivers of the vehicles," the minister stated. Sahkar will be available across the country and will be rolled out in the coming months.
Additionally, a cooperative insurance company will be established to provide insurance services within the country's cooperative system, Shah said.

Telangana to Adopt Central Act to Regulate Organ Transplantation

The Telangana Transplantation of Human Organs Bill, 2025 was passed in the Legislative Assembly with bipartisan backing, to bring the State's organ transplantation regulations in line with the Central Act and curb illegal organ trade.
The bill was introduced by Minister for Health C. Damodar Raja Narasimha on March 27, 2025 who highlighted the need to replace the existing Telangana Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1995, which was originally enacted in undivided Andhra Pradesh. The 1995 Act, which has been in force in Telangana since its formation, was modeled on the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994, a law enacted by the Parliament of India to regulate organ donation and prevent commercial transactions in human organs.

Ministry of Rural Development and UNICEF YuWaah Signs a Statement of Intent Empowering Rural Women

The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) YuWaah have signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) to empower rural women and youth across India. This three-year partnership focuses on creating livelihood opportunities by connecting women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to jobs, self-employment, entrepreneurship, and skill-building initiatives, thereby boosting female labour force participation in rural areas.
As part of the collaboration, efforts will be made to strengthen digital infrastructure through the establishment of Computer Didi Centers and Didi ki Dukan in five blocks across five states, namely- Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan. This pilot project has the potential to scale up and reach 35 lakh women across more than 7000 blocks after being successful.
The SOI was signed by Shri T. K. Anil Kumar, Additional Secretary, MoRD, and Ms. Sharada Thapalia, Deputy Representative (Operations), UNICEF India. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Shri T. K. Anil Kumar said that this partnership has come at a very opportune time as it aligns with the Rural Prosperity and Resilience Programme announced in the Budget 2025-26. It is particularly significant because nearly one-third of the 10 crore SHG members are youth, who will play a central role in this initiative.

8th State Level Coordination Committee (SLCC) Meeting Conducted by RBI in Sikkim

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) organised the 8^th State Level Coordination Committee (SLCC) Meeting in Gangtok, Sikkim, on March 26, 2025. The meeting, chaired by Shri Ravindra Telang, Chief Secretary of Sikkim, was convened by Shri Thotngam Jamang, Regional Director of RBI, and attended by key officials from RBI, SEBI, and multiple state government departments.
Discussions focused on implementing the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes (BUDS) Act, tackling digital fraud, and enhancing financial literacy.

India and Singapore Sign Letter of Intent on Green and Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC)

India and Singapore signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) on Green and Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC) collaboration during the ongoing Singapore Maritime Week (SMW). The agreement aims to promote maritime digitalisation and decarbonisation, with both nations working towards reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and integrating digital solutions in the maritime sector.
Additionally, India and the Netherlands discussed leveraging Dutch expertise for cargo movement in low-draft Rivers like the Brahmaputra and Barak. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal emphasised that the initiative will enhance sustainability, efficiency, and technological advancements in the maritime sector.

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