General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - February 2016

Feb 2016

Nov 15, 2021

Tenure of ED, CBI Chiefs Extended

Days before the winter session of Parliament, the government passed two Ordinances extending the tenures of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) chiefs to up to five years.
The chiefs of the central agencies currently have a two-year tenure. The Ordinance is clearly aimed to ensure the continuance of current ED chief S. K. Mishra, who is already on an extension, having reached 60 in 2020. His term would have come to an end on November 17.
Both Ordinances have been signed by President Ram Nath Kovind.
The chiefs of the top agencies can be given extensions, according to the Ordinances, every year for up to three years after they complete the two-year term.

West Bengal to Get Seven New Integrated Check Post

The government of India has decided to establish seven new Integrated Check Post (ICP) in West to ensure better connectivity and security.
This decision comes after a high-level meeting that was held in Kolkata between the Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and other senior officials of the West Bengal government. The meeting was convened to discuss pending land acquisition cases for construction of border fence and road projects, Border Out Posts and Integrated Check Posts.
Of these seven ICPs, five will be established on the Indo-Bangladesh border and one each on the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan border by the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI).

Mahua Moitra Appointed TMC's Goa Unit in-charge ahead of Assembly Polls

The TMC, which is looking to expand its footprints nationally, appointed firebrand Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra as the state in-charge of the party's Goa unit, months ahead of the assembly polls there.
The party had earlier nominated former Goa chief minister Luizinho Faleiro for bypoll to a Rajya Sabha seat in West Bengal.

Nov 14, 2021

Former Goa CM Luizinho Faleiro Nominated to Rajya Saba by TMC

Former Goa Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro, who joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in September, will be the party's nominee in the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-poll in West Bengal.
TMC, the second-largest opposition party in Parliament, will have no problem getting Faleiro elected in the Upper House as it has an absolute majority in the West Bengal assembly.
The vacancy in the Rajya Sabha has arrived after the resignation of Arpita Ghosh in September. Ghosh resigned just days before Faleiro joined the TMC.
Former Goa CM Faleiro is considered to be a prized asset for the TMC that wants to contest Goa assembly elections in February 2022 as part of its plan to expand beyond West Bengal to consolidate its position as a major player in national politics.

Jyotiraditya Scindia Launches Online e-GCA Platform

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched an online platform called e-GCA (e-Governance for Civil Aviation). It is an online platform through which the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will offer its 298 services including pilot licensing. During the launch of eGCA, Scindia also unveiled a case study 'DGCA take off on a digital flight' which showcases the journey and challenges of DGCA for the implementation of e-GCA.
e-GCA (e-Governance for Civil Aviation) is an e-governance platform that has been implemented by the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for rendering 298 services including pilot licensing and medical examination.
e-GCA is a portal for the dissemination of information and providing online, speedy service delivery in a secure environment. It offers an end-to-end solution including several software applications, connectivity with all the regional offices. It aims at enhancing the efficiency of the various services of DGCA and increasing accountability and transparency across all DGCA functions.
The online platform e-GCA has been developed by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) as Service Provider and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as Project Management Consultant.
"Through this transformation (DGCA to e-GCA), we have achieved a number of objectives of becoming a single window online service platform", said Scindia.

Govt. Eases Claim Settlement Process under Investor IEPFA

The government has simplified the claim settlement process under the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), including allowing self-attestation of documents instead of the current requirement of notarisation. IEPFA, which comes under the administrative control of the corporate affairs ministry, has been set up for administration of investor funds under the companies law. The authority has the mandate to promote investor education and protection, refund unclaimed shares, dividends and other amounts that have been transferred to it to the rightful claimants.

Punjab Assembly Polls: Aam Aadmi Party Announces First List of Candidates

The Aam Aadmi Party announced its first list of 10 candidates for the 2022 Punjab assembly polls.
All of the 10 candidates are sitting MLAs.
Senior AAP leader Harpal Singh Cheema, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, has been given ticket from Dirba seat, while Aman Arora will contest from Sunam assembly constituency.
Saravjit Kaur Manuke will contest from Jagraon seat and Baljinder Kaur from Talwandi Sabo.
Jai Kishan Roudi has been given ticket from Garhshankar seat, Manjit Bilaspur from Nihal Singh Wala, Kultar Singh Sandhwan from Kotkapura, Budhram from Budhlada, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer from Barnala, and Kulwant Pandori from Mehal Kalan.

Nov 13, 2021

Rani Kamlapati Railway Station is the New Name for Habibganj Railway Station

The new name for Habibganj Railway StationThe Habibganj Railway Station in Bhopal was renamed as Rani Kamlapati Railway Station. The new station was inaugurated by the Prime Minister. The redeveloped station in Bhopal has been built on a cost of Rs. 100 crore.
Rani Kamlapati was married to a Gond ruler and she was a protector of the state when her husband died.

P. C. Mody Replaces Ramacharyulu as Rajya Sabha Secretary General

P. C. Mody, former chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes, replaced PPK Ramacharyulu as secretary general of the Upper House.
Mody's appointment marks a rare occasion of an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer becoming the Rajya Sabha's secretary general. The position has traditionally been reserved for Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers or senior parliament secretariat officers.

Govt. Declares Shirdi Airport as Major Airport

Civil Aviation Ministry declared Shirdi Airport in Maharashtra as a major airport under the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority Act, 2008.
The approval was given by exercising the powers conferred by sub-section (i) of section 2 of the 2008 act.
President Ramnath Kovind had inaugurated the Shirdi Airport in October 2017.
This airport became very popular in short period of time because it was a great option to go to Sai Nagar.
Central government can designate any airport as a major airport, under the AERA Act, if the airport is entertaining annual passenger traffic of at least 35 lakh.

Nov 12, 2021

President Kovind, PM Modi Attend 51st Conference of Governors, LGs

President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Conference of Governors and Lieutenant Governors at Rashtrapati Bhawan in the national capital.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were also present at the Conference.
This will be the fourth conference to be presided over by President Kovind.

India, Sri Lanka Revive Parliament Friendship Association

India and Sri Lanka have set up Parliamentary Friendship Association, with Minister Chamal Rajapaksa, the eldest brother in Sri Lanka's ruling clan, as its president.
The association existed in the past and has been revived for the current Parliament, elected in August 2020.
Speaking at an event held at the Parliament complex here, Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris pointed to "close civilisational ties" between India and Sri Lanka, while observing that the "greatest gift" of India to Sri Lanka was Buddhism.
Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay said that the association would "reinvigorate" Parliamentary exchanges between the two democracies and strengthen bilateral ties.

AAP to Project OBC as CM Face, Catholic as Deputy CM in Goa Assembly Polls 2022

In a bid to lure the politically crucial OBC segment in Goa, referred to locally as the `bahujan samaj`, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that his AAP`s Chief Minister face in the upcoming Assembly polls would be from the OBC community and a Catholic the Deputy Chief Minister candidate.
Sisodia also said that the OBC community in Goa, which is the state`s largest caste collective, had been deprived of political leadership in the state since 60 years of its Liberation.

Nov 11, 2021

Cabinet Okays Birsa Munda Birth Anniversary as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas

The Union Cabinet decided to declare November 15 as 'Janjatiya Gaurav Divas' to mark the birth anniversary of revered tribal leader and freedom fighter Birsa Munda and honour the contributions of the members of Scheduled Tribes to Indian history and culture.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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