General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - July 2016

Jul 2016

May 12, 2020

ICMR, NCDC to Initiate a Population-Based Sero-Survey in Selected Districts

Indian Council of Medical Research, ICMR and National Centre for Disease Control are going to initiate a population-based sero-survey in selected districts in collaboration with key stakeholders and State Health Departments.
The objective of this survey is to monitor the trend in prevalence of COVID-19 infection at district level.
In the survey, 200 samples per district per week and 800 samples per district per month shall be taken. From each district, 10 health facilities including six public and four private health facilities shall be selected. Population groups including outpatient attendees, pregnant women and health care workers will be covered under the survey.
The samples will be tested in a one-time pool of 25 and result of sample pooling is only for surveillance purposes. It should not be used for diagnosis of individual patients. In addition to throat, nasal swabs, blood samples should be collected for detecting IgG antibodies for ELISA testing.
In subsequent rounds, IgG ELISA based testing of serum samples will replace RT-PCR based testing for surveillance purpose.

MSME Ministry Launches CHAMPIONS Portal

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, MSME Ministry has launched CHAMPIONS portal www.Champions.gov.in, a technology driven control room-cum-management information system. The initiative is aimed at assisting Indian MSMEs to march into big league as national and global champions.
The CHAMPIONS stands for Creation and Harmonious Application of Modern Processes for Increasing the Output and National Strength. The portal is basically for making the smaller units big by solving their grievances, encouraging, supporting, helping and handholding.

May 10, 2020

UP Suspends Major Labour Laws till 1000 Days to Attract Investment

The Uttar Pradesh government has suspended most of its labour laws for three years to attract investment and help both existing and new industrial units.
The move was undertaken, wherein it was decided to freeze major laws in favour of the industry for 1000 days to make Uttar Pradesh a favourable destination for investors.

Govt Calls for Farmers' Movement on Integrated Soil Nutrient Management

The Union Agriculture Minister, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, while reviewing the progress of the Soil Health Programme, directed to run the mission mode awareness campaign to increase the use of organic and biofertilizers and to reduce the chemical fertilizers based on the recommendations of Soil Health Card.
During the programme, the Union minister also called for making the integrated soil nutrient management a farmer's movement.
Deterioration of soil physical, chemical, and biological health has been considered as one of the main reasons for the stagnation in agricultural productivity in India. The major focus of the programme in 2020-21 will be on farmer awareness in over 1 lakh villages all over the country.

Govt Sets Target of Constructing Roads Worth Rs 15 Lakh cr in Next Two Years

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Nitin Gadkari said, his ministry has set a target of constructing roads worth 15 lakh crore rupees in the next two years. He said, the ministry is working overtime to clear all arbitration cases with concessionaires.
Mr Gadkari was holding a meeting via video conferencing with the members of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers on impact of COVID-19 on auto sector. Mr Gadkari suggested that the focus should be on enhancing liquidity in business, as ups and downs are common.
The Minister informed that the officials have been asked to finalize the auto scrapping policy quickly and said, it will go a long way in cost reduction. He also suggested exploring cheaper credits including foreign capital for enhancing liquidity in the automobile manufacturing sector.

May 09, 2020

Jharkhand Bans 11 Pan Masala Brands to Protect Public Health

Jharkhand banned manufacture, sale and storage of 11 brands of pan masala for a year saying these products contain a chemical which is harmful to the heart and can cause various diseases.
The authorities collected 41 samples of various brands of pan masala from different districts and tested them to check it they contain magnesium carbonate, which is banned under the Food Safety Act, 2006, as one of the ingredients.

May 08, 2020

PM Narendra Modi Pays Tributes to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore on His Jayanti

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 8, 2020 recalled Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore's role in the freedom struggle on his 159th birth anniversary.
Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti is celebrated on the 25th day of the Bengali month of Boishakh.

Rajnath Singh Inaugurates Kailash Mansarovar Road

Union defence minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated 75-km long Kailash Mansarovar road link in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh through video-conferencing.
With this move, the Indian security post at Indo-China border in Vyans valley of Pithoragarh district is now connected with the rest of the country via a 75.54 km long road from Ghatibagar in Dharchula to Lipulekh near the border with China.

May 07, 2020

India Saves Rs. 89,122 Crore in 2018-19 by Energy Efficiency

India saved Rs 89,122 crore through energy efficiency in 2018-19 and reduced energy intensity by 20 per cent in the fiscal compared to 2005 level, according to a report. India has set a target to reduce the energy intensity by 33-35 per cent by 2030 compared to 2005 level.
The energy efficiency initiatives by BEE (Bureau of Energy Efficiency) led to savings worth Rs 89,122 crore in 2018-19.

Government to Run Awareness Campaign in 1 Lakh Villages on Balanced Use of Fertilisers

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the government will run a mission mode awareness campaign this fiscal in over 1 lakh villages for promoting use of bio/organic fertilisers and reducing consumption of chemical soil nutrients.
A decision in this regard was taken after reviewing the progress of the Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme, launched in 2015.
Under the scheme, soil health cards are given to farmers at an interval of two years.
The cards provide information to farmers on nutrient status of their soil along with recommendations on appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and fertility.

Gas Leak in India at LG Factory

Bodies lay crumpled on the ground beside toppled motorcycles and cars as suffocating toxic gas rose from a chemical plant in southern India.
Roads near the site of the fatal leak in the state of Andhra Pradesh were filled with hundreds of people fleeing the noxious gas.
At least 11 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds more have been hospitalized after the incident at LG Polymers plant, which lies near a village of at least 3,000 people on the outskirts of the city of Visakhapatnam.

Jayalalithaa's House 'Veda Nilayam' to Become Memorial

Veda Nilayam, the sprawling bungalow located at the upscale Poes Garden area where J Jayalalithaa stayed for over three decades, is set to become a memorial.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami's announcement to this effect has been welcomed by those who had taken exception to Jayalalithaa's close aide V K Sasikala's decision to stay put there.

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