General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - August 2016

Aug 2016

Feb 06, 2023

India's G20 Presidency: Gujarat's Rann of Kutch to Host First Tourism Working Group Meet

As part of India's G20 presidency, Gujarat will host the first Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting in the state's Rann of Kutch from February 7 to 9. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Minister of Tourism G. Kishan Reddy and Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala will attend the event.
According to the government release, two more events are also planned under the TWG. Side Event-1, on February 7, will focus on Rural Tourism for Community Empowerment and Poverty Alleviation. Union Minister of Tourism G. Kishan Reddy will attend the event. Sandra Carvao, Chief, Tourism Market Intelligence and Competitiveness, UNWTO will share her insights.
Chief Minister and Union Minister Parshottam Rupala will inaugurate the TWG on 8th February 2023. It will be followed by working sessions on five issues, including green tourism, digitalization, skills, tourism MSMEs, and destination management.
On February 9, the international delegates and participants will have a Yoga session at the White Rann of Kutch followed by a visit to Dholavira, the UNESCO world heritage site of the Harappan civilization. Side Event -2 will focus on Promotion of Archaeological Tourism: Discovering Shared Cultural Heritage.

DA&FW, DIL Join Hands to Improve Food Security & Double Farmer's Income

Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare entered into a partnership with The Development Innovation Lab (DIL) at the University of Chicago to explore the opportunities to harness innovation to improve food security, address climate change, and allow farmers to increase their incomes.
The partnership will look into innovation opportunities related to agriculture and food security in the context of climate change, in the present scenario of experiencing a rise in extreme temperatures, floods, and droughts, as well as changes to the monsoon system.
DIL will assist DA&FW in its efforts to identify, develop, test, and refine innovations in these and other priority areas, to support India's small holder farmers.
The Development Innovation Lab (DIL) uses the tools of economics to develop innovations with the potential to benefit millions of people in low- and middle-income countries.

PM Modi Open India's Biggest Copter Production Unit

A new helicopter manufacturing factory of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was opened, which is India's largest such facility that will initially produce light utility helicopters (LUHs).
The HAL plans to produce more than 1,000 helicopters with varying load-carrying capacities, with a total business of over Rs. 4 lakh crore over the next 20 years. The HAL already has a plant in Bengaluru that produces advanced light helicopters (ALHs).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the factory spread over 615 acres at Tumakuru, Karnataka. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and senior officials of the Ministry of Defence will be among those present on the occasion.
The LUH is an indigenously designed and developed '3-ton class', single engine multipurpose utility helicopter with unique features of high manoeuvrability. Initially, the factory will produce around 30 helicopters per year, a count that can be enhanced to 60 and then 90 in a phased manner.

BJP Appoints New Sikkim Unit Chief, after Chauhan Quits

BJP appointed D. R. Thapa as its Sikkim unit president, weeks after his predecessor D. B. Chauhan quit alleging indifference from the central leadership towards the state organisation.
BJP national president J. P. Nadda also appointed N. K. Subba its legislative party leader
The BJP's move to put its house in order in Sikkim came as the party gears up for polls in the northeastern state next year.

Feb 05, 2023

India Welcomes Congo into International Solar Alliance

India welcomed Congo to International Solar Alliance. Ambassador of Republic of Congo, Raymond Serge Bale signed the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement in the presence of Joint Secretary (Economic Diplomacy).
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar energy technologies. Its basic motive is to facilitate energy access, ensure energy security, and drive energy transition in its member countries. The ISA was conceived as a joint effort by India and France to mobilize efforts against climate change through deployment of solar energy solutions.
A total of 107 countries have signed the ISA Framework Agreement.
Out of 107 nations, 86 have signed and ratified the ISA Framework Agreement.

MP Government Changes the Name of Bhopal's Islam Nagar Village to 'Jagdishpur'

The Madhya Pradesh government announced that Islam Nagar village, situated in the Bhopal district, was renamed as Jagdishpur. The MP administration, in an official release, declared the changes and mentioned the change in the name with immediate effect.
According to several accounts, the name of Islam Nagar used to be Jagdishpur 308 years ago.
Bhoapl's Islam Nagar (now Jagdishpur) is famous for its fort and is a place of tourist interest.
I n February 2021, the CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government had renamed Hoshangabad as Narmadapuram and Nasrullahganj was renamed as Bhairunda.

Feb 04, 2023

CM Dhami Announces Rs. 50,000 to Each Uttarakhand Tableau Artist

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced a reward money of Rs. 50,000 each to the artists of Uttarakhand tableau which was awarded the top prize at this year's (2023) Republic Day parade on Kartavya Path.
Uttarakhand's 'Manskhand' tableau showcased religious places and the progressive developments of the state during the 74th Republic Day parade.
The tableau on Manaskhand was proposed after the guidance of Chief Minister Dhami.

India Flags WB Move on Indus Row

India questioned the World Bank's decision to appoint a Court of Arbitration and a neutral expert under two separate processes to resolve differences between New Delhi and Islamabad over the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects in J&K.
India had issued a notice to Pakistan seeking a review and modification of the 62-year-old Indus Waters Treaty for management of cross-border rivers following Islamabad's intransigence in handling disputes.
India took the significant step of sending the notice to Pakistan conveying its intent to amend the treaty months after the WB announced appointing a neutral expert and a chair of Court of Arbitration to resolve differences over Kishenganga and Ratle projects. New Delhi has been particularly disappointed over the appointment of the Court of Arbitration.

Assam Hosts First Day of G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group Meeting

The first day of the G20 meeting- the Sustainable Finance Working Group (SFWG) meeting successfully concluded. Assam hosted its first G20 meeting from February 2 and 3.
The meeting was inaugurated by Union Minister of AYUSH and Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal where he welcomed the delegates and highlighted the diverse ethnicity and culture of Guwahati.
The 1st SFWG meeting was attended in person by 95 delegates from G20 member countries, 10 invitee countries and 14 international organisations.
Many international organisations joined the meeting virtually. The G20 SFWG aims to mobilise sustainable finance to help ensure global growth and stability and promote the transition towards a greener, more resilient, and inclusive societies and economies.
The G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group (SFWG) in Guwahati discussed how to mobilise finance for tackling climate change, how to fund newly developed low-carbon technologies, identify instruments to finance Sustainable Development Goals including nature and biodiversity as well as discuss ways and means to increase the capacity of countries to understand and mobilise sustainable finance.

Feb 03, 2023

Don't Issue Birth, Death Certificates to Undocumented Immigrants

The Mizoram government issued an order directing authorities against issuing birth and death certificates to refugees and undocumented immigrants from countries such as Myanmar to ensure there are no claims of citizenship from them.
The order came amid an influx of refugees from Myanmar since March last year (2022) following the military coup in that country. Around 40,000 people from Myanmar are estimated to be living in the state. Hundreds of refugees from Bangladesh have also recently entered Mizoram.

Feb 02, 2023

Karnatak Gets Rs. 5,300 crore Funds for Upper Bhadra Project

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for announcing Rs. 5,300 crore funds for the Upper Bhadra project of the state in the Union Budget 2023.
CM Bommai-led BJP government in Karnataka had been putting pressure on the Central leadership to announce the Upper Bhadra project as the national project. The implementation of the project will change the fate of the central Karnataka districts in the state.
The project would irrigate 2.25 lakh hectares of land in Chikkamagalur, Chitradurga, Davangere and Tumakuru districts. It would provide 19 TMC of water for irrigation. The project aims to increase the capacity of Vani Vilasa reservoir and fill more than 350 tanks.

Bengaluru to Host First G20 Energy Transition Working Group Meeting under India's Presidency

The first G20 Energy Transition Working Group (ETWG) meeting under India's presidency will be organised in Bengaluru from February 5-7.
The meeting will have over 150 participants including G20 member countries, nine special invitee guest nations – Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, the UAE and Spain.
In addition, international organizations such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), International Energy Agency (IEA), Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), International Solar Alliance (ISA), among others will be part of the meeting.

BJP Announces Candidates for West Bengal and Arunachal Pradesh Bypoll

The Central Election Committee (CEC) of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released a list of candidates for the upcoming bye-elections to be held in West Bengal and Arunachal Pradesh.
The party decided to field Tsering Lhamu from Arunachal Pradesh's Lumla (ST) seat and Dilip Saha from West Bengal's Sagardighi seat.
Earlier in January, the Election Commission announced the schedule for the bye-elections to six assembly seats across five states.
Bye-elections to one assembly constituency, each in Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and two assembly constituencies in Maharashtra will be held on February 27. The parliamentary constituency of Lakshadweep will also vote in bypolls on February 27.
The counting of votes to all bypolls will be held on March 2.

First G20 Education Working Group Meeting Held in Chennai

The first G20 Education working group was held in Chennai from Feb 1 to 2, 2023.
Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan inaugurated the session where deliberations took place on carrying forward the resolutions passed during the last summit.
Discussions were on K 12 education, tech-enabled learning and skill development.

Punjab Removes Women Commission Chief

The Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab removed State Women Commission Chairperson Manisha Gulati by withdrawing a September 2020 letter through which she was granted an extension of three years.
The Social Security and Women and Child Development Department withdrew the letter dated September 18, 2020.
Additional Chief Secretary Kirpa Shankar Saroj said that issuing the letter granting her extension was a bonafide mistake.
She had been appointed in March 2018 as the Commission chairperson during the Congress government headed by Amarinder Singh.

Share on

TCY Analytics (View Subscription Plans)

Subscribe to GK Updates

I want to receive

GK Tags

August GK, July GK, June 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