General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - August 2016

Aug 2016

Mar 11, 2022

Channi Steps Down as Punjab CM

A day after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) swept the assembly elections in Punjab, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi met governor Banwarilal Purohit and tendered his resignation. He also recommended the dissolution of the 15th assembly following a virtual meeting of the state cabinet.
The governor asked Chani and the cabinet ministers to continue till the new government is formed.
Meanwhile, newly elected AAP MLAs are scheduled to meet in Mohali to elect Mann as the leader of the legislature party.
The AAP had on January 18 declared Mann as the chief ministerial face of the party for the assembly elections.

AAP Storms to Power in Punjab

The Aam Aadmi Party stormed Punjab, winning 92 of the 117 Assembly seats, decimating the Congress and the SAD-BSP combine and making leaders like CM Charanjit Singh Channi, Parkash Singh Badal and Amarinder Singh bite the dust.
While AAP bagged three-fourth of the seats, the Congress won 18, SAD 3, BJP 2 and BSP 1. An Independent also emerged victorious.
AAP will now form its second government in the country after the one led by Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi.

Election Results Show a Tighter Race in Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Manipur

The results of the Assembly elections in five states saw the BJP securing power in three states, falling one short of the majority in Goa, and the Aam Aadmi Party winning Punjab. An analysis of seats across these states showed that the race was won on tighter margins than five years ago, except for Punjab and Uttarakhand.

Mar 10, 2022

Andhra Pradesh Retains Top Rank in Skoch State of Governance Ranking in 2021

The Andhra Pradesh government once again bagged the top rank in the Skoch State of Governance rankings.
The second rank was bagged by West Bengal and Odisha was ranked 3, Gujarat was ranked 4 and Maharashtra was ranked 5. Neighbouring Telangana was ranked 6.
In the ranking assessment by Skoch, a New Delhi-based think tank, Andhra Pradesh also bagged the top position in police and safety, agriculture, district administration and rural development.

Cabinet Approves Amendment in MMDR Act to Fix Royalty of Certain Minerals

The Union Cabinet approved a proposal to amend the Second Schedule to the MMDR Act to specify the royalty rates of certain minerals, including potash, emerald and platinum group of metals.
The approval would ensure auction of mineral blocks in respect of glauconite, potash, emerald, platinum group of metals, andalusite and molybdenum thereby reducing imports of these minerals.
The approval will help generating empowerment opportunity in the mining sector as well as the manufacturing sector which will further help in ensuring inclusive growth of a large section of the society.

Congress Veteran A.K. Antony to Hang Boots

Former Defence Minister and Congress veteran A.K. Antony is all set to hang his boots after 52 years in active politics. Antony said that he would not seek reelection once his Rajya Sabha term ends in April.
The former Kerala CM, Antony currently heads the Congress' disciplinary committee and is also part of the party's core committee.
Antony was Defence Minister in the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government between 2004 and 2014. He started out as an MLA in Kerala in 1970 and remained CM of the state thrice in 1977, 1995 and 2001.

Cabinet Approves National Land Monetisation Corporation

The Union Cabinet approved the formation of National Land Monetisation Corporation (NLMC) as a wholly owned government of India company to fast track the monetisation of land and non-core assets of public sector entities. For setting up NLMC, the Centre allocated an initial authorised share capital of Rs. 5,000 crore and paid-up share capital of Rs. 150 crore.
National Land Monetisation Corporation will undertake monetisation of surplus land and building assets of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and other Government agencies. So far, the CPSEs have referred 3,400 acres of land and other non-core assets for monetisation from CPSEs comprising Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL), B&R, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), BEML Limited, HMT Ltd among others, the Eco Survey mentioned.

Mar 08, 2022

Odisha's Ganjam Tops Districts in Providing Jobs under MGNREGS

Odisha's Ganjam again topped districts in providing jobs under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). As per officials, till March 7, 103,000 households in the district were provided at least 100-day work this financial year under the flagship programme.
Rajasthan's Barmer and Nagaur followed Ganjam with 94,586 and 82,731 households getting work under the scheme. Ganjam also topped the list of districts in 2020-21 when 77,275 households were employed under MGNREGS. The highest ever, 392,000 households got jobs under the scheme in Odisha this financial year. In Sundargarh, 32,422 households were provided work followed by Bolangir (32,234).

Thirty of 36 Disputed Villages along Meghalaya-Assam Border to Remain in Meghalaya: Sangma

Thirty of the 36 disputed villages along the Meghalaya-Assam border were recommended by regional committees of the two states to remain in Meghalaya, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma informed the assembly.
The 36 villages cover a 36.9 sq. km area, while the 30 villages are spread over 18 sq. km area.
Ownership of land, however, will not be affected after demarcation of the boundary.
As per Sangma, discussions, visits and surveys were conducted by regional committees of the two states headed by cabinet ministers, and special technologies were used in the exercise. The areas will be more accurately determined by the Survey of India in the presence of representatives of both the states.

Mar 07, 2022

Delhi HC Chief Justice Patel to Head Telecom Disputes Tribunal

Days before his retirement, the Centre appointed Delhi High Court Chief Justice D. N. Patel as chairperson of the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT). Justice Patel retires as Chief Justice of the High Court on March 12.
Justice Patel, who hails from Gujarat, was appointed as a judge in March 2004. He was made Chief Justice of Delhi High Court in June 2019. He was earlier the Acting Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court.
Justice Patel would hold the post of TDSAT Chairman for a period of four years, or until further orders, whichever is the earliest.

Aman Lekhi Quits as Additional SG

Senior advocate Aman Lekhi resigned from the post of Additional Solicitor General of India with immediate effect without assigning any specific reason.
Lekhi was appointed to the post in March 2018 and was re-appointed on July 1, 2020, for a period of three years till June 30 next year. He has appeared in various important criminal matters in the Supreme Court as well as in various high courts, including coal block allocation scam and 2G spectrum allocation scam cases.

India, Bangladesh Hold Talks to Boost Trade

Commerce Secretaries of India and Bangladesh agreed on a number of measures to increase trade by the Railways. They also discussed the issue of joint study on Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, improving "border haats" and harmonising standards, said a news release. The Indian delegation was led by Commerce Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam and Bangladesh team Senior Secretary in the Commerce Ministry Tapan Kanti Ghosh.

Mar 06, 2022

Ready for Alliance with Any Party Except NCP, BJP: VBA's Prakash Ambedkar

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi president Prakash Ambedkar said that he is ready to enter into an alliance with any party except the NCP and BJP.
Ambedkar was talking to reporters during a visit to Maharashtra's Nanded for a party meeting.
Ambedkar also criticised the Central government over its Operation Ganga to evacuate Indians stranded in war-hit Ukraine.

Andhra Pradesh 3 Capitals Row: HC Orders Amaravati Masterplan to be Implemented

The High Court of Andhra Pradesh directed the Government of Andhra Pradesh to take all decisions in accordance with Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) and complete the works included in the CRDA master plan within six months.
A three judge Bench headed by Chief Justice Justice Prasanth Kumar Mishra gave the final judgment after hearings in case relating to petitions filed by land owners of Amaravati against the State government's decision to have three Capitals.
The judgment comes in the wake of the State government withdrawing the two acts — The A.P. Decentralisation Act and the CRDA repeal act in November 2021.

AIADMK Unanimously Passes Resolution Seeking Return of Sasikala, Dhinakaran

The AIADMK functionaries unanimously passed a resolution urging the leaders to include expelled party general secretary Sasikala Natarajan and TTV Dhinakaran back into the party fold.
Later, the resolution was submitted to the AIADMK Coordinator and former Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam.
The split in the party is the reason for successive electoral defeats of the party. The re-union of party leaders would certainly help the party.

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