General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - September 2016

Sep 2016

May 27, 2023

Harsh Jain New Chairman of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI)

Harsh Jain, co-founder, and CEO of Dream Sports, was elected the chairman of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) for 2023-25. He replaced Sanjay Gupta, vice president and country manager of Google India.
A new 24-member governing council and a new executive council will take charge at the upcoming annual general meeting of IAMAI, which represents top technology companies. The IAMAI governing council election is held every two years. As many as 83 IAMAI members contested the elections this year (2023), after the end of the two-year tenure of the previous council.
IAMAI announced that Rajesh Magow, co-founder and group CEO of MakeMyTrip, and Satyan Ganjwani, vice chairman of Times Internet, were elected the vice chairman and the treasurer of the association. The two replaced Shivnath Thukral, Meta's director and head of India public policy, and Harshil Mathur, CEO and co-founder Razorpay, respectively.
Jain, Magow and Ganjwani would form the association's executive council, along with Subho Ray, who is president of IAMAI.

Kerala is India's First Fully E-Governed State

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared the southern state as India's first fully e-governed state where an entire range of government services were digitised so that they can be provided to the citizens promptly and transparently.
The Chief Minister, after declaring the state as totally e-governed, said that it would not only create a network of government offices and citizens, but would use technology for Kerala's development and empower the people by bridging the digital divide.

Bhagwanth Khuba Inaugurates International Conference on Chemicals and Petrochemicals

Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals organised a B20 conference for the global business community, in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) with focus on the Chemicals & Petrochemical sector in New Delhi. The event was inaugurated by Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers & New and Renewable Energy Bhagwanth Khuba in the presence of Secretary, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals and various representatives of G20 member countries.
More than 500 delegates from India and Oversees from Industry/Association/Federation across B20 Nations, Government representatives participated in the conference. Industry representatives from Germany, Mexico, Russia, Hungary, United States of America, Belgium, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and South Korea participate in the conference.
The aim of the Conference was to improve the safety and sustainable ecosystem for chemicals and petrochemicals industry across the four pillars of De-carbonization, Circular Economy, Biodiversity and Water Conservation. The conference was an effort to promote sustainable development in chemical and petrochemical sector and to deliberate upon sustainable solutions of various issues being faced by the industry. The conference facilitated in identifying potential opportunities, exchange of knowledge amongst G20 countries on sustainability and circularity.

May 26, 2023

India and Australia Sign Agreements on Migration and Green Hydrogen Task Force

In a significant development highlighting the strengthening ties between India and Australia, the two nations signed crucial agreements on migration and mobility partnership, as well as on the establishment of a Green Hydrogen task force. The Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) were exchanged following a bilateral meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese in Sydney.
Prime Minister Modi emphasised that the India-Australia relationship is built upon mutual trust and confidence. During their constructive discussions, both leaders focused on enhancing strategic cooperation in the mining and critical minerals sector. The talks centered around taking the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries to new heights. In a friendly gesture, Prime Minister Modi extended an invitation to Prime Minister Albanese and all Australian cricket fans to visit India for the upcoming Cricket World Cup this year.

U.T. Khader is Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly

Former Minister and five-time Congress MLA U. T. Khader was unanimously elected as the new Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. Khader is the first Muslim leader to serve as Speaker of Karnataka Assembly.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah proposed Khader's name for the post of Speaker and it was seconded by Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar.
As there was no other contender for the post, Protem Speaker R. V. Deshpande put the proposal made by the Chief Minister to vote, and it was unanimously adopted by the House.
Khader had served as Deputy Leader of Opposition in the previous Assembly and also as a Minister in the past.

G20: Second Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group Meeting Concludes in Mumbai

G-20 Council's Second Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group (DRRWG) meeting concluded in Mumbai, with the technical and functional level officials coming to an understanding of the importance of Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and Financing for Disaster Risk Reduction as the central theme of any discussion on Disaster Risk Reduction. The Member Secretary of the National Disaster Management Authority said that India received enthusiastic support on all priority areas from the G 20 countries.
The delegates deliberated that an institutional framework that supports investments in infrastructure projects, avoids fragmentation, and promotes the execution of such infrastructure projects is desirable and should be encouraged in the national legal framework of G-20 countries. Additionally, the role of social protection systems in mitigating the impact of disasters on the most vulnerable population groups was a key topic of discussion.
The meeting concluded with a side event on Eco-Based Approaches for Disaster Risk Reduction by NDMA, which was organized in collaboration with knowledge partners like United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), UN Major Group on Children and Young People, UNEP, and others. The third and final meeting of the Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group under India's G-20 Presidency will be held in Chennai from July 24 to 26, 2023.

May 25, 2023

Nineteen Opposition Parties to Boycott Inauguration of New Parliament Building

Nineteen opposition parties, including the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiv Sena (UBT), the Trinamool Congress (TMC), and Janata Dal (United), issued a joint statement they will boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building on May 28 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The 19 parties who will boycott the inauguration are -- Congress, DMK, AAP, TMC, Shiv Sena (UBT), Samajwadi Party (SP), Communist Party of India (CPI), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Kerala Congress (Mani), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), JD(U), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), National Conference (NC), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK).
In the joint statement, a copy of which was uploaded on the Twitter handle of the Congress's communication department, the opposition parties said that PM Modi's move to inaugurate the new Parliament building by himself, completely sidelining President Droupadi Murmu, is not only a grave insult but a direct assault on our democracy which demands a commensurate response.

Sengol', a Symbol of Fair Governance, to be Installed in New Parliament

'Sengol', a historical sceptre from Tamil Nadu, which was given by the British to first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to represent the transfer of power and was kept in a museum in Allahabad will be installed in the new Parliament building to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Shah said that 'Sengol' symbolises the transfer of power from British to India, just as it was originally used to mark the handing over power from one king to another during the Chola dynasty in Tamil Nadu.
On August 14, 1947, 'Sengol' was accepted by Nehru, the then Prime Minister, in presence of Rajendra Prasad, who later became India's first President.
The word 'Sengol' derived from the Tamil word 'Semmai', meaning 'righteousness.' The historical sceptre was made of silver, coated with gold, and crowned with the sacred Nandi, with its unyielding gaze. The Nandi on top of the 'Sengol' is symbol of 'nyaya.'

May 24, 2023

GRSE's Launches 'GAINS' Start-up Challenge

Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd took a significant step towards promoting innovation and technological advancements in shipbuilding. With the launch of their initiative called GAINS 2023, GRSE aims to harness the potential of start-ups and encourage the development of innovative solutions in the ship design and construction industry.
GRSE's latest endeavor, the GAINS 2023 (GRSE Accelerated Innovation Nurturing Scheme – 2023) initiative, is a significant leap towards fostering innovation and technological advancements in shipbuilding. It aims to leverage the ecosystem and address present and emerging challenges in the ship design and construction industry.

Third G-20 Tourism Working Group Meeting at Srinagar in J&K Concludes

The city of Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K, hosted 3rd tourism working group meeting of G20 members from the May 22 to 24, the first such international event since J&K became a Union Territory in 2019.
The event was part of a series of meetings ahead of a G20 summit in New Delhi in September this year (2023). The event, which tooke place at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) on the banks of the famous Dal Lake, had a positive impact on the tourism and trade sectors of the region.
India holds the presidency of the G20 from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023.
Srinagar hosted the G20 event for the first time under India's presidency amid tight security cover.

May 23, 2023

Amit Shah Lays Foundation Stone of National Academy of Coastal Policing Campus

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation stone for the permanent campus of the National Academy of Coastal Policing in Dwaraka, Gujarat. Shah emphasized that the BJP government's commitment to coastal security, stating that it is a top priority under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The academy aims to provide comprehensive training facilities to over three thousand security personnel annually.
Established in 2018, the National Academy of Coastal Policing is the first national academy dedicated to providing intensive training to marine police personnel. It caters to the training needs of nine coastal states, five Union Territories, as well as the Central Police Forces. The academy plays a crucial role in enhancing the capabilities and skills of the marine police, enabling them to effectively tackle security challenges in coastal areas.
The newly constructed permanent campus of the National Academy of Coastal Policing in Dwaraka will serve as a hub for comprehensive training programs. It is equipped to train over three thousand security personnel annually, ensuring their preparedness to handle diverse coastal security scenarios. The academy's training curriculum encompasses various aspects of coastal policing, including surveillance, intelligence gathering, interagency coordination, maritime law enforcement, and disaster response.

Bhupender Yadav Inaugurates Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Land Management

In a significant step towards combating land degradation and promoting sustainable land management practices, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav inaugurated the Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Land Management (CoE-SLM) at the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) in Dehradun.
The establishment of the CoE-SLM was announced by the Prime Minister of India during the 14th Conference of the Parties (COP-14) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in September 2019. Recognising the urgency and importance of addressing land degradation, the CoE-SLM aims to spearhead initiatives that contribute to Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets.

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