General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - December 2016

Dec 2016

Aug 28, 2024

Northern Railways Renames Eight Stations in Uttar Pradesh

The Northern Railways announced that eight railway stations in Uttar Pradesh were renamed. The change, which received approval from the relevant authorities, affects stations within the Lucknow division.
Following are the stations that were renamed: Kasimpur Halt was renamed to Jais City; Jais was renamed to Guru Gorakhnath Dham; Misrauli was renamed to Maa Kalikan Dham; Bani was renamed to Swami Paramhans; Nihalgarh was renamed to Maharaja Bijli Pasi; Akbarganj was renamed to Maa Ahorva Bhawani Dham; Wazirganj Halt was renamed to Amar Shaheed Bhale Sultan; and Fursatganj was renamed to Tapeshwarnath Dham.

Satish Kumar New Chairman and CEO of Railway Board

Indian Railways Management Service (IRMS) officer Satish Kumar was appointed as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Railway Board, making him the first ever member from a Scheduled Caste community selected for the board's top post.
Kumar, whose tenure is set to begin on September 1, will replace the current chairperson and CEO of the board, Jaya Varma Sinha, who is superannuating on August 31. When she took charge on September 1, 2023, Sinha became the first woman to be appointed as the CEO of the board, the topmost post in the Indian Railways.
A 1986-batch Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME) officer, Kumar has made significant contributions to railways throughout his career, spanning over 34 years.

Twelve Candidates Elected Unopposed to Rajya Sabha, Strengthening NDA Majority

Twelve candidates were elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha in elections for vacant seats in the Upper House of Parliament. This includes nine from the BJP, two from its NDA allies, and one from Congress.
With the BJP increasing its numbers in the Upper House of Parliament and its allies also gaining strength, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) now holds a majority. This boost will help the ruling alliance get bills passed smoothly.

Aug 27, 2024

Union FM Nirmala Sitharaman Inaugurates GST Bhawan at Udaipur

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the new GST Bhawan in Udaipur, located in the Hiran Magri area. The inauguration ceremony included Vedic chanting and the unveiling of the plaque to officially open the complex. The construction, which began in 2020, faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but has now been completed. The GST Bhawan features a conference hall, meeting hall, data analytics cell, library, interrogation cell, and a guest house. Sitharaman emphasized the office's role in serving 13 districts and the importance of reducing GST-related grievances through effective information sharing. She highlighted the growth of small businesses post-COVID and the significant GST revenue contributions from sectors like zinc, lead, cement, tyres, and calcium phosphate.

Aug 26, 2024

Centre Announces Five New Districts in Ladakh

The Centre announced the creation of five new districts in the Union Territory of Ladakh: Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang. Ladakh currently consists of just two districts, Leh and Kargil, each governed by its own autonomous district council. With the formation of the new districts, Ladakh's total number of districts increased to seven. Before 2019, Ladakh was part of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP-led government revoked the state's special status and split it into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh in August 2019.
This move aims to bolster governance and create abundant opportunities for the people of Ladakh.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh Chairs Bilateral Meeting on US-India Civil Nuclear Commerce

Union Minister Jitendra Singh chaired a pivotal bilateral meeting on US-India Civil Nuclear Commerce, highlighting the deepening cooperation between the two nations in critical areas of science, technology, and clean energy at Prithvi Bhavan.
Jitendra Singh announced that an Indian astronaut from the Gaganyaan Mission is set to join the International Space Station, marking a significant milestone in Indo-US Space collaboration. He emphasised the importance of this partnership in securing global supply chains, especially in sectors like semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and clean energy technologies, which are increasingly vital in today's interconnected world.

Chirag Paswan Re-Elected as President of LJP for 5 years

Union Minister Chirag Paswan was re-elected as Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president for five years at its national executive meeting in Ranchi.
The upcoming assembly elections in Haryana, Jammu Kashmir and Jharkhand were also discussed in the meeting.
In Jharkhand, the party may contest the polls either with national alliance partner BJP or on its own.

Aug 25, 2024

Ashwini Vaishnaw Launches 'Create In India Challenge-Season One'

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launched 'Create in India Challenge-Season One' in New Delhi in the run-up to the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit. Speaking on the occasion, Vaishnaw said that reflecting the evolution of Indian economy and the impact of technological advancements, 25 challenges have been launched. He said, the Media and Entertainment industry has also evolved, significantly boosting the creator economy. The Minister said, this creator economy was recognised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who presented the first National Creator Awards.

PM Modi Presents BHISHM Cubes to Ukraine

In a historic visit to Ukraine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged extensive humanitarian support and handed over four BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri) Cubes to the Ukrainian government. This marks the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine since its independence in 1991, emphasising India's stance for peace amidst the ongoing conflict with Russia.
The BHISHM Cubes, part of India's Project Aarogya Maitri, are innovative, compact units designed for rapid deployment in conflict zones and disaster-affected areas. Each cube, weighing up to 20 kg, is packed with essential medicines, medical equipment, and supplies. The cubes are organised to address various medical emergencies and are easily transportable via air, sea, land, or drones.

India's KAPS-4 Nuclear Plant Achieves Full Capacity

The Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) in Gujarat, India, reached full operational capacity with its second 700 MW nuclear reactor, KAPS-4, which started operating at full power. This achievement follows the reactor's commercial operation start on March 31, 2024, and its first criticality on December 17, 2023. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) confirmed that Unit 4 at KAPS was previously operating at 90% capacity before reaching its full 700 MW output.
The KAPS-4 unit, an indigenous 700 MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR), reflects the success of India's domestic nuclear technology. The full power operation of KAPS-4, alongside its twin unit KAPS-3, underscores the effectiveness of the PHWR design.

Aug 24, 2024

MoU between DARPG, Government of India and Public Service Department

The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Government of India and Public Service Department, Prime Minister's Department, Government of Malaysia signed MoU on 'Co-operation in the field of Public Administration and Governance Reforms' for a period of five years.
The Memorandum of Understanding aims that the two countries endeavour to take necessary steps to encourage and promote co-operation in the areas like Providing Citizen Centric Services through digital platform; Government Process Simplification and Re-engineering for effective delivery of public services through digital platform; Promoting Transparency and Accountability in delivery of public services; Human Resource Management/Leadership Development; Public Sector Management and Reforms; Public Grievance Redress Mechanisms; and E-Governance/ Digital Government.

Deepti Gaur Mukherjee Assumes Charge as MCA Secretary

Deepti Gaur Mukherjee, a 1993 batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, took over as the Secretary of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), succeeding Manoj Govil, who assumed the role of Expenditure Secretary. Before this, Mukherjee served as the CEO of the National Health Authority.
As the new MCA Secretary, Mukherjee's tenure begins at a crucial time when the Ministry is focusing on several significant reforms, including the framing of the draft Digital Competition Bill, the introduction of IBC 2.0, and enhancing the capacity of National Company Law Tribunals (NCLTs). The MCA is also set to implement provisions from the Competition Act 2023, the most substantial revision of competition law since 2002.

Health Ministry Constitutes National Task Force on Healthcare Worker Safety

The Health Ministry formed a 14-member National Task Force (NTF) to address the safety and working conditions of medical professionals in India. In response to ongoing protests and as mandated by the Supreme Court, the NTF will develop recommendations focused on preventing violence against healthcare workers and establishing national protocols for dignified and safe working conditions across the medical profession.
The NTF's primary focus will include creating an action plan to prevent violence against medical professionals and ensuring safe working conditions. This includes setting protocols for the safety of interns, residents, senior residents, doctors, nurses, and other medical staff. The task force is also tasked with addressing sexual violence within medical establishments and ensuring compliance with the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
The NTF will be led by the Cabinet Secretary, with members including key officials from the Union Health and Home Ministries, the National Medical Commission, and prominent medical institutions across India. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will provide logistical support, including travel, stay, and secretarial assistance for the task force members.

Share on

TCY Analytics (View Subscription Plans)

Subscribe to GK Updates

I want to receive

GK Tags

July GK, June GK, May 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