General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - December 2016

Dec 2016

Jan 17, 2019

Astronauts for Gaganyaan to be Chosen This Year

Astronauts for India's first manned mission to space are likely to be selected this year, with the air force getting ready to identify a pool of ace pilots who would undergo a battery of tests, including psychological assessments, to fly the Gaganyaan space mission.
The Indian mission has an ambitious launch date of early 2022 — before India's 75th Independence Day — that leaves a tight schedule to identify and train the first set of astroand experimental aircraft — are likely to be part of the first manned mission.
The IAF has two sets of test pilots for fixed wing planes and rotary aircraft.
The Indian mission will also have a woman astronaut who will be selected from the pool of military pilots in India.
The IAF has recently inducted women fighter pilots who could be nauts.
While other nations, including Russia, have promised support to train an Indian crew for the mission, efforts will also be made to put an Indian system into place that will be able to select personnel and train them with the creation of special facilities here.
The IAF's Institute of Aerospace Medicine will play a critical role in the selection and training of astronauts that will involve the extensive use of simulators and the human centrifuge system.

Jan 16, 2019

Telangana and Gujarat Allows EWS Quota

The entire recruitment process for government jobs in Gujarat has been suspended pending fresh notifications to accommodate the new quota category that came into existence on January 14.
Gujarat emerged as the first state to implement the 10 percent reservation for the economically weaker sections among the general category.
Telangana will become the second state, after Gujarat to implement the 10 percent quota for General Category economically weaker sections in educational institutions and jobs.
The formal go-ahead to the move is expected in the Assembly session starting on January 17.

Haryana Launches Cyber Security Portal

Haryana's Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu launched a cyber security portal and a toll free helpline number (1800-180-1234) for reporting cyber security issues.
It is the first time in the country that any state has launched such a portal.
The services were launched during the 'National Summit on Digital Innovation & Cyber Security' at Hartron Campus .
The users can log on 'haryanaismo.gov.in and know the ways for securing oneself against cyber threats. The portal has information about how to keep children safe online.

Entrepreneurship Programme

Niti Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), in partnership with Dell and Learning Links Foundation, launched the "Nayee Dishayein, Naye Nirman" programme on the eve of the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda to celebrate the Top six innovations of the country under the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) initiative.
The top innovations are in key social sectors of agritech, health care, clean energy, smart mobility, waste management, and water resources.
All 6 teams are being awarded a 10-month ATL Student Entrepreneurship Program with Dell, which will help them transform their innovative prototypes into fully functional products and Go to Market.

Jan 15, 2019

Delhi to showcase Gandhi tableau on Republic Day

This Republic Day, people will get to see Delhi's tableau at the historic Rajpath after a year's gap.
The theme of Delhi's tableau will be the days that Mahatma Gandhi spent in Delhi.The tableau will highlight Mahatma Gandhi's sojourns to Delhi, the first of which took place in 1915.
The theme is always chosen by the defence ministry, which was commemorating Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary this year. In its tableau, Delhi will showcase Gandhi Smriti, formerly known as the Birla House. It was at Gandhi Smriti that the father of the nation spent his last 144 days.
Last year, Delhi could not send a tableau to the annual parade because the state government delayed sending its proposal to the Centre.
The arts, culture and languages department of the Delhi government is responsible for sending the recommendations and invite tenders for the Republic Day tableau design and creation.
In 2017, Delhi had participated in the parade after three years.

Men-Only Peak Opens for Women Trekkers

Breaking yet another gender barrier, a woman started scaling Agasthyarkoodam, the second highest peak of Kerala, where the fair sex had been barred owing to an age-old tribal custom.
K Dhanya Sanal, armed with a recent High Court order which lifted the 'unofficial' ban on entry of women to the peak, began the arduous journey along with male trekkers through the traditional forest path from Bonacaud.
Dhanya was the only woman in the first batch of 100 trekkers who set out to scale the 1,868-metre lofty peak, known for its panoramic beauty and unique biodiversity.
Agastyarkoodam, located in the Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary, opened for the annual trekking for the first time after the Kerala High Court ruled last November that no gender-based restrictions would be imposed on trekkers.
The local Kani tribes living on the foothills have opposed the scaling of the lofty peak by women.
The 47-day trekking programme to the peak will continue till March 1.

India Plans Mega Africa Push

India has planned mega Africa push amid growing opposition to Chinese debt trap in the Africa continent with January 19 earmarked as the Africa Day in the Vibrant Gujarat Summit.
Rwandan President and current African Union chair Paul Kagame besides Ministers from several African countries will be present on the occasion with an objective to seek wider Indian presence in their continent.
Various inter-African economic groupings representing various geographical groupings will be present on the occasion, informed persons familiar with the event.
Almost 200 African businessmen have registered for the Africa Day meet in Gandhinagar to explore Gujarat market and wider Indian market.
This is the first time that India has announced an African Day in keeping with high-level engagements with the continent since mega India-Africa summit here in 2015.

Jan 13, 2019

Ladakh Set to House Largest Solar Plant in the World

Ladakh, known for its pristine natural beauty and colourful mountains towering over vast swathes of desolate land, is set to add another feature to its fame - the world's largest single location solar PV (photo- voltaic) plant.
Some 200 km to the south in Kargil, another mega project will join forces to light up the plains of India, keep glaciers cool by saving 12,750 tonnes of carbon emission a year, remove dependence on diesel gensets and create livelihood for the local population which remains cut off for 6-8 months a year.

SP and BSP Announces Formal Alliance

Formally announcing their alliance in Uttar Pradesh, giving each 38 Lok Sabha seats, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party have vexed both the BJP and the Congress.
BSP supremo Mayawati and SP national chief Akhilesh Yadav ended speculation about the arch rivals joining hands to defeat the BJP.

Jan 12, 2019

NATPOLREX-VII conducted at sea off Mumbai harbour

The seventh edition of the National Level Pollution Response Exercise (NATPOLREX-VII) was conducted at sea off Mumbai harbour.
The highlight of the exercise was participation of ICG Pollution Control Vessel (PCV) ICGS Samudra Pavak and integration of other stakeholders i.e Mumbai Port Trust, JNPT, ONGC and SCI.
A total of 11 ICG ships, five assets of MBPT and JNPT, two tugs of ONGC and one tanker from SCI along with ICG Dornier maritime reconnaissance aircraft and Chetak helicopter participated in this mega exercise.
International observers were also present to witness the oil spill response drill.

Delhi to Get Tallest Fountain on Republic Day

The national capital will get its tallest fountain this Republic Day when officials inaugurate the feature at the Windsor Place roundabout near Janpath.
The fountain will be 90-foot high, dwarfing the current tallest one that reaches 50 feet and is located at the Lodhi Gardens Lake.
This Republic Day, the New Delhi Municipal Council will inaugurate the city's tallest fountain in the heart of the national capital.

India Nepal Reviews Bilateral Ties

India and Nepal reviewed bilateral ties spread across many sectors, especially progress on three transformative initiatives in agriculture, railways and inland waterways, besides ongoing bilateral development and connectivity projects.
Both sides expressed satisfaction at the significant progress made in different sectors of cooperation as a result of intensified bilateral exchanges at all levels.

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