General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - December 2016

Dec 2016

Jul 20, 2018

Crackdown on Economic Offenders

The Lok Sabha passed a bill that empowers authorities to attach and confiscate the assets of fugitive economic offenders and aims to deter them from fleeing the country in an attempt to evade prosecution.

The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, 2018 replaces the fugitive economic offenders' ordinance that was promulgated in April to initiate seizure of assets of jewellers Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi.

The bill allows for a person to be declared a fugitive economic offender if an arrest warrant is issued against him/her for any specified offence involving over Rs 100 crore and the accused leaves the country and refuses to return to face prosecution.

RTI Amendment Bill

In temporary relief for the right to information crusaders, the government agreed to the Opposition's request to send the Right to Information Amendment Bill to a select committee of Rajya Sabha after the Bill is introduced in the House.

The proposed amendments seek to grant the power to the government to fix salaries and tenures of state and central information commissioners.

First Ever 2+2 Dialogue

According to US state Department, the first-ever talks 'two-plus-two dialogue' between India and US will be held in the national capital on September 6.

The talks will aim at developing and strengthening strategic defence cooperation between both the countries.

Earlier the US had deferred the talks for unavoidable reasons.

Doyen of Hindi Poetry Neeraj Passes Away

Doyen of Hindi poetry Gopal Das Neeraj passed away on Thursday evening at the AIIMS trauma centre here. He was 93.

He had also written songs for Bollywood films. Neeraj had penned several hits such as 'Ae Bhai Zara Dekh Ke Chalo', 'Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya', 'Dil Aaj Shayar Hai', 'Likhe Jo Khat Tujhe, among others.

He was awarded Padma Shri in 1991 and Padma Bhushan in 2007.

Jul 19, 2018

CBSE Considers using Encrypted Question Papers

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is considering using encrypted question papers for classes X and XII examinations, and passing on the task of printing them to schools from next year. The move is being currently tested as a pilot project in the ongoing compartmental examinations. The CBSE is also planning to provide logistical support to examination centres that lack adequate printing and xerox machines. The printing cost will be borne by the CBSE.

Amendment to the Right to Education Act

The Lok Sabha witnessed a rare bonhomie between ruling and Opposition benches, as the House unanimously passed an amendment to the Right to Education Act. The amendment aims to do away with the "no-detention policy" that prohibits schools from detaining students till they complete elementary education. The amendment once passed by Rajya Sabha too, will allow states to hold a regular examination at the end of Classes V and VIII.

India US Held Meeting to Further Defence Cooperation

At a time when the India-US military relationship appears to have taken a hit because of American sanctions against Russia, senior defence officials from both sides met to strengthen defence cooperation.India and the US held the seventh meeting of the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) that seeks to overcome bureaucratic obstacles to cooperation and identify opportunities for sharing of defence technologies. The DTTI meeting was co-chaired Ajay Kumar, secretary (defence production) and Ellen M Lord, US under secretary of defence for acquisition and sustainment.

The DTTI seeks to identify opportunities for co-development and co-production of military hardware, collaborate on science and technology projects and jointly explore policy changes needed to further the military relationship. The US Department of Defense established an exclusive India Rapid Reaction Cell in 2015 to support the DTTI.

NDA to Face its First Motion of No-Confidence

The 4-year old NDA government led by PM Narendra Modi will face its first motion of no-confidence after Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan admitted a notice moved by the Telugu Desam Party. Eight notices of no-confidence in the Council of Ministers were received as the monsoon session of the Parliament commenced. The Speaker allowed TDP MP Kesineni Srinivas' notice given to protest denial of a special package for Andhra Pradesh. She said, Srinivas' notice was the "first in point of time".

Chandan Mitra Resigns from BJP

Two-term former Rajya Sabha member Chandan Mitra has resigned from the BJP amid speculation that he may join the Trinamool Congress. . Considered close to veteran BJP leader L K Advani, Mitra was nominated to the Upper House in 2003 when the BJP-led NDA was in power at the Centre and again elected to the House in 2010 from MP on party's ticket. However, his political stock within the party plunged under Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, and he was left with little responsibility.

Jul 18, 2018

Anurag Thakur Made BJP Chief Whip

Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur has been appointed the BJP's chief whip in the Lok Sabha.
The appointment was announced on the eve of the monsoon session of Parliament with Mr. Thakur replacing Ramesh Singh, who has been appointed Madhya Pradesh BJP chief.

Jul 17, 2018

UP to Restore Anticipatory Bail

Forty-three years after it did away with the provisions of anticipatory bail, Uttar Pradesh will soon restore the law, providing succour to residents who often have to rush to the Supreme Court for relief in case they face arrest in criminal cases.

Plans to Amend NIA Act

The government plans to amend National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, in an attempt to strengthen the agency.

The draft Bills for the amendments to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act and counter-terror law UAPA are being prepared and may be introduced in the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

According to the proposal, the NIA would be allowed to probe cases of terror attacks on Indians in abroad and seize and attach property representing proceeds of terrorism. It will also make the probe agency the nodal authority for probing cases of human trafficking.

Successful Test-fire of BrahMos Missile

Supersonic cruise missile BrahMos was successfully test-fired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur.

This test launch comes close on the heels of two trials of BrahMos missile conducted on May 21 and 22 this year in which the major sub-systems manufactured indigenously under the 'Make in India' campaign were tested.

BrahMos is a joint venture between DRDO and the NPOM of Russia.

Jul 16, 2018

First Joint Tri-services Military Drill

India and the US are likely to hold their first tri-services military drill later this year.

The three wings of the armed forces of India and the US hold separate military exercises, but this will be the first time that the two countries will have a joint drill of their Army, Air Force and the Navy.

Liberal Visa Regime Agreement

Reiterating their commitment to strengthen the bilateral relation on the basis of friendship, trust and understanding, India and Bangladesh signed an agreement to liberalise the visa regime between the two countries.

The Revised Travel Arrangement 2018 (RTA 2018) amending the earlier RTA 2013 for further liberalizing the visa regime between the two countries, including enhanced duration for employment and student visas.

Anti-terror SCO Drill

Militaries of India and Pakistan will be part of a mega anti-terror drill in Russia next month which is being organised by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) with an aim to expand cooperation among the member countries to deal with terrorism and extremism.

The exercise will be joined by all SCO member countries including Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

India Becomes Regional Head of Asia Pacific Region

India has become the Vice-Chair or the regional head of the Asia Pacific Region of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) for two years from July 2018 to June 2020. The WCO has divided its Membership into six regions, each of which is represented by a regionally elected Vice-Chairperson to the WCO Council.

By becoming the Vice Chair, India will be able to take up the leadership role at the WCO.

INS Tarangini Sets Sail for Tall Ships Races

Indian Navy ship 'INS Tarangini' set sail as a participant in the Tall Ships Races from the UK's Sunderland Port.

The ship is on a Lokayan-18 voyage, which will take in 15 ports across 13 countries, and Sunderland marked the seventh, from where it set off for the annual races along with 13 other ships from the UK.

The ship is part of the first training squadron based at Kochi, under the Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy.

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