General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - May 2017

May 2017

Feb 26, 2022

Sustainable Cities India Program

The World Economic Forum (WEF) and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to design 'Sustainable Cities India' program.
This partnership between WEF and NIUA is significant in the light of India's commitment of achieving net zero carbon emission by 2070, made at COP26 summit in Glasgow.
WEF and NIUA will adapt WEF's 'City Sprint' process as well as 'Toolbox of Solutions' for decarbonisation of five to seven Indian cities in two years.
City Sprint Process is a series of multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder workshops that involved government, business, and civil society leaders to enable decarbonisation, specifically through clean electrification and circularity. It will help to jumpstart and accelerate net zero action and planning. The workshop series will shortlist relevant policies and business models, which will help in reducing emissions and maximizing System Value, like improved air quality or job creation.
The City Sprint Process uses "Toolbox of Solutions", which is a digital platform comprising of more than 200 examples of clean electrification, efficiency & smart infrastructure best practices and case studies across energy systems, buildings, and mobility from 110 cities of the world.

Nepal, India Agree to Build New Projects by Investing in Energy Sector

Nepal and India agreed to build new projects by injecting joint investment in the hydropower sector.
As per the agreement reached at Nepal-India Energy Joint Meeting, a joint technical team will be formed to carry out the study as per the proposal made by India.
In the meeting held in Kathmandu the two countries agreed to build more transmission lines, complete the transmission lines that are under construction and proposed new cross -country transmission lines, completion of Arun 3 hydropower project and energy export and import.

Lavender is Brand Product of J&K's Doda District

The Union Minister of Science & Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, chaired the District Development Coordination & Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meetings of several districts in Jammu & Kashmir recently. A key decision taken during the meeting was that Lavender was designate as a Doda brand product, to promote lavender under the 'One District, One Product' initiative of the Modi Government.
Doda district in J&K is the birthplace of India's Purple Revolution or the cultivation of Lavender. Though, Lavender cultivation is practised in almost all the 20 districts of Jammu & Kashmir.
Purple Revolution (Lavender cultivation) was launched under the Aroma Mission of the Union Ministry of Science & Technology. The Aroma mission was implemented by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) through its Jammu-based laboratory, the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicines (IIIM).

Feb 25, 2022

Chamba District of Himachal Pradesh Becomes 100th 'Har Ghar Jal' District

Jal Jeevan Mission achieved the significant milestone of providing tap water to every home of 100 districts across the country. Chamba, in Himachal Pradesh, became the 100th 'Har Ghar Jal' district, the fifth aspirational district to be covered under the initiative. The other four Har Ghar Jal Aspirational districts are Bhadradri Kothgudem, Jayashankar Bhupalpalli, Komram Bheem Asifabad (all in Telangana) and Mewat in Haryana.
To translate Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision of providing clean tap water to every home in the country by 2024, in a short span of two and half years and despite COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown disruptions, Jal Jeevan Mission, has provided tap water supply to more than 5.78 crore rural households.

Feb 24, 2022

Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia Gets PWD Portfolio from Satyendar Jain

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was allocated the Public Works Department, which was held by Health Minister Satyendra Jain.
This new responsibility is in addition to the portfolios already held by him.
Sisodia is already handling 10 important departments which include Education, Finance, Planning, Tourism, Art and Culture, and Employment among others. With the new responsibility, now he holds charge of a total of 11 departments.

ED Arrests Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik in Money Laundering Case

In a blow for the coalition government in Maharashtra, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested NCP leader and state cabinet minister Nawab Malik in connection with a case of alleged money laundering and "active involvement in terror funding" linked to a land deal in 1999 with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's sister.
Malik is the second senior NCP leader to be arrested by the central agency over the last four months, after Anil Deshmukh, the former state Home Minister, was taken into custody and jailed last November over another alleged case of money laundering.

Feb 23, 2022

Delimitation Panel on Jammu and Kashmir Gets Two-month Extension

The term of the Delimitation Commission, mandated to redraw the assembly constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir was extended by two months to complete its task.
The panel's term was to end on March 6, but according to a Law Ministry notification, it was extended by two months -- till May 6 this year.
As per reports, the panel needed more time to ready its final report.
Formed in March 2020, the panel was granted a one-year extension last year.
Headed by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, it has Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and the state election commissioner of Jammu and Kashmir as its ex-officio members.

Manipur Flag-hoisting Tradition

Before setting off on the campaign trail for the Manipur elections, being held on February 27 and March 3, candidates are holding a special 'flag-hoisting ceremony' in their respective constituencies. The practice, unique to Manipur, cuts across parties, ethnicities, religions and communities.
The ceremony is usually held in the courtyard of the candidate's home on an auspicious date in the calendar. While the event simply involves the candidate hoisting the party flag, followed by a prayer by a priest and blessings by community elders, its scale and ceremony vary from candidate to candidate.

Sanjeev Sanyal Inducted into Economic Advisory Council to PM

The Finance Ministry's Principal Economic Adviser Sanjeev Sanyal was inducted into the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister as a full-time member.
Mr. Sanyal was made the Principal Economic Adviser in February 2017. The EAC to the PM is headed by former Niti Aayog member Bibek Debroy.

Feb 22, 2022

Jaishankar Discusses Key Regional and Global Issues with French Counterpart

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held wide-ranging and productive talks with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian. They discussed key regional and global issues, particularly the India-EU relationship, and exchanged perspectives on the situation in Afghanistan, Iranian nuclear deal and the Ukraine crisis.
They also discussed key regional and global issues, particularly the India-EU relationship and the priorities of the French Presidency of the EU Council that began on January 1, 2022.
Jaishankar appreciated the French initiative of hosting an EU Ministerial Forum on Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific on February 22, 2022, where he will participate along with several other Ministers from Indo-Pacific and EU countries.

Ram Nath Kovind Conducts Fleet Review of Indian Navy

President Ram Nath Kovind conducted a Fleet Review of Indian Navy in Visakhapatnam.
Visakhapatnam hosted the Fleet Review for the second time.
First Fleet Review was hosted in 2006 by the then President of India APJ Abdul Kalam.
The Fleet Review is done with the aim of assuring the country of preparedness, high morale and discipline of Indian Navy.
This year marked the twelfth Fleet Review.
Every President of India reviews the Indian Naval Fleet, once during their office term, because he is the Supreme Commander of Indian armed forces.
So far, 11 Fleet Reviews have been organized. The first fleet was conducted in 1953, under President Rajendra Prasad. Of all, two reviews in 2001 and 2016 were international, in which vessels from other countries also took part.

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