General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - December 2017

Dec 2017

Apr 03, 2025

India, Australia Mark Three Years of ECTA

India and Australia commemorated the third anniversary of the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (Ind-Aus ECTA), reaffirming their commitment to deepening economic ties and fostering mutual prosperity. Since the agreement's implementation, bilateral trade between the two nations has reached USD 24 billion.
The ECTA has opened new avenues for trade and investment, benefiting key sectors such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and agriculture. Additionally, India's imports of essential raw materials, including metalliferous ores, cotton, and wood products, have contributed to industrial growth, reinforcing the complementary nature of the partnership.

Sivasubramanian Ramann Appointed as New Chairperson of PFRDA

The government appointed Sivasubramanian Ramann as the new Chairperson of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved his appointment for a tenure of five years.
Ramann belongs to 1991 batch of Indian Audit & Accounts Service (IA&AS).
He has served as Chairman & Managing Director, Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), for 3 years between 2021 and 2024.
Before joining SIDBI, he was MD & CEO of National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL).
Prior to joining NeSL, Ramann was the Principal Accountant General (Audit), Jharkhand, Ranchi during 2015-2016.

Warangal Chapata Chilli Receives GI Tag, Boosting Farmer Benefits

In a significant development for farmers in Telangana, the Chapata Chilli, also known as Tomato Chilli, received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. This milestone is expected to benefit around 20,000 farmers in the Warangal region by increasing their income and boosting market demand for this unique chilli variety.
The Chapata Chilli is known for its bright red color and mild pungency, making it a preferred choice among pickle makers. Its natural red pigment also makes it ideal as a natural coloring agent in the food and beverage industry, replacing synthetic dyes.

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal Inaugurates Start-up Mahakumbh

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal inaugurated the second edition of Start-up Mahakumbh, taking at Bharat Mandapam from April 3 to 5, 2025.The event aims to contribute further to India's economic growth and showcase to the world the unfolding story of Bharat. Minister of State, Ministry of Commerce & Industry and Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Jitin Prasada, delivered a special address during the inaugural event.
During this year's edition Tribal entrepreneurs are also taking the stage with participation from 45+ start-ups including those incubated at IIM Calcutta, IIM Kashipur, and IIT Bhilai.

Apr 02, 2025

"Connecting with Care" - A Month Dedicated to Listening, Learning & Leading

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), India's pioneering state-owned telecommunications provider, announced April 2025 as "Customer Service Month" — a nationwide initiative dedicated to enhancing customer experience and building stronger connections with its users under the unifying theme 'Connecting with Care.'
As part of BSNL's renewed focus on service excellence and its long-standing commitment to "Customer First", all BSNL Circles, Business Areas, and Units will actively participate in this month-long engagement drive.
The initiative aims to re-engage customers across all segments — rural, urban, enterprise, and retail — with a dedicated emphasis on:
Improving mobile network quality
Enhancing FTTH and broadband reliability
Enhancing leased circuits/MPLS reliability
Ensuring billing transparency
Expediting customer grievance redressal

India, Chile Agree to Begin Talks for Economic Partnership Pact

As India and Chile agreed to start negotiations for a comprehensive economic partnership agreement after a bilateral meeting with the visiting President of Chile Gabriel Boric Font, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Chile as the "gateway to Antarctica".
In the field of agriculture, cooperation will be done to ensure food security by combining each other's capabilities.
Describing Chile as an important partner of India in Latin America, Modi said: "India is ready to share its positive experience with Chile in Digital Public Infrastructure, Renewable Energy, Railways, Space and other areas."

Apr 01, 2025

Sagarmala Programme Completes 10 Years since Implementation

Launched in March 2015, the Sagarmala Programme is the flagship initiative of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways aimed at transforming India's maritime sector. With a 7,500 km coastline, 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways, and a strategic location on global trade routes, India has immense potential for port-led economic growth. Sagarmala focuses on modernizing ports, enhancing connectivity, promoting industrial development, and boosting coastal shipping and inland waterways to reduce logistics costs and improve trade competitiveness.
As a key pillar of the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 (MAKV), Sagarmala plays a vital role in India's goal to become a global maritime leader. Through strategic investments, the program supports port modernisation, industrialisation, sustainability, and coastal community development. The Sagarmala 2.0 initiative and the Sagarmala Startup Innovation Initiative (S2I2) are expected to further drive maritime infrastructure, shipbuilding, innovation, and economic expansion, aligning with India's vision for Viksit Bharat and Atmanirbhar Bharat 2047.

President of India Inaugurates National Conference on 'Environment - 2025'

The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, inaugurated the National Conference on 'Environment – 2025' in New Delhi. In her address, she emphasised that environmental protection should be a continuous effort integrated into daily life. The President highlighted India's commitment to green initiatives and the role of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in environmental governance.

Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament 2025 to Kick Off in New Delhi

The three-day Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is being held in New Delhi from April 1 to 3. Like traditional Youth Parliament, the event serves as a powerful platform to connect young individuals with politics and public policy, fostering their engagement in governance and nation-building. For the first time since COVID-19, all 300 District Nodal Rounds were conducted in person.
After successful district and state rounds, the top 3 candidates from each State and UT, totalling 108 youth, were are participating at the national level. The participants will also attend sessions in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for firsthand exposure to governance. The event will conclude on April 3, as the Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament Awards and National Youth Awards will be conferred.

Uttarakhand Renames 17 Places with Mughal Reference

Amid the ongoing controversy over Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb in Maharashtra, the BJP-led Uttarakhand government renamed 17 locations across four districts, removing all Mughal-era references.
At least ten places which underwent a name change are located in Haridwar district, four in Dehradun, two in Nainital and one in Udham Singh Nagar.
Aurangzebpur in Haridwar was renamed Shivaji Nagar, Ghaziwali as Arya Nagar, Khanpur as Shri Krishnapur and Khanpur Kursali as Ambedkar Nagar.
Likewise, Miyawala in Dehradun will now be called Ramjiwala, Chandpur Khurd as Prithviraj Nagar, Nawabi Road in Nainital got a new name Atal Road and Panchukki Marg was renamed Guru Golwalkar Marg after the second RSS chief.

Mar 31, 2025

India Launches 'Operation Brahma' For Quake-Hit Myanmar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Myanmar's Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and assured India's humanitarian assistance to help deal with the devastating aftermath of the earthquake that struck Myanmar. The conversation between the two leaders came just hours after India launched 'Operation Brahma', an emergency relief mission aimed at providing disaster relief, search and rescue operations, and medical assistance to the affected regions.

Centre Appoints IFS officer Nidhi Tewari as PM Modi's Private Secretary

The government issued a memorandum announcing the appointment of Nidhi Tewari, a 2014-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, as Private Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Tewari has been serving as Deputy Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) since November 2022. Earlier she was Under Secretary at Disarmament and International Security Affairs Division at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

India, Japan Sign Loan Agreements for 6 Projects

India and Japan signed loan agreements worth 191.736 billion Japanese yen for six projects under Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) to India. The six projects are in forest management, water supply, urban transport, aquaculture, biodiversity conservation and investment promotion.

Mar 30, 2025

India's Social Security Coverage Doubles: ILO Report 2024-26

India has made remarkable strides in expanding social security coverage, as highlighted in the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) World Social Protection Report (WSPR) 2024-26. The report reveals that India's social protection coverage has doubled from 24.4% in 2021 to 48.8% in 2024, demonstrating the impact of various government welfare initiatives.
According to the Ministry of Labour & Employment, nearly 920 million people (65% of the population) now benefit from at least one form of social protection, either in cash or in-kind, through central government schemes. India's progress has also contributed to a 5% increase in global social protection coverage, highlighting its role in shaping international welfare policies.

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