General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - May 2018

May 2018

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.

Aug 23, 2024

India, Poland Sign Social Security Pact, Plan to Elevate Partnership

India and Poland upgraded their ties to the level of a strategic partnership and inked a social security pact to promote the mobility of skilled workers following wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk.
In the meeting, both sides vowed to significantly expand the bilateral defence and security ties with Tusk expressing Warsaw's eagerness to be a key partner in New Delhi's aim to boost domestic defence production and modernise its armed forces.
Modi's visit to Poland was the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Poland in nearly half a century.

Disclose Assets or Forego Promotions: UP Government Tells Employees

More than 13 lakh government employees in Uttar Pradesh face the risk of losing their salaries if they fail to comply with an order from the Yogi Adityanath administration to declare their movable and immovable assets by August 31, 2024.
The order, which was initially issued in August last year (2023), mandates that employees submit their asset details on the government's Manav Sampada portal (human resources management system).
Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh made it clear that only those who submit their asset details by the deadline will receive their salaries.
The directive applies to all categories of officers and employees, and failure to comply will result in ineligibility for promotions, in addition to the salary freeze.
Despite multiple extensions of the initial December 31 deadline—first to June 30, then to July 31—only 26% of the state's 1.78 million employees have complied with the directive.

A Flag and an Anthem Mark Vijay's Definitive Entry into Tamil Politics

Tamil cinema superstar Vijay took a definitive step toward active politics by launching the flag and anthem of his newly formed party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), at the party's headquarters in Panaiyur near Chennai.
The event, which marks the beginning of his foray into politics, saw the actor formally introduce his party's symbols to his supporters.
The flag, a striking design featuring two colours – red on top and bottom and yellow in the middle – was hoisted by Vijay himself. At the centre of the flag is the Vaagai flower, flanked by two trumpeting elephants. The Vaagai flower, deeply rooted in Tamil history, was worn by ancient warriors as a symbol of victory.
The event also featured the launch of the party's flag song, Thamizhan Kodi Parakuthu (The Tamil Flag Flies High). The anthem was accompanied by the unveiling of a pledge that outlines the party's commitment to democratic principles, equality, and social justice.

J-K polls: Alliance with Congress Final on all 90 Seats

An alliance with the Congress is final on all 90 assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference president Farooq Adbullah said.
The announcement came after Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called on the National Conference leadership at Abdullah's residence.
The three-phase elections to the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will be held on September 18, September 25 and October 1. The results will be declared on October 4.

Aug 22, 2024

Two-Day India-EU Regional Conference

The European Union (EU) and the external affairs ministry organised a regional conference in New Delhi and discuss emerging threats in online radicalisation and to jointly counter the exploitation of online spaces by terrorists.
The Track 1.5 conference was held on August 21-22 in collaboration with organising partner Global Counter-Terrorism Council (GCTC), an international think tank, which gathered experts, policymakers, academia and law enforcement officials from India, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Europe.
The conference aims to enhance counter-terror dialogues and partnerships in the region, in line with the EU's Indo-Pacific strategy that envisages a deeper and stronger engagement with partners which share common goals and face common challenges.
The EU and India have strongly condemned all forms of terrorism and emphasised the need for strengthening international cooperation in dealing with such challenges.

Amardeep Singh Bhatia Appointed as DPIIT Secretary

Amardeep Singh Bhatia, a 1993-batch IAS officer from the Nagaland cadre, officially assumed the role of Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). He succeeded Rajesh Kumar Singh, who was appointed as Officer on Special Duty in the Department of Defence. Bhatia's extensive experience includes key roles in both central and state governments, particularly in the Ministries of Corporate Affairs and Health & Family Welfare.
Before his current role, Bhatia served as Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce, where he played a significant part in shaping trade policies and negotiating free trade agreements.

Ram Madhav, G. Kishan Reddy Appointed as BJP In-charge for Assembly Polls in J-K

RSS functionary and former BJP general secretary Ram Madhav was appointed the party in-charge for the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir along with Union Minister G Kishan Reddy.
Madhav's return to the organisation is closely linked to the BJP's aspirations in J&K.
G. Kishan Reddy, the Secunderabad MP and the current minister of coal and mines, will also help Ram Madhav in planning and preparation of the elections, the first to be held in the Union Territories since 2014 and also the first after the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, which ended the erstwhile state's special status.

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