General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - May 2018

May 2018

Jun 26, 2024

Ministry of Coal Initiates India's First Ever Pilot project for Underground Coal Gasification in ...

The Ministry of Coal has initiated India's first-ever pilot project for Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) at the Kasta coal block in Jamtara District, Jharkhand.
This initiative, under the aegis of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL), aims to revolutionise the coal industry by converting coal into valuable gases such as methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide through in-situ gasification.
Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) provides a crucial benefit by unlocking coal deposits that are not economically feasible to extract using conventional mining techniques.
This pilot initiative marks a major milestone for Coal India Limited (CIL) and its subsidiaries, positioning India at the forefront of adopting cutting-edge coal gasification technologies.

Om Birla Elected as Speaker

BJP leader and NDA candidate Om Birla was elected as Speaker of 18th Lok Sabha. Birla was elected against INDIA bloc's candidate K. Suresh during the voice vote held in the House. Om Birla is the only Lok Sabha speaker after Balram Jakhar in 1985 to get two full terms.
Earlier, the motions to elect Speaker of the Lok Sabha were moved by both NDA and INDIA factions. Traditionally, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha were elected based on consensus between the ruling party and the opposition.
Om Birla is a three-time MP from Kota, Rajasthan. He was the speaker in the previous Lok Sabha (17th) too. K Suresh of the Congress, has served eight terms representing Kerala's Mavelikara constituency. Suresh holds the distinction of being the longest-serving parliamentarian in the 18th Lok Sabha.

Jun 25, 2024

E-medical Visas for Bangladeshis, New Embassy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, announced that India will commence an e-medical visa facility to facilitate Bangladeshis seeking medical treatment to come to India. He further said that both countries have agreed to open a new Assistant High Commission in Rangpur for the convenience of the people of the North West region of Bangladesh.

'India Africa Postal Leaders Meet' Held in India

The 'India Africa Postal Leaders Meet' was held in India from June 21 to 25, 2024, with the objective of further strengthening relationships among the administrations of African countries and India in the postal sector. This is an initiative under the 'South- South and Triangular Cooperation' programme of the Universal Postal Union, organized with the support of India Post and the United States Postal Service.
The key theme of the meet is 'capacity building, through study visits'. The study visits showcase India's successful model of service delivery through its extensive post office network. India Post's unique approach of combining digital services with traditional postal service delivery to maintain the human touch has garnered international attention and inspired the coordination of this meet by the Universal Postal Union.

Kerala Assembly Passes Resolution to Officially Change State's Name to 'Keralam'

In a unanimous decision, the Kerala Legislative Assembly passed a resolution proposing a constitutional amendment to change the state's official name from 'Kerala' to 'Keralam'.
The resolution, moved by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, calls for invoking Article 3 of the Indian Constitution to effectuate this change in the First Schedule.
This is the second time the assembly has passed such a resolution, after the previous one sent to the central government last year (2023) faced some technical objections.
The assembly will now send the resolution to the central government for approval. This move by the Kerala government is part of a longstanding demand to officially recognise the Malayalam name of the state.

Jun 24, 2024

Pakistan Delegation in India to Discuss Indus Water Treaty

A Pakistani delegation came to India in connection with the 1960 Indus Water Treaty and visited Kishtwar to see the Dam sites.
The Indus Waters Treaty was signed between then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and former Pakistan President Ayub Khan in 1960 with the World Bank as a signatory to the pact.
The treaty warrants the two sides to meet once a year, alternately in India and Pakistan. However, the 2022 year's meeting scheduled to be held in New Delhi was cancelled in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The last meeting was held in March 2023.
It sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two countries regarding their use of the rivers, known as the Permanent Indus Commission which includes a commissioner from each of the two countries. It also sets out a process for resolving so-called "questions", "differences" and "disputes" that may arise between the parties.
India and Pakistan have engaged in a long outstanding water dispute over two hydroelectric projects.
Pakistan has objected to the building of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric plants by India, saying that it violates the provisions of the treaty. India insists on its right to build these projects and holds that their design is fully in compliance with the guidelines of the treaty.

PM Narendra Modi Unlikely to Attend SCO Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unlikely to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, or SCO, summit in Kazakhstan. The SCO summit will be taking place from July 3 to 4, 2024 in Astana. India is likely to send some other representative to the summit.
Kazakhstan took over the presidency of the grouping from India, which was the president last year (2023). India hosted the SCO summit virtually in July 2023. This year's (2024) host is Kazakhstan.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a political, economic, and security group that was established in 2001. The current members of the SCO are China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Iran became a full member in 2023, under the Indian Presidency of the grouping. Belarus is an observer state and is next in line to gain full membership.

Ayyanna Patrudu Unanimously Elected as Speaker of A.P. Legislative Assembly

Narsipatnam MLA Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu was unanimously elected as the Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly in the absence of any other contestant for the coveted post.
His candidature was proposed by Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan on behalf of the Jana Sena Party (JSP) and IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh and Health Minister Y. Satya Kumar on behalf of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), respectively.

BJP's J. P. Nadda Leader of House in Rajya Sabha

Union Health Minister and senior BJP leader J. P. Nadda was appointed as the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha. Nadda also holds the Chemicals and Fertilizers portfolio in the Cabinet.
The Union Minister replaced Piyush Goyal as the Leader of the House. During Prime Minister Modi's second tenure, Goyal was the Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha.

Russia Approves Draft Logistics Agreement with India

In a development aimed at bolstering military cooperation, the Russian government approved a draft logistics agreement with India. The draft agreement is a key step in increasing operational engagement between the armed forces of the two countries.
A logistics pact, such as the one proposed, facilitates mutual logistical support between countries during various military operations, including peacekeeping missions, humanitarian assistance, and joint military exercises. The support usually involves critical services like refuelling, maintenance, and supply of provisions, and increases interoperability.
This draft logistics pact is a continuation of the longstanding military relationship between Russia and India. In 2021, the two countries signed a comprehensive agreement on military-technical cooperation extending until 2030.

Jun 23, 2024

Telangana State Cabinet Approves Proposal to Waive Crop Loans for Each Farmer in the State by Aug 15

The Telangana state cabinet approved a proposal to waive up to two lakh rupees worth of crop loans for each farmer in the state by August 15. This is to fulfil another promise made by the Congress ahead of the Assembly elections last year (2023).
As per reports, crop loans taken between December 12, 2018 and December 9, 2023, will be eligible to avail of the waiver. The government will issue guidelines on eligibility criteria for crop loan waivers through a government order. Preliminary estimates show that the government needs to spend 31 thousand crore rupees for the crop loan waiver, and it is expected to benefit nearly 40 lakh farmers.

Jun 22, 2024

NHAI Signs MoU with IIIT Delhi to Enhance Road Safety Using Artificial Intelligence

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Delhi, a technical university established by the Government of National Capital Territory (NCT). This collaboration aims to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve the availability and condition of road signs on National Highways, covering approximately 25,000 kilometres.
IIIT Delhi will conduct extensive surveys to collect imagery and other relevant data related to road signages along selected stretches of National Highways. The primary objective is to gather comprehensive information on the availability and condition of road signs.
The collected data will be processed using AI for accurate identification and classification of road signs. This process will result in a geo-stamped inventory of existing road signs, including their categorization and structural condition.
By harnessing AI and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), NHAI aims to significantly improve road safety for all National Highway users. This initiative reflects NHAI's commitment to embracing innovation and adopting advanced technologies for better road management and safety.

India, Bangladesh Sign Pact to Boost Ties in Maritime Sphere, Blue Economy

India and Bangladesh firmed up a futuristic vision to expand cooperation in several new areas and inked a raft of agreements, including boosting ties in the maritime sphere and blue economy.
The pacts were finalised at the wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his visiting Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina.
The key pacts signed by the two sides included one on forging strong ties in the digital domain and another on having a "green partnership.
The two sides also inked an agreement on railway connectivity.

Ministry of Women and Child Development Launches 100-Days Special Awareness Campaign on Women Emp...

The Ministry of Women and Child Development launched a 100-day nationwide awareness campaign to amplify awareness and outreach on women-centric issues.
The campaign, launched during the "National Workshop on SANKALP: Hub for Empowerment of Women," will run from June 21 to October 4.
The event was chaired by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur and attended by Secretary Anil Malik, along with various stakeholders and representatives from across India.
Minister of State Savitri Thakur emphasised the crucial role of women empowerment in national development.
Secretary Anil Malik said that this campaign is pivotal in ensuring that women across the country are aware of and can access the resources and support available to them.

Cabinet Approves Development of Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the proposal of Airports Authority of India (AAI) for development of Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi with an outlay of Rs. 2,870 crore. It includes construction of new terminal building, apron extension, runway extension, parallel taxi track & allied works.
"Varanasi airport will be developed as a green airport with the primary objective of ensuring environmental sustainability through energy optimisation, waste recycling, carbon footprint reduction, solar energy utilisation, and incorporation of natural daylighting, alongside other sustainable measures throughout the planning, development, and operational stages.

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