General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - May 2018

May 2018

Nov 13, 2023

India Sets Guinness World Record for Maximum Online Selfies under 'Meri Mati Mera Desh' Campaign

In what may appear as a major achievement for India, the country bagged the Guinness Book of World Records for the maximum number of online selfies under the Central government's 'Meri Mati Mera Desh' campaign by uploading selfies on social media.
Earlier, the Guinness Book of World Records for the maximum number of selfies was with China in 2016 with around 1 lakh selfies, and now Maharashtra's Savitaribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has created the record of 10,42,538 selfies with soil.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis took part in the Guinness Book of World Records Certificate awarding ceremony at Mumbai University as a part of the 'Meri Mati Mera Desh' initiative.

Government Appoints IAS Srikant Nagulapalli as Additional Secretary Ministry of Power

The Union Government appointed Srikant Nagulapalli, a senior IAS officer, as the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Power. This crucial appointment comes as the Ministry of Power aims to strengthen its leadership team to tackle the myriad challenges facing the energy sector in India.
Srikant Nagulapalli, a 1998-batch IAS officer from the Andhra Pradesh cadre, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new role. He has previously held various key positions in both the state and central governments, making him a seasoned administrator in the domain of power and energy.

Nov 12, 2023

Senior Congress Leader Rameshwar Dadhich Part Ways with Ashok Gehlot, Joins BJP

In a significant blow to the Congress, a senior leader from Jodhpur, Rameshwar Dadhich, shifted allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party just before the 2023 Rajasthan Assembly Elections. Having a close association with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and hailing from the same district as the CM, Dadhich parted ways with the Congress after a 50-year-long association.

India and Netherlands Sign a Memorandum of Intent to Cooperate on Medical Product Regulation, and...

India and Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Intent (MoI) for cooperation on medical product regulation and enhance the quality of medical products and health care services for both countries, at Hague in Netherlands. The MoI was signed during the meeting between Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Bhagwant Khuba and Minister of Health, Welfare and Sports of Netherlands, Ernst Kuipers. An Indian delegation led by Khuba was in Netherlands and participated in the second World Local Production Forum (WLPF) meeting being held in the Hague.
The World Local Production Forum is a platform created at the initiative of WHO with the aim of increasing access to medicines and other health technologies.

Nov 11, 2023

NPCI Appoints Pankaj Tripathi as 'UPI Safety Ambassador'

In an effort to strengthen safety awareness on digital payment platforms, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) announced the appointment of actor Pankaj Tripathi as its 'UPI Safety Ambassador.' This move came in the wake of discussions regarding the safety and security of digital payment platforms, particularly United Payments Interface (UPI).

Flying Wedge is First Company to Secure DGCA Certification for UAVs

Flying Wedge Defence and Aerospace became India's first-ever private firm to secure a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) type certification for indigenous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology.
Two of the company's surveillance drones are already deployed in the heart of New Delhi, carrying out observation of the airspace and grounds around the Prime Minister's residence.
Under the DGCA's regulatory framework, no drone, aircraft, or aeroplane can operate in India without DGCA-type certification. This stringent certification process is regarded as a vital step in ensuring the safety and reliability of unmanned aircraft within the country.
Flying Wedge is now leading the way not only in defence but also in the agriculture sector with their autonomous agriculture drones. Its drones have transformed smart farming in India, offering cost-effective solutions that enhance crop yield and reduce water consumption.

Nov 10, 2023

Govt. Begins Process of Constituting Sixteenth Finance Commission

The government has started the process of constitution of the Sixteenth Finance Commission, appointing the Officer on Special Duty for the Advance Cell. The Finance Commission, which mainly decides the tax sharing formula between Centre and states, is scheduled to be formed before the end of this year (2023).
Terms of Reference and members are also expected to be announced soon after state elections. States have already given their suggestions for terms of reference.
The government announced the appointment of Ritvik Ranjanam Pandey, a 1998-batch IAS officer of the Karnataka cadre serving as Joint Secretary, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, as Officer on Special Duty for Advance Cell of 16th Finance Commission in the rank and pay of Additional Secretary.
The Finance Commission is constituted by the President under article 280 of the Constitution, mainly to give its recommendations on distribution of tax revenues between the Union and the States and amongst the states themselves.

Parshottam Rupala Inaugurates the Pavilion of Department Of Animal Husbandry and Dairying

Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala inaugurated the pavilion of Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying in the World Food India event 2023 organised in November 2023 at New Delhi. The Department participated as partner department in the event. Minister for State of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Dr. L. Murugan was also present during inauguration. The World Food India event was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The President of India Droupadi Murmu was the Chief Guest of valedictory function.
The pavilion Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying exhibited its major schemes, programs, new initiatives, and innovative technologies in the livestock and dairy sector. Pavilion also featured 20 stalls, including the National Dairy Development Board, start-ups, and companies working in Animal Husbandry and Dairy sector. The main attractions at the pavilion were the "Selfie Point" and live demonstrations of various innovative products by start-ups and companies. The exhibition highlighted the department's commitment in promoting technological advancements and facilitating the growth and development of the sector.

Nov 09, 2023

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde Unveils Shivaji Maharaj Statue in J&K's Kupwara

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with other dignitaries, inaugurated a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir. The statue, a symbol of cultural pride, was installed at the 41 National Rifle (Maratha LI) camp, which is located in close proximity to the Line of Control (LoC) separating India and Pakistan.
The inaugural event saw the presence of notable personalities, including Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mangantiwar and Lt. Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha.
Their participation added significance to the occasion, highlighting the unity and cultural exchange between the two regions.

Hitesh Kumar S. Makwana Appointed Surveyor General of India

Senior bureaucrat Hitesh Kumar S. Makwana was appointed as Surveyor General of India as part of a senior-level bureaucratic reshuffle effected by the Centre.
Makwana is a 1995-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre.
He was appointed as the Surveyor General of India, Survey of India, Department of Science and Technology in the rank and pay of Additional Secretary by keeping the recruitment rules for the post in abeyance.

Aligarh Nagar Nigam Passes Resolution Seeking Change in City's Name to 'Harigarh'

The Aligarh Nagar Nigam passed a resolution seeking a change in the city's name to 'Harigarh'.
The resolution, which was passed, will be sent to the Uttar Pradesh government for consideration.
Aligarh, which houses the famous Aligarh Muslim University, was earlier called Ramgarh, according to the UP government website.
In the mid-1700s, the city was renamed Aligarh after its most important fort.
The first attempt to change the name of Aligarh was made by former Chief Minister Kalyan Singh in 1992 but he could not succeed as there was a Congress government at the Centre.
In 2015, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad had also pushed for recognition of the fact that Aligarh's original name was 'Harigarh'.

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