General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - May 2018

May 2018

Jan 11, 2023

Union Minister Narayan Rane Launches Web Portal for RAMP

MSME Minister Narayan Rane launched the web portal for the Rs. 6,062.45-crore World Bank-assisted central government scheme Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) for MSMEs, over six months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the scheme. Rane launched the portal at the Regional Conference on Sustainable Development of MSMEs in Northeast Region in Agartala to "scale up the implementation capacity and coverage of MSMEs in the country.

Joshimath Declared as 'Landslide-subsidence Zone'

Joshimath, Uttarakhand was declared as a landslide and subsidence hit zone by the authorities. The development came almost a week after the cracks started appearing in many roads and houses of Joshimath.
The decision to declare it a landslide and subsidence-hit zone was reached during the high-level meeting which took place among the top officials of the Central government, the state government officials, and officers from agencies like the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the National Institute of Hydrology (NIH).

India Signs MoU with Panama to Enhance Cooperation in Training of Diplomats

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar signed an agreement on cooperation in the training of diplomats with his Panama counterpart Janaina Tewane Mencomo on the sidelines of 17th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) in Indore.
Jaishankar appreciated Panama's Foreign Minister's participation in the PBD Convention to honour the contribution of the Indian diaspora. External Affairs Minister discussed opportunities for greater economic and people-to-people linkage with his Panama counterpart.
Panama Foreign Minister's India visit came more than a month after both sides held the second Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in Panama City in November 2022.

Jan 10, 2023

PM Launches Aspirational Block Programme

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the government's Aspirational Block Programme (ABP), which is aimed at improving performance of blocks lagging on various development parameters.
The ABP was launched during the 2nd National Conference of Chief Secretaries, which was held on January 5-7.
The Centre had announced its intention to launch this initiative in the Union Budget 2022-23.
Launching the Aspirational Block Programme, Prime Minister underscored the success achieved in various Aspirational Districts in the country under the Aspirational District Programme.
As per reports, the programme will cover 500 districts across 31 states and Union Territories initially. Over half of these blocks are in 6 states—Uttar Pradesh (68 blocks), Bihar (61), Madhya Pradesh (42), Jharkhand (34), Odisha (29) and West Bengal (29). However, states can add more blocks to the programme later.

T.N. Governor Walks Out of House as Chief Minister Objects to Deviation from Speech

The first session of the year 2023 of the Tamil Nadu assembly saw unprecedented scenes when Governor R. N. Ravi walked out following the adoption of a resolution moved by Chief Minister M K Stalin which sought to expunge, from house records, whatever the Governor spoke outside the customary government-prepared address.
Soon after the Governor completed his speech, a resolution to exclude a certain portion of the speech of the Governor was adopted by the Assembly, which prompted the Governor to leave the assembly.
CM Stalin accused the Governor of "delivering a speech that was extempore and deviated from the approved text."
MLAs who were present in the assembly observed that Governor R N Ravi in his address skipped sentences which contained words like Periyar, Ambedkar, Kalaingar Karunanithi, Kamarajar, Dravidian Model Government, Peaceful Tamil Nadu, Social Justice and self-respect.
They also said that Governor Ravi also did not read the reference to the 'Dravidian model' that the ruling DMK promotes.

CM M.K. Stalin Launches Global Tamil Angels Platform

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin launched the Global Tamil Angels platform (www.tamilangels.fund) for investors from the global Tamil diaspora to make investments in the state's start-ups.
The platform was launched at the "Global Startup Investors Summit," jointly organised by the Tamil Nadu Start-up and Innovation Mission and FeTNA International Tamil Entrepreneur Network.
Global Tamil Angels is a platform by Start-upTN that makes fundraising easy for Tamil Nadu-based start-ups and investing easy for Global Tamil Angel Investors by helping them get connected. It aims to onboard angel investors from the Tamil diaspora across countries.

National Health Authority to Grade Performance of Hospitals Empaneled under PM-JAY

The National Health Authority (NHA) is introducing a new system to measure and grade performance of hospitals under the flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).
The aim is to shift the focus of measuring performance of hospitals from volume of services provided to the value of healthcare services.
The new initiative will introduce the concept of 'value- based care', where payment will be outcome based and providers will be rewarded according to the quality of the treatment delivered. Under the new model, the providers will be rewarded for helping the patients improve their health, which consequently will reduce the effects of disease in the population in the long term.
The step promises significant increase in the overall health gains and is expected to be a win-win for all concerned stakeholders from patients to healthcare providers, payers and suppliers.

Jan 09, 2023

Karnataka CM Bommai Releases Logo and Mascot of National Youth Festival

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai released the logo and mascot of the National Youth Festival which will be held in Hubballi-Dharwad from January 12 to 16.
The theme for the 2023 Youth Festival is 'Vikasit Yuva, Vikasit Bharat', and over 7,500 delegates from all over the country are expected to participate. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will open this festival in Hubballi on January 12 to coincide with the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

Narendra Singh Tomar Inaugurates 'North East Krishi Kumbha-2023'

Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the three-day 'North East Krishi Kumbhar-2023' and took part in the 49th Foundation Day celebration of the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam.
The Union Minister said that North-east is the heaven of our country and Meghalaya's geographical scenario is such that we can develop it if we try with all our efforts.
The Union Minister also said that farmers and farming should always be treated with honour.
The highlights of the North East Krishi Kumbha -2023 included live demonstrations and exhibition of recent technologies through 102 stalls, by the host institute and its regional centres along with all the ICAR institutes.

BIS Celebrates Foundation Day with 'Quality Connect' Campaign

The Bureau of Indian Standards organised various programmes to commemorate its 76th Foundation Day. Students from seven colleges participated in a door-to-door campaign "Quality Connect" to create awareness about the standards and quality.
U.S.P. Yadav, Deputy Director General, BIS, southern region, flagged off the campaign at S.R.M. Easwari Engineering College. Students from other institutions such as Aarupadi Veedu Institute of Technology, Shanmuga Industries Arts and Science College, Stella Maris College, D.G. Vaishnav College and SRM Institute of Science and Technology shared information about BIS activities at the household level.

India to Virtually Host Voice of Global South Summit

In a new and unique initiative, India will host a special virtual summit, the Voice of Global South summit, on January 12 and 13.
"The 'Voice of Global South Summit' under the theme 'Unity of Voice, Unity of Purpose' envisages bringing together countries of the Global South to share their perspectives and priorities on a common platform. More than 120 countries are being invited to participate in this Summit.
Global South refers to the developing and the less-developed countries of the world.
The initiative is inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas and is underpinned by India's philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
India will work to ensure that the valuable inputs generated from partner countries in the Voice of Global South Summit deliberations receive due cognizance globally.

Tanzania Govt Delegation Visits India to Learn about Best Practices in E-governance

A five-member delegation led by the Minister of State in the President's Office for Public Service Management and Good Governance of Tanzania, Jenista Joakim Mhagama called on Union Minister Jitendra Singh in New Delhi. While interacting with the Minister, Ms. Mhagama lauded India's governance practices and said that the Tanzanian delegation looks forward to learning from India's vast and varied experience in governance.
On this occasion, Singh observed that many of India's best practices in governance are being emulated by other countries of the world. He said that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a number of best governance practices evolved in the last 7-8 years.
As per Singh, India and Tanzania share multifaceted relations which in recent years have evolved into a modern and pragmatic relationship with sound political understanding, diversified economic engagement, and people-to-people contacts in the field of education and healthcare.
Singh assured Tanzanian Minister that India would be happy to support Tanzania to design and develop a "Performance Management Information System and Public Employee Performance Management Information System" to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public services in Tanzania.

Jan 07, 2023

First G-20 Meeting to Take Place in Puducherry

Puducherry Lieutenant governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan said that the first G-20 meeting will be held in Puducherry on January 31. The G20 logo for the meeting was released by Lieutenant Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan at a function held at Beach Road Gandhi Tidal. Dr. Tamisai thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving all the states the opportunity to host the G-20 meetings. She released stickers, posters and badges and also inaugurated a selfie booth in the presence of Chief Minister Rengasamy.

Jan 06, 2023

Govt. Forms Panel to Merge Cantonment with GHMC

The Union defence ministry announced separation of civilian areas from the Secunderabad Cantonment and their merger with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), a long-pending demand of the Telangana government.
In a communication sent to the state government giving its approval for the excision of civil areas from the cantonment, the defence ministry said that a committee was being formed to work out the modalities for the same.
The committee will comprise joint secretary (finance), who will act as chairman of the committee, along with joint secretary (lands and works) of MoD, additional director general (Cantonments), director general defence estates (DGD), additional DG (land, works and environment), from the Army headquarters in Delhi, secretary of Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) from Telangana, director of Defence Estates (Southern Command, Pune, since SCB falls under this command) and president of the Cantonment Board as members.

Jal Ministry Organises First All India Annual State Ministers Conference

The Ministry of Jal Shakti organised the "1st All India Annual State Ministers Conference on Water'' with the theme "Water Vision@2047" in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on the January 5 and 6. The primary objective of this two-day Conference was to gather inputs for the vision India@2047 as the water sector will play a significant role in achieving the heights India strives to reach in the next coming years.
The Conference also deliberated on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's '5P' mantra with different water stakeholders of the States and also on improving engagement and partnership with the states.

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