General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - October 2018

Oct 2018

Aug 31, 2023

Gujarat Government Hikes Reservations for OBCs to 27% in Panchayats and ULBs

The Gujarat government hiked reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) from the existing 10% to 27% in the panchayats and urban local bodies.
The announcement of quotas paves the way for elections for 7000 village panchayats, two district panchayats and 70 municipalities.
The population of the OBCs in the State is about 52%.

India Lodges Strong Protest with China over New Map

India lodged a strong protest with China over the publication of a new map that was released by the Chinese government on August 28, showing all of Arunachal Pradesh, Aksai Chin, and other parts of Indian territory within its borders, that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar called absurd claims. The map, that has in the past claimed Indian territories as well, was published just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and discussed resolving the boundary situation.

India, New Zealand Sign MoU to Boost Cooperation in Civil Aviation

India and New Zealand signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost cooperation in civil aviation. This will cover the scheduling of new routes, codeshare services, traffic rights, and capacity entitlement. The MoU was signed by Civil Aviation Secretary, Rajiv Bansal and the New Zealand High Commissioner David Pine in New Delhi.
On the occasion, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O'Connor of New Zealand were also present.
According to the MoU, the designated airlines of New Zealand may operate any number of services with any type of aircraft, with third and fourth freedom traffic rights to and from six points in India, namely New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. The designated airlines of India may operate any number of services with any type of aircraft with third and fourth freedom traffic rights to and from Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. Three more points in New Zealand to be named by the Government of India.

NITI Aayog, UNDP Join Hands to Fast-track Sustainable Development Goals

Central think tank NITI Aayog and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed a memorandum of understanding to formalise a cooperative framework to fast-track India's pursuit to achieve its sustainable development goals (SDGs).
The memorandum of understanding will focus on the two organisations' cooperation on a range of areas, including SDG localisation, data-driven monitoring, Aspirational Districts and Blocks, among others.

Aug 30, 2023

President Murmu Releases Commemorative Coin on Former Andhra Pradesh CM N. T. Rama Rao

President Droupadi Murmu unveiled a commemorative coin in honour of the legendary actor and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, late N. T. Rama Rao. The ceremony took place at the esteemed Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, marking the centenary year of N. T. Rama Rao's remarkable life and contributions.
Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (N. T. Rama Rao) assumed the role of Chief Minister for three terms in United Andhra Pradesh from 1983 to 1995. Notably, he achieved the distinction of being the inaugural non-member of the Indian National Congress to occupy this position. Instead, he represented the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), an entity he established in 1982.

Geetika Srivastava to be India's First Woman Chargé D'affaires in Pakistan

Geetika Srivastava, currently serving as joint secretary at the headquarters of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), will be India's new chargé d'affaires at its high commission in Islamabad.
Ms. Srivastava is a 2005 batch Indian Foreign Service officer.
The Indian and Pakistani high commissions in Islamabad and Delhi are being headed by their respective charge d'affaires after Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties following India's decision to withdraw the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019.

Aug 29, 2023

MP Govt. Hikes Financial Aid, 35% Reservation in Govt. Jobs for Women

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan raised the financial aid given to women in the Ladli Behna Scheme from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 1,250 per month. Apart from this, the MP CM also announced 35 per cent reservation for them in government jobs.
Women in the 23-60 age group get Rs. 1,000 per month under the scheme if they are not income tax payees and the annual income of their families is less than Rs. 2.5 lakh annually.

Akashvani Organises Event Related to Know India Programme under the Aegis of Ministry of External...

Akashvani organised an event related to Know India Programme under the aegis of Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi. Around 55 students of Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) participated in the programme.
Know India Programme (KIP) is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of External Affairs for diaspora engagement, which familiarizes Indian-origin youth with their Indian roots. The aim of the programme is to promote awareness on different facets of life in India and the progress made by the country in various fields.

Aug 28, 2023

Piyush Goyal, UK Minister Review FTA Talks

Following the G20 Trade and Investment Ministers' Meeting, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and the UK's Secretary of State for Trade Kemi Badenoch met in Delhi to review the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks.
They expressed commitment to reaching a conclusion on a balanced deal.

Amit Shah Chairs Western Zonal Council in Gandhinagar

Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the 26th meeting of the Western Zonal Council in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The meeting was attended by the Chief Ministers of Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Goa, along with the Administrator of the Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. The meeting was also attended by the Chief Secretaries, Advisors, and other senior officers of the state governments and union territories, the Union Home Secretary, Secretary Inter-State Council, and other senior officers of the central government.
The Western Zonal Council is one of the six zonal councils in India. It was established in 1956 to promote cooperation and coordination between the states and union territories in the Western region. The Council discusses and resolves issues related to interstate matters, such as water resources, border disputes, and crime.

Aug 27, 2023

Business Leaders of G20 Countries Take Part at B20 Summit in New Delhi

The three-day B20 Summit India 2023 was held in New Delhi. Addressing the summit, B20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant said that India took the G20 presidency to all states, and it has made it a "People's Presidency" in this course of one year.
The Business 20 (B20) is the official G20 dialogue forum where global companies and business organisations participate.
Established in 2010, B20 is aimed at discussing issues of global economic and trade governance.
The B20 aims to deliver concrete actionable policy recommendations by each rotating presidency to help economic growth and development. The B20 bases its work on task forces (TFs) and action councils (ACs) to frame consensus-based policy recommendations to the G20 and international organisations and institutions.
The theme for B20 India wass RAISE, which stands for Responsible, Accelerated, Innovative, Sustainable, and Equitable Businesses.

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan-2023: Madhya Pradesh's IT Hub Indore Secures First Rank

The Information Technology (IT) hub of Madhya Pradesh, Indore has secured first spot in the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan -2023 conducted by the Central Pollution Control Board, in the category of cities with a population exceeding 10 lakhs. The results of the survey reflect not only the city's dedicated efforts but also highlight the overall progress made by several cities in Madhya Pradesh.
The Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan -2023 witnessed a remarkable display of dominance by Madhya Pradesh, particularly in the category of cities with a population of more than 10 lakhs. Out of the top five positions, two were secured by cities from the state. While Indore claimed the prestigious first position, Bhopal secured a commendable fifth rank. This achievement reinforces Madhya Pradesh's proactive approach to tackling pollution and promoting cleaner air quality.
Indore's remarkable performance was underpinned by its impressive score of 187 out of 200, a testament to its robust and comprehensive measures for environmental preservation. Bhopal secured a respectable fifth position with a score of 181, while Jabalpur and Gwalior secured the 13th and 41st positions with scores of 172 and 114, respectively. These rankings mirror the concerted efforts undertaken by these cities to combat pollution and enhance their environmental footprint.

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