General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - October 2018

Oct 2018

Mar 02, 2025

PM Modi Meets Ursula von der Leyen: India, EU to Collaborate on Trade, Tech and Security

Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the College of Commissioners' visit to India as "unprecedented" and said that India and the European Union (EU) have readied a blueprint to collaborate in areas such as trade, technology, security, and mobility, and are also looking to conclude the bilateral Free Trade Agreement by the end of this year.
This two-decade long strategic partnership between India and EU is natural and organic. Its core is built on trust, a shared belief in democratic values, and a mutual commitment to prosperity and shared progress.

Mar 01, 2025

BJP MLA Mohan Singh Bisht Elected Deputy Speaker of Delhi Assembly

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mohan Singh Bisht was elected as the Deputy Speaker of the Delhi Assembly. He is an MLA from Mustafabad. The proposal to appoint Bisht as the Deputy Speaker was put forward by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and it received strong backing from Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.
Bisht won the seat defeating AAP's Adeel Ahmad Khan by over 17,000 votes.

Yogi Adityanath Announces Five Newly Developed Spiritual Corridors

Maha Kumbh 2025 opened the doors to new possibilities of spiritual tourism in Uttar Pradesh. During this mega event, the Uttar Pradesh government developed five major spiritual corridors.
The five major spiritual corridors include the Prayag- Vindhyachal-Kashi Corrido, the Prayagraj-Ayodhya-Gorakhpur Corridor, the Prayagraj-Lucknow-Naimisharanya Corridor, the Prayagraj-Rajapur (Banda)-Chitrakoot Corridor and Prayagraj-Mathura-Vrindavan-Shuktirtha.

European Commission President in Delhi

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was in the national capital for a two-day official visit, reaffirming India's role as a trusted friend and strategic ally for Europe.
Accompanied by the European Union College of Commissioners, von der Leyen's visit included the second ministerial meeting of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council, along with several bilateral ministerial meetings.
This marked von der Leyen's third visit to India. She previously visited in April 2022 for a bilateral official visit and in September 2023 to attend the G20 Leaders' Summit. She has also met PM Modi regularly on the sidelines of various multilateral meetings.

Feb 28, 2025

Government Launches Aadhaar Good Governance Portal

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched Aadhaar Good Governance portal to streamline approval process for Aadhaar authentication requests. This is in sync with an effort to make Aadhaar more people-friendly, enable ease of living, and enable better access to services for people.
The Aadhaar Good Governance portal was launched by S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY in the presence of Bhuvnesh Kumar, CEO UIDAI, and others.

Madhu Rani Teotia Appointed Secretary to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta

Senior bureaucrat Madhu Rani Teotia was appointed the secretary of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. The notice was issued by Lieutenant Governor V. K. Saxena. Born in 1981, she is a 2008 batch IAS officer.
Ms. Teotia had previously served as Additional Chief Executive Officer at the National Health Authority under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

PM Modi Attends 25th Anniversary of Jahan-e-Khusrau Sufi Music Festival

Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the grand Sufi music festival, Jahan-e-Khusrau 2025, at Sunder Nursery in New Delhi. This marked a first for the Prime Minister, who has been a strong proponent of promoting India's diverse art and culture.
"The festival is bringing together artists from across the world to celebrate the legacy of Amir Khusrau. Organised by Rumi Foundation, the festival, started by renowned filmmaker and artist Muzaffar Ali in 2001, will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year and will be held from February 28 to March 2.

Bharat Calling Conference 2025

In a move towards shaping India's economic future, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, inaugurated the 'Bharat Calling Conference 2025', organised by the IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Mumbai. The conference, themed 'Path to Viksit Bharat 2047: Pioneering Prosperity for All', underscored India's pivotal role in global economic growth and its potential as a leading investment destination. With a resilient economy, a large consumer market, and business-friendly government policies, India is set to attract investments across diverse sectors.
Piyush Goyal emphasised India's unparalleled opportunities in manufacturing, skill development and innovation. He highlighted the Government of India's strategic initiatives such as Make in India, Digital India, Start-up India, Swacch Bharat, and Atmanirbhar Bharat, which have collectively strengthened the country's economic foundation.

Feb 27, 2025

N. Chandrasekaran Appointed as Chairman of Ratan Tata Endowment Foundation

Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran was appointed chairman of Ratan Tata Endowment Foundation (RTEF), a Section 8 entity set up by the late Ratan Tata to which he bequeathed much of his wealth for charitable and philanthropic purposes.
The appointment was made by Mehli Mistry, Shireen and Deanna Jejeebhoy, and Darius Khambata, the executors of Ratan Tata's will.

SWAYATT Completes 6 Years of Digital Procurement Success

The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) celebrated six years of the Start-ups, Women & Youth Advantage through eTransactions (SWAYATT) initiative at its headquarters in New Delhi. Since its launch in February 2019, SWAYATT has aimed to increase the participation of women-led enterprises, start-ups, youth, and marginalised groups in public procurement. Rooted in GeM's commitment to social inclusion, the initiative fosters ease of doing business, facilitates direct market linkages, and empowers small-scale entrepreneurs.
SWAYATT focuses on onboarding, training, and supporting last-mile sellers, especially women entrepreneurs, micro & small enterprises (MSEs), and self-help groups (SHGs).

Secretary (L&E) Chairs 112th EPFO Executive Committee Meeting

The 112th meeting of the Executive Committee (EC) of the Central Board of Trustees, EPF, was chaired by Sumita Dawra, Secretary (Ministry of Labour and Employment), at the EPFO Head Office in New Delhi. Ramesh Krishnamurthi, CPFC, along with other senior officials from the Ministry of Labour and Employment and representatives of employers and employees, also attended the meeting.
EC decided that the reduction in unnecessary validations and the implementation of simplified partial withdrawals should be carried out in parallel with ongoing IT reforms. It was emphasized that these measures would significantly enhance ease of living for EPFO members.
EPFO reaffirmed its commitment to digital transformation and member-centric reforms, ensuring faster claim settlements, seamless pension disbursements, and improved service delivery for its members. EC decided to meet again within a month to review progress.

Cabinet Clears 14 Waqf Bill Changes by House Panel amid Row over 'Bias'

The Union Cabinet approved changes to the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Bill. The Cabinet accepted 14 of the 23 changes proposed by a joint parliamentary committee - to which the bill had been referred in August 2024.
The amended bill will now likely be tabled when the House reconvenes March.

Nitish Kumar Expands Bihar Cabinet to Full Capacity

With around eight months left for Assembly elections in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expanded his Cabinet with seven new ministers, all from alliance partner BJP. The Cabinet now has 36 ministers including the CM, the maximum number allowed in the state, which has a 243-member Assembly, for the first time since 2005.
BJP, the senior alliance partner, now has 21 ministers, followed by Nitish's JD(U) with 13, and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) with one. The state also has an Independent minister.
The development comes a day after state BJP chief Dilip Kumar Jaiswal resigned as land and revenue minister to adhere to the party's "one person, one post" policy.
Governor Arif Mohammad Khan administered the oath of office to the new ministers, all of whom are Assembly members.

Feb 26, 2025

Ministry of Corporate Affairs Organises Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS) Mela

The Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS) Mela was organised by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at the CII Suresh Neotia Centre of Excellence for Leadership, Salt Lake City, Kolkata. Youth from various districts of East India and prominent companies offering internships under PMIS participated in the mela. The mela was organised with the objective of enlightening the youth about the plethora of internship opportunities available on the PM internship portal, while also serving as a platform for meaningful engagement between industry representatives and aspiring interns.

Vijender Gupta New Speaker of Delhi Assembly

In a major political development, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vijender Gupta was elected as the Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly. His election is significant, not just for the BJP but also for Delhi's legislative history, as Gupta took charge of the very House where he once faced expulsion as a vocal opposition leader.
Vijender Gupta's political career spans over two decades, beginning as a municipal councillor in Delhi. He represented Rohini for three consecutive terms before stepping into the state legislative arena. His rise within the BJP ranks saw him take on the role of Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly from 2015 to 2020, during the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's tenure.

Prime Minister Modi Inaugurates Historic Jhumoir Ensemble in Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the largest-ever Jhumoir dance performance at Guwahati's Sarusajai Stadium, commemorating the 200th anniversary of Assam's tea industry. The event, titled 'Jhumoir Binandini 2025,' featured over 8,000 artists from the tea garden community, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Assam.
Jhumoir is a traditional dance integral to Assam's tea garden workers and Adivasi communities. Originating in the early 19th century, it served as a medium for workers to express joy and unity after laborious days in the tea plantations.

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