General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - December 2018

Dec 2018

Jan 09, 2021

GoI Constitutes High-level Group for South Asia Energy Security

The Central Government has set up a high-level group to build a South Asia-focused energy security architecture. The high-level group, named the South Asia Group for Energy (SAGE), will be headed by former Union Power Secretary Ram Vinay Shahi. SAGE has been set up under the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)-run think tank Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS).
The objective is to achieve a balanced and optimal development of energy infrastructure through mutual understanding and cooperation, by promoting, initiating and facilitating effective policy dialogue and capacity building on a bilateral, sub-regional and regional basis for energy and related issues, among South Asian countries.

World's Largest Floating Solar Project To Start In Mp By 2023: State Govt

The world's largest floating 600 MW solar energy project to be constructed at Omkareshwar dam on Narmada river in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh will begin power generation by year 2022-23. The estimated investment in this project stands at Rs 3,000 crore.
The International Finance Corporation, World Bank and Power Grid have granted in-principle consent for providing aid for the said project development.
The primary feasibility study of the project has been completed in collaboration with the World Bank. The project is likely to begin power generation by year 2022-23, the minister said.

Panel to Look Into Ladakh Issues

A committee would be constituted under Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy to find an appropriate solution to the issues related to language, culture and conservation of land in the Union Territory of Ladakh, the Home Ministry said in a statement.
A 10-member delegation of Ladakh met Home Minister Amit Shah.
The committee, led by Mr. Reddy, would comprise members of the delegation that met the Home Minister, elected members from Ladakh, members of the LAHDC and ex-officio members representing the Government of India and the Ladakh administration.

Government Bans 59 Apps Including China-Based TikTok, WeChat

The Government of India on Monday banned 59 applications, most of them popular Chinese applications such as TikTok, Shareit, Mi Video Call, Club Factory and Cam Scanner, citing threat to national security and sovereignty.
The ban comes amid continuing tensions on the border between India and China and covers a variety of applications from e-commerce to gaming, social media, browsers, instant messaging and file sharing.
The Ministry said it was invoking its power under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act read with the relevant provisions of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009.

Jan 08, 2021

A Michael Jackson Concert in India That's Now Tax-free

In 1996, Michael Jackson played to a packed audience in Mumbai in what was to be his only performance in India.
Some 35,000 fans attended the show in a sports arena on the first day of November. Jackson's 17-song concert in Mumbai (then called Bombay) was part of his 83-show History World Tour from September 1996 to October 1997.
At the time, Maharashtra, the state where Mumbai is located, was governed by the right wing Shiv Sena party. It had waived entertainment tax on the show on the grounds that it was meant for a "philanthropic and charitable" purpose.
But the show soon became embroiled in a prolonged legal battle involving the government, the concert organiser and a feisty consumer protection group. At stake were issues like whether the show was eligible for a tax waiver and even how Jackson's music could be defined.
Jackson had "for reasons known to only a few, waived his performance fee", India Today magazine reported in November 1996.
The pop superstar had promised to donate profits from the concert — which eventually ran to more than $1m — to a Shiv Sena-run youth employment project, wrote author Suketu Mehta in his award-winning book, Maximum City.

PM Flags Off World's 1st Double-Stack Container Train

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the world's first double-stack long-haul container train from New Ateli in Haryana to New Kishanganj in Rajasthan.
He also launched the 306-km Rewari-Madar section of the Western dedicated freight corridor (DFC).
Modi said that since the launch of the New Bhaupur-New Khurja section of the DFC, the average speed of freight trains has tripled in that section.
One train carries 360 10-feet container equivalent units (TEU), which is equivalent to 270 high capacity trailer trucks, a rail ministry statement said.
The corridor is expected to boost farming and allied businesses in Haryana and Rajasthan and impart new energy into cities like Mahendragarh, Jaipur, Ajmer and Sikar.

ITBP Orders Over Rs 8 Crore Worth Of Khadi Mats From KVIC For CAPFs

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police placed an order worth over Rs 8 crore with the Khadi and Village Industries Commission for procurement of 'khadi durries' or mats for various central paramilitary forces.
A memorandum of understanding procuring 1,71,520 mats was signed between the two organisations as part of a Union government directive to only use and sell 'swadeshi' or indigenously made goods in these forces functioning under the command of the Union Home Ministry.
The central armed police forces (CAPFs) like the BSF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB and CISF, render a variety of duties in the internal security domain of the country.
The ITBP, a mountain-warfare trained force deployed to guard the 3,488-km long Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, is the nodal agency for purchase of certain goods for the paramilitary forces.

Jan 07, 2021

India and France to Hold Annual Strategic Dialogue

India and France will hold their annual strategic dialogue in Delhi. National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval will lead the Indian delegation while the French side would be led by Emmanuel Bonne, who is the diplomatic advisor to President Emmanuel Macron.
The two sides will hold discussions on wide-ranging bilateral and global issues. Emmanuel Bonne will also call on other Indian dignitaries. The last edition of the Strategic Dialogue was held in February 2020 in Paris.
The announcement of the meet comes after France had welcomed India's fresh stint at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for a period of two years. French ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain said that France was eager to work side by side to uphold international law, fight terror and defend multilateralism.

India Welcomes Restoration of Ties between Qatar and Four other Arab States

India welcomed the restoration of diplomatic ties between Qatar and four other Arab countries that had imposed an embargo on it in 2017, saying such a move would give a boost to peace and stability in the region.
Saudi Arabia's foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhad said that Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had agreed to fully set the differences aside with Qatar at a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit at Al-Ula.

India Welcomes Evolution and Rise of Africa

India's foreign secretary Harsh Shringla has made a pitch for New Delhi's support to Africa at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), not only backing an African seat at the council but also how India's partnership for the continent.
Shringla said that India will continue to support Africa's aspirations and work towards empowering Africa for a future that is found on the principles of inclusivity, sustainability, transparency, and socio-economic development with dignity and respect.
India has executed 189 developmental projects in 37 African countries and around 77 projects are currently under execution.
New Delhi has also committed US$ 1.7 billion as soft loans for solar projects in the continent and has offered 50,000 scholarships to African students.

Jan 06, 2021

Congress Loses Leader of Opposition Post in Assam Assembly

The Congress in Assam suffered a setback after its legislature party leader Debabrata Saikia lost the position of the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, following defeats in by-elections, deaths of two MLAs and two recent defections to the BJP.
The present strength of the Indian National Congress Legislature Party, Assam Legislative Assembly is not equal to the quorum fixed to constitute a sitting of the House, that is one-sixth of the total number of Members of the House as required under the aforementioned provisions and therefore, the Hon'ble Speaker, Assam Legislative Assembly, has been pleased to withdraw the recognition of Shri Debabrata Saikia, MLA, as Leader of the Opposition, Assam Legislative Assembly.

Parliament to Hold Budget Session from January 29 to February 15

The first part of the Budget Session of Parliament will be held from January 29 to February 15, during which the government will present Union Budget 2021-22 on February 1.
Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA) has recommended the Budget session of Parliament from January 29. The CCPA has recommended Part 1 of the Budget session from Jan 29-Feb 15, while Part 2 will be held from March 8 to April 8.
President Kovind will address the joint sitting of both the Houses of Parliament on January 29, while the Union Budget will be presented on February 1.
Both the Houses of Parliament will function for four hours each day during the session.

PM Boris Johnson Cancels Republic Day Visit to India

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson cancelled a planned trip to India later this month, citing the need to oversee the COVID-19 pandemic response at home.
It may be noted that Johnson was scheduled to visit India on 26 January for the Republic Day celebrations. The UK Prime Minister was invited as the chief guest for the Republic Day Parade.

Jan 05, 2021

Supreme Court approves Central Vista project

The Supreme Court, in a majority of judgment, gave the green signal for the multi-crore Central Vista redevelopment project.
The project envisages refurbishing the nation's power corridor, which includes a new Parliament building, a common Central Secretariat and a renovated Rajpath stretching from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate.

Planning Commission like Body to be Formed in Bengal

Hitting out at the BJP-led central government for abolishing the Planning Commission conceptualized by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee said that her government would come up with a similar body to take ahead the national hero's ideas and vision.
She urged Nobel laureate economists Amartya Sen and Abhijit Banerjee and Bose's grandnephew Sugata Bose, a historian, to advise the state government on this.
The Planning Commission, a government institution which formulated India's Five-Year Plans besides performing other functions, was set up in March 1950. The Narendra Modi government disbanded it in 2014 and formed Niti Aayog.

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