General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - December 2018

Dec 2018

Oct 28, 2020

India Post and US Postal Service Sign Agreement

India Post and US Postal Service signed agreement for electronic exchange of data related to postal shipments.
Based on the agreement, the respective bodies will transmit and receive electronic data of international postal items before their arrival. This will help the customs to clear the postal items well in advance, that even before the shipment reaches the port.
In 2019, around 30% of small packets and letters transmitted by India Post were to USA. Also, 20% of outbound EMS was to US. Around 60% parcels received originated from the USA. All these data are in relation to India Post, that is, sent and received by India Post.
According to Ministry of Communications, the main objective of the agreement is to facilitate ease of exports through postal channels.

Amarinder Singh Launches the Phase-II of UIEP

Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister of Punjab virtually launched the phase-II of Rs. 11,000 crore Urban Environment Improvement Programme (UIEP). He launched the programme from Bachat Bhawan, Ludhiana in Punjab. The project will focus on the development of the state's urban infrastructure and well- organised service delivery systems to the urban population.
Punjab spent Rs. 3000 crore in the first phase of UIEP.
There will be a canal based water supply in the four major cities of Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala and Amritsar.
The foundation stone to implement the project was laid for Patiala during the launch. The work for all the cities has been launched at Jalandhar. The state government will spend Rs. 650 crore for wash of 'Buddha Nullah" in Ludhiana.

Polls Open in First Phase of Bihar Elections

Polling began in 71 assembly constituencies of Bihar in the first phase of three-phase elections amid tight security and COVID-19 guidelines in place.
Of the nearly 2.15 crore electors eligible to exercise the franchise, 1.12 crore are male voters, 1.01 crore are female and 599 are categorised as the third gender.
The guidelines include lowering the maximum number of voters for a polling booth from 1,600 to 1,000, staggering the polling hours and extending postal ballot facility to those above 80.
The candidates in the fray in the first phase include 952 men and 114 women.

Chhattisgarh House Passes Agri Bill to Counter Centre's Farm Laws

Amid the Congress opposition to the Centre's new farm laws, the party-led government in Chhattisgarh brought its own agriculture amendment Bill, seeking to protect farmers from fluctuating market prices.
The Chhattisgarh Krishi Upaj Mandi (Amendment) Bill, 2020, was passed in the Assembly after which Speaker Charandas Mahant adjourned the two-day special session of the House.
Introducing the amendment Bill in the House, state Agriculture Minister Ravindra Choubey said that it was aimed at protecting farmers from fluctuating market prices and payment risks.
The special session was convened amid apprehensions among farmers across the country that the Centre's new laws would harm them, including a fear that their land and produce could be handed over to corporate.

Oct 27, 2020

BJP Wins LAHDC-Leh Polls

The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) secured its first major victory in the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh after it swept the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) polls in Leh bagging a whopping 15 out of 26 seats.
The LAHDC, Leh elections took place on October 22 and recorded a 65.07 per cent turnout. An electorate of 89,776, including 45,025 women from the region voted in the 294 polling stations that were set up across 26 constituencies of the Leh district.
Around 94 candidates including 26 each of the BJP and Congress ran for the LAHDC, Leh elections. This year, the Aam Admi Party (AAP) tried its luck for the first time fielding 19 candidates. The remaining 23 contestants were independents.
This is the second consecutive win for the saffron party which had won the LAHDC-Leh last elections.

Central Vigilance Commission Adopts Integrity Pact

The Central Vigilance Commission has modified the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on adoption of "Integrity Pact" in government firm for purchase related activities.
As per the amended SOP:
For appointed as Integrity External Monitors (IEMs), the Ministry, department or organisation worried has to forward a panel of suitable persons to the CVC, of those persons who are in the panel maintained by the Commission.
Maximum tenure of IEMs: 3 years in an organisation.
An Integrity pact is to make sure equity, transparency and private enterprise in public procurement.
I was developed as a tool for blocking corruption in public contracting.
It is a surveillance tool that anticipates an agreement between the prospective vendors/bidders and the buyer, performing both the parties not to exercise any corrupt influence on any aspect of the contract.
It is a tool created by Transparency International.

Oct 26, 2020

Shiv Sena, NCP, Congress to Contest BMC Polls Together

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners, including the Sena, NCP and Congress, will contest the 2022 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls together.
Shiv Sena's chief spokesperson expressed confidence that it would win the civic polls in the country's commercial capital.
The Shiv Sena-ruled BMC is the country's richest civic body with an annual budget of over Rs. 33,400 crore.
The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress last year forged an alliance to form government after the Uddhav Thackeray-led party parted ways with long-term ally BJP over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post.

Oct 25, 2020

Farooq Abdullah to Lead Gupkar Alliance

Seven mainstream parties of Jammu and Kashmir gave a formal shape to their recently cobbled alliance for the restoration of Article 370, electing National Conference's Farooq Abdullah as its chairman and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti as vice-chairperson, and asserted that theirs was "not an anti-national" grouping.
Veteran CPM leader M. Y. Tarigami was elected as the convenor, while Lok Sabha member from South Kashmir Hasnain Masoodi would be the coordinator of the conglomerate known as People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD).
Sajjad Gani Lone of People's Conference would be the spokesman for the amalgam.

Modi Inaugurates Paediatric Heart Hospital, Girnar Ropeway

The Prime Minister inaugurated Paediatric Heart Hospital attached with the UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre and a Mobile Application for telecardiology at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad. Besides, he also inaugurated Asia's longest temple ropeway on mount Girnar via video-link.
The 2320 metre-long ropeway has a capacity to carry 1000 passengers per hour.
The UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology is undergoing expansion at the cost of Rs 470 crores. The number of beds will increase from 450 to 1251 after the completion of the expansion project. The Institute will also become the biggest single super specialty cardiac teaching institute in the country and one of the biggest single super specialty cardiac hospitals in the world.

Israel is to establish a "Water Attache" in India

Israel is to establish a "Water Attache" in India. It is to operate from January 2021 under the Israel Embassy in India. The Water Attache division will share Israel's best practices, technologies and water management in agriculture sectors.
Also, Israel is to soon appoint an honorary Consul to the north-east. Its objective is to increase its presence and collaboration in the north-east region.
A strategic cooperation of G2G level in the field of agriculture is under implementation between the countries. The cooperation focuses on crop diversity, increased productivity and enhances water efficiency in horticulture. This is currently addressing the challenges of Covid-19 pandemic. Under the cooperation, Centres of Excellence are to be established.
The centres will adopt advanced agriculture farm Technology of Israel. The COE's main objective is to benefit farmers on selected key crops. The COE will focus on Nursery Management, irrigation, fustigation and cultivation techniques. The COE will be the meeting point for Government, Academy and farmers to cooperate towards the beneficial achievement.

BJP in Meghalaya Urge Centre to Settle Inter-State Boundary Dispute with Assam

BJP legislators in Meghalaya has urged centre to settle inter-state boundary dispute with Assam.
Assam-Meghalaya shares 885 km inter-state border. BJP has two MLA's in Meghalaya and is part of the ruling coalition in the state.
BJP MLA Sanbor Shullai in a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that the decision to resolve border disputes among the northeastern states by 2021 is a perfect step but Assam-Meghalaya border disputes must be solved at the earliest.
There are many patches between Assam and Meghalaya where border disputes are very often causing clashes, tension and hostility among the people living in both sides of the border.
Assam and Meghalaya has as many as 12 disputed sites. There has been Chief Minister Level and Chief Secretary Level talks in past.

Oct 24, 2020

Jitendra Singh Addresses First Ministerial Meeting of G-20 Anti-Corruption Working Group

Union Minister Jitendra Singh addressed the first ministerial meeting of G-20 anti-corruption working group on October 22, 2020. Saudi Arabia became the first country to host the first ever meeting.
Anti-Corruption Working Group of G-20 was established in June 2010 at the G20 summit, Toronto.
The objective of the group is to make suggestions on boosting international efforts in order to combat corruption.
The group works with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Bank, Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The G-20 countries had agreed on the Anti-Corruption plan for 2019-2021 at Buenos Aires in 2018. The G-20 members planned to look forward to develop targeted actions in promoting the international efforts to combat the corruption.

Govt. to Sell Stake in Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd

The government is planning to sell up to 15 per cent stake in the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) out of its shareholding of 87.84 per cent and has invited bids from merchant bankers for managing the share sale process.
The government will appoint up to three merchant bankers for managing RVNL share sale.
The responsibilities of the merchant banker include advising the government on the timing and the modalities of the OFS, ensuring best return to the government, conducting market survey, domestic and international road shows and investor meetings.

Mandi District Bags Top Position for Implementing PMGSY

Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh bagged the first position among 30 districts of the country for successfully implementing the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
Mandi district has received top position for constructing roads of maximum length in 2020-21.
Along with Mandi, 6 more districts of Himachal Pradesh have found place among top 30 best performing districts. The 6 districts include – Una, Chamba, Kangra, Shimla, Sirmour, Hamirpur and Solan.
Among the states, Himachal Pradesh secured second position for construction of roads under PMGSY.
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) is a nationwide scheme that aims to provide all-weather road connectivity to the unconnected villages. The scheme was launched in 2000 by Late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The PMGSY is being implemented under the Ministry of Rural Development. It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. In November 2015, it was decided that the project will be funded by both the central government (60%) and states (40%) on the recommendations of 14th Finance Commission.

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