General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - November 2019

Nov 2019

Feb 03, 2020

E-visas for Chinese Residents Put on Hold

India temporarily suspended e-visa facility for Chinese travellers and foreigners residing in China in view of the coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 300 people, infected over 14,000 others and spread to 25 countries.
This applies to holders of Chinese passports and applicants of other nationalities residing in the People's Republic of China. Holders of already issued e-visas may note that these are no longer valid. All those who have a compelling reason to visit India may contact the Embassy of India in Beijing or Indian consulates in Shanghai or Guangzhou, as well as the Indian Visa Application Centres in these cities.

Congress Manifesto for Delhi Assembly Elections

The Congress released its manifesto for the Delhi assembly elections, focussing on environment and transport. The party promises 300 units of free electricity and free water up to 20,000 litres.
Delhi Congress chief Subhash Chopra said that the party will also move the Supreme Court against the implementation of the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the National Register of Citizens and the National Population Register, if voted to power. They also pledged to regularise all unauthorised colonies in Delhi.
After ruling the national capital for three terms, between 1998 to 2013, the Congress did not win a seat in the 2015 assembly polls.

Sabarimala Case: SC to Frame Issues on Gender Discrimination

The Supreme Court is scheduled to frame issues for deliberation regarding discrimination against women in various religions and at religious places, including Kerala's Sabarimala temple.
A nine-judge Constitution bench will consider the issues related to the entry of Muslim women into mosques, female genital mutilation in the Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community and barring of Parsi women, married to non-Parsi men, in the holy fire place at an agiary.
Besides Chief Justice S. A. Bobde, other judges on the bench are justices R. Banumathi, Ashok Bhushan, L. Nageswara Rao, M. M. Shantanagoudar, S. A. Nazeer, R. Subhash Reddy, B. R. Gavai and Surya Kant.

Major Reshuffle of IAS Officers

In the first major reshuffle of IAS officers in the present term of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi government as many as 65 top bureaucrats have been transferred at one go. As many as 51 officers were given new postings in the process.

Uddhav Backs CAA, But Will Not Allow NRC in Maharashtra

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has said that he will not allow the National Register of Citizens (NRC) to be implemented in the state but also defended the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) saying that it is not about taking away citizenship rights from anyone.
Thackeray's backing of the Citizenship Act may create issues in the coalition government in Maharashtra. The Congress and NCP — Sena's new alliance partners — have already opposed the amendment.

Feb 02, 2020

State Cabinet Expansion Soon: BSY

Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa received the green signal from the BJP central leadership for expansion of the six-month-old Cabinet in the state. Yediyurappa is likely to induct 13 ministers. Yediyurappa said that the date of swearing-in will be decided in a day or two, although he indicated at February 3 as the expected date. There are 18 ministers, including the Chief Minister, in the Cabinet that has a sanctioned strength of 34. Sixteen berths are vacant.

Evacuees Fly Back from Coronavirus-hit Wuhan

A special Air India jet left Wuhan with 366 Indians, the first of two flights that will evacuate Indian citizens stranded in the central Chinese city that is the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak.
The departures took place on a day when the number of deaths due to the pathogen reached 213 and confirmed infections globally neared 10,000.
According to Indian aviation officials, a Boeing 747-400 — one of the largest in Air India's fleet — arrived in Wuhan on Friday evening with a team of doctors to take back the Indians who had been stranded in a city of nearly 11 million people now completely locked down over the outbreak. The jet left India with 20 crew members, five doctors from Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital and an Air India paramedic with stocks of medicines, masks, protective gear and packed food.

BJP Releases Manifesto for Delhi Polls

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched its manifesto for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. The top focus for the party, as mentioned in the 'Sankalp Patra' is mitigating air and water pollution in the national capital.

Feb 01, 2020

Development of Bodo Areas Foremost Priority

Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the Bodo agreement a historic chapter for peace and development in Assam. Hailing the Bodo Agreement, he said that it is inspired by the mantra of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas & Sabka Vishwas' and spirit of 'Ek Bharat-Shresth Bharat'.
After signing this historic agreement with Bodo organizations, the foremost priority of the government is the development of Bodo areas. Work has begun on a comprehensive Rs. 1500 crore package. Our special focus will be on ease of living and ensuring that Bodos benefit fully from government schemes.

J&K Govt. Okays Reservation for Pahari Community

In a major decision aimed at rationalising the existing reservation policy and give representation to Pahari speaking people, the administrative council that met under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor, G. C. Murmu approved amendments in the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Rules, 2005.
There are around 9.6 lakh Pahari speaking people across Jammu and Kashmir spread over mainly in Rajouri, Poonch, Baramulla (Uri and Boniyar), Kupwara (Karna and Keran) and pockets of Anantnag, Budgam, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian.
Following the reorganisation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and enactment of the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Act, 2004, it had become imperative to rationalise the existing reservation percentages to give representation to the Pahari people in various matters.

Jan 31, 2020

Chhattisgarh Cabinet Okays Anti-CAA Resolution

The Cabinet in Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh approved a resolution that will be passed during the state assembly's budget session in March against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act, or CAA, which has triggered protests across the country, according to a press release issued by the state government.
Four states have so far passed assembly resolutions against the CAA. Opponents of the law insist it is discriminatory and unconstitutional as it leaves out the Muslims and links faith to citizenship in a secular country.
The Chhattisgarh resolution asks the Centre to repeal the CAA while insisting it is "against the spirit" of the Constitution.

Trinamool Congress Offers Support to AAP

The ruling party in West Bengal, Trinamool Congress, has offered its support to Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Delhi elections, scheduled for February 8, 2020.
Trinamool Congress, in the past, had fielded candidates in Delhi for the Lok Sabha polls but suffered defeats by huge margins. Trinamool Congress's show of solidarity towards the AAP is seen as a reflection of the rapport between Kejriwal and Trinamool Congress chief, Mamata Banerjee. It also underlines the Trinamool Congress's willingness to stitch a combination of Opposition forces against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Thakur and Verma Get EC's Campaign Ban

The Election Commission of India (ECI) imposed a 72-hour ban on Union minister of state for finance Anurag Thakur and a 96-hour ban on BJP parliamentarian Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma from campaigning for February 8 assembly polls in Delhi for making undesirable and objectionable statements at election rallies.
In a related development, ECI also issued fresh notice to Verma for allegedly calling Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal a terrorist.

Jan 30, 2020

PM Set to Visit Bangladesh to Bolster Ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the chief guest at an event to kick-start the year-long centenary celebrations for "Bangabandhu" Sheikh Mujibur Rehman in Dhaka on March 17 in a move that signals the robust bilateral relations between India and its eastern neighbour.
Modi is expected to reach Dhaka the day before the function, and will be the main speaker for 100th birth anniversary of Mujibur Rehman, the founder of Bangladesh. Mujibur Rehman was also the father of incumbent Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
During Hasina's tenure, India has breathed at ease on its eastern front, with the Bangladesh government taking strong action against pan-Islamic terrorists and radical groups such as the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh. Both the countries closely cooperate on the border with annual interactions and regular information exchanges between the Border Security Force (BSF) and Bangladesh Rifles (BDR).
While India encourages close defence cooperation and fulfils the energy needs of Dhaka, the Hasina government is working towards allowing New Delhi the use of its Chittagong and Mongla sea ports for the transportation of goods to and from the land-locked north-eastern states.

Bengaluru Tops Chart as World's most Traffic Congested City

According to the report by the TomTom traffic index released in 2020, Bengaluru ranked the first among the world's most traffic-congested cities. The drivers in Bengaluru spend an average of 71 per cent extra travel time stuck in traffic. The ranking has been based on the overall daily congestion level, extra travel time and population over 800,000.
The report detailed the traffic situation in 416 cities in 57 countries. Three other cities Mumbai, Delhi and Pune also ranked in the list of the top ten most congested cities worldwide.

Saina Nehwal Joins BJP

Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi inspireds her with his hard work for the country. She joined BJP in the presence of party's National General Secretary Arun Singh. Saina's elder sister Abu Chandranshu Nehwal also joined BJP. The former world number 1 was inducted into BJP ahead of the crucial Delhi Assembly elections.
In 2019, a number of sportspersons including cricketer Gautam Gambhir and Babita Phogat had joined BJP.

SAD to Support BJP in Delhi Assembly Polls

Two days after BJP's Punjab-based ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) said that it will not contest the Delhi Assembly elections, the party has announced that it will support its long-term NDA ally BJP in the Delhi polls.
Making the announcement, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the alliance is not just a political one but bound by emotions and interests of Punjab and the country.

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