General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - October 2020

Oct 2020

Nov 30, 2024

India and Bosnia & Herzegovina Strengthen Ties at 4th Foreign Office Consultations

India and Bosnia & Herzegovina held the 4th Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina led by Arun Kumar Sahu, Additional Secretary (Central Europe) from India, and Tarik Bukvic, Head of the Department for Asia and Africa from Bosnia. Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral political ties, trade and investment, scientific collaboration, cultural relations, and enhancing people-to-people connections through student and youth exchanges.
Both sides reviewed developments in their respective regions and addressed global issues, including multilateral cooperation through BRICS, the UN, EU, and NAM. The consultations are part of a broader effort to celebrate 30 years of diplomatic ties in 2025 and deepen multi-faceted relations.

Sanraksha App Launched for Enhancing Rail Passenger Safety

The Indian Railways launched the 'Sanraksha' mobile application aims to enhance the safety and security of passengers. It integrates advanced technology, including data analytics and potential AI applications, to train and build the capacity of railway staff while ensuring passenger safety. The app was launched after a successful pilot project in the Nagpur division, and it is being rolled out across various railway zones to create a more secure environment for travellers.

GST & Customs Pavilion Gets Bronze Medal for Excellence for the Public Communication and Outreach...

The GST and Customs Pavilion by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) was awarded the Bronze Medal for its exceptional contribution to Public Communication and Outreach at the India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2024. This recognition underscored the CBIC's Pavilion's unwavering commitment to promoting taxpayer awareness and ensuring seamless information dissemination.
The theme of "Facilitating Trade, Fostering Economy" focused on creating an interactive and informative experience for visitors. Fostering greater understanding of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) system and Customs procedures, the pavilion featured comprehensive exhibits and dynamic displays highlighting key aspects of India's Indirect tax ecosystem. For the first time, CBIC also adopted the Red Indian Panda as the official Mascot for the IITF-2024.

India Re-elected to UN Peacebuilding Commission

India was re-elected to the UN Peacebuilding Commission for 2025–2026.
India's current term on the Commission was expiring on December 31.
The Peacebuilding Commission is an intergovernmental advisory body that supports peace efforts in conflict-affected countries and is a key addition to the capacity of the International Community in the broad peace agenda, according to its website.
The PBC is composed of 31 Member States, elected from the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the Economic and Social Council. The top financial contributing countries and the top troop-contributing countries to the United Nations system are also members.
It was established in 2005 with the passage of both A/RES/60/180 and S/RES/1645. Sérgio França Danese (Brazil) is the incumbent chair of the PBC.

Nov 29, 2024

Digital India State Consultation Workshop Held in Lucknow

A Digital India State Consultation Workshop was organised by the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in collaboration with the Government of Uttar Pradesh and the Uttar Pradesh Development Systems Corporation Ltd. (UPDESCO) in Lucknow.
The workshop focused on various national initiatives launched by NeGD under the Government's flagship Digital India Programme such as DigiLocker, Entity Locker, API Setu, OpenForge, myScheme, UMANG, UX4G among others. Important verticals like Cyber Security and Capacity Building were also discussed. The State led discussions on CM Helpline (1076) & IGRS, UIDAI Ecosystem and Aadhaar Authentication Services.

India, Japan Begin First Talks on Economic Security and Trade

The first round of the India-Japan Dialogue on Economic Security, Strategic Trade, and Technology took place in Tokyo. This important meeting focused on enhancing collaboration between the two nations in areas like economic security, supply chain resilience, and the application of emerging technologies. The dialogue was co-chaired by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri from India and Vice Minister Masataka Okano from Japan, and it marked a significant step in strengthening the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.

Nov 28, 2024

President Droupadi Murmu Unveils Sanskrit and Maithili Translations of the Indian Constitution

President Droupadi Murmu commemorated the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Indian Constitution by releasing a commemorative coin and stamp during the 'Samvidhan Diwas' celebrations at Samvidhan Sadan in Parliament.
Murmu also released three books on the Constitution to mark the occasion. The books, titled 'Making of the Constitution of India: A Glimpse', 'Making of the Constitution of India & its Glorious Journey'* and a booklet dedicated to the art of the Constitution, were released by dignitaries from both Houses of Parliament.
The President also unveiled translated versions of the Constitution in Sanskrit and Maithili.

Government Accepts Opposition Demand for Extension to Waqf Panel

While parliamentary proceedings got washed out for the second consecutive day amid protests by Congress-led Opposition on Gautam Adani's bribery indictment and Sambhal violence in Uttar Pradesh, the Centre offered an olive branch by acceding to its demands for extending the deadline for presenting the report on Waqf Bill by a joint Parliamentary panel till the Budget session and holding a discussion on the Constitution in Rajya Sabha.

Hemant Soren's Fourth Stint as Jharkhand Chief Minister

Hemant Soren took oath as the 14th Chief Minister of Jharkhand after his Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led coalition won the 2024 state elections by securing 56 out of the total 81 Assembly seats. This is the 49-year-old's fourth stint as the Chief Minister of the state.
The oath of office was administered by Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar, with several top leaders of the INDIA bloc and other dignitaries who attended the ceremony.

Centre Launches E-Daakhil in Ladakh, Completes Pan-India Rollout

The Government of India achieved a major milestone with the nationwide implementation of the E-Daakhil portal, an online consumer grievance redressal platform, now operational across all states and union territories. The final phase of this rollout was marked by the portal's launch in Ladakh, by the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brig. (Dr.) B.D. Mishra (Retd.).
Introduced under the Consumer Protection Act of 2019 and launched in September 2020, E-Daakhil is an innovative platform designed to provide consumers with a hassle-free, paperless mechanism to file complaints online.

Nov 27, 2024

Cabinet Approves Continuation of the Atal Innovation Mission

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the continuation of its flagship initiative, the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), under the aegis of NITI Aayog, with an enhanced scope of work and an allocated budget of Rs. 2,750 crore for the period till March 31, 2028.
AIM 2.0 is a step towards Viksit Bharat that aims to expand, strengthen, and deepen India's already vibrant innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
The approval underscores the government's commitment to fostering a robust innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in India.
The Atal Innovation Mission was set up in 2016.

Cabinet Approves 2 Hydro Projects in Arunachal Pradesh

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved two hydropower projects entailing an investment of Rs. 3,689 crore in Arunachal Pradesh.
An investment of Rs. 1,750 crore was approved for the construction of 186 MW Tato-I Hydro Electric Project and Rs. 1,939 crore for 240 MW Heo Hydro Electric Project in Shi Yomi District of Arunachal Pradesh.
Power generated from the two projects will help improve the power supply position in Arunachal Pradesh and will also help in balancing the national grid.

Nov 26, 2024

Kiran Choudhry Picked for RS Vice-Chiefs' Panel

Senior Haryana leader Kiran Choudhry, who switched camps from the Congress to the BJP, was included in the prestigious panel of vice-chairpersons of the Rajya Sabha.
Vice-President (V-P) and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar announced the reconstituted panel of vice-chairpersons for the 266th session of the Rajya Sabha, naming Choudhry and Congress leader Ajay Maken among the new members.
The V-P retained S. Phangnon Konyak (first woman to be elected member of the Rajya Sabha from Nagaland in April 2022) and renowned athlete PT Usha.
BJP's Mamata Mohanta, Ghanshyam Tiwari and Bhubaneswar Kalit; BJD's Sasmit Patra and Congress' Ajay Makan were also included in the reconstituted committee.

Union Cabinet Approves Launch of National Mission on Natural Farming

The Union Cabinet approved the launch of the National Mission on Natural Farming, with a total outlay of Rs. 2481 crore as a standalone Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
The mission will promote natural farming in a mission mode across the country. The scheme has a total outlay of Rs. 2481 crore (Government of India share - Rs. 1584 crore; State share - Rs. 897 crore ($106 million) till the 15th Finance Commission (2025-26).
The Mission is designed to support farmers to reduce the input cost of cultivation and their dependency on externally purchased inputs. Natural farming will build and maintain healthy soil ecosystems, promote biodiversity and encourage diverse cropping systems to enhance resilience as suitable to the local agroecology are the benefits of natural farming.

Second Round of Tiprasa Accord Discussions on December 3

Three months after the initial round of discussions regarding the implementation of the tripartite Tiprasa accord, TIPRA Motha announced that the second round of talks is scheduled for December 3.
The Tiprasa accord was signed by the ruling alliance partner TIPRA Motha, the Centre, and the state government of Tripura to find an honourable solution for the issues faced by the state's tribal population.

G. Balasubramanian Appointed as High Commissioner to Maldives

G. Balasubramanian, a distinguished Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer from the 1998 batch, was appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to Maldives. With extensive diplomatic experience spanning key global postings, his appointment underscores India's strategic emphasis on strengthening its ties with the Maldives, a crucial partner in the Indian Ocean Region.
He replaces Munu Mahawar, who has held the post since November 2021.

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