General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - May 2022

May 2022

Nov 19, 2023

International Conference on Plant Health Management 2023, in Hyderabad

The International Conference on Plant Health Management (ICPHM) 2023 took place in Hyderabad, India, from November 15 to 18. This significant event was organised by the Plant Protection Association of India (PPAI), an institution with a rich legacy of 50 years in advancing plant protection both nationally and internationally. The conference aimed to provide a platform for global collaboration in fostering innovation and sustainability in the field of Plant Health Management.
The primary objective of the ICPHM 2023 was to explore and capitalise on global opportunities in innovation and sustainability within the domains of research and entrepreneurship related to Plant Health Management. The conference aimed to bring together experts, researchers and stakeholders from around the world to discuss and deliberate on pressing issues and potential solutions in the field.
The Plant Protection Association of India (PPAI), established in 1972, has played a pivotal role in the realm of plant protection. The organisation commemorated its 50th anniversary in 2022.

Nov 18, 2023

Narendra Modi Inaugurates Global South Centre of Excellence

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a global centre for excellence for the Global South countries called DAKSHIN. The Prime Minister noted that he had proposed setting up the centre during the first Voice of Global South Summit in January 2023.

Amit S. Telang Appointed as Indian Envoy to the Caribbean Community

Amit S. Telang was accredited as the Indian ambassador to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), along with two other positions in the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda.
With his residence in Georgetown, Teland has been accredited to the Indian High Commissioner to the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis, and the Indian High Commissioner to Antigua and Barbuda.

Nov 17, 2023

Indian Railways Showcasing Its Progressive Journey at Railway Pavilion

The Ministry of Railways is participating in the 42nd India International Trade Fair (IITF) – 2023 being held from November 14 to 27, 2023 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Under the guidance of Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Railways, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology, the Ministry set up a pavilion in Hall no. 5 with the theme of 'Changing India's Infrastructure'. Jaya Varma Sinha, Chairman and CEO, Railway Board inaugurated the Railways' Pavilion.

Lawyer V. Lakshmikumaran among Four Distinguished Fellows Appointed by NITI Aayog

The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog appointed V. Lakshmikumaran, the Founder and Managing Partner of Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan, as one of four distinguished fellows for a one-year term.
V. Lakshmikumaran, a legal expert with 35 years of experience, specialises in advising companies on various aspects of taxation, including International Taxation, Transfer Pricing, GST, Customs, Excise, Service Tax, VAT, Foreign Trade Policy, and Special Economic Zones.
His areas of work include legal advice to international clients on anti-dumping duties, subsidies, and trade investigations.
The other distinguished individuals who joined the ranks of NITI Aayog are:
Prof (Dr) Anoop Singh a member of the fifteenth Finance Commission. He has earlier served as a part of the International Monetary Fund, including as the Director of the Asia Pacific Department and as a Special Adviser to the Governors of the Reserve Bank of India.
O. P. Agarwal, a 1979 batch IAS officer, has earlier been involved in the framing of the national urban transport policy. With a background in Transport Economics (PhD from IIT Delhi), he spent six years as the World Bank's global Urban Transport Adviser.
Ajai Chowdhry, a co-founder of HCL, is credited as having played a key role in India's electronics industry. His contributions include chairing a task force in 2009 for the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, shaping the Electronics Policy.

Nov 16, 2023

North Sikkim Connectivity Fully Restored after Chungthang Bailey Bridge Launch

The Indian Army troops of Trishakti Corps, in collaboration with the Border Roads Organization (BRO), successfully completed the construction of a Bailey Bridge over the Teesta River at Chungthang in North Sikkim. This crucial infrastructure was washed away after a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in the Lhonak Lake upstream, severing the connection between North Sikkim and the mainland in October 2023.
The bridge, which serves as the life line for Lachen and Lachung Valley in North Sikkim, will now pave the way for seamless movement of vehicles and provision of relief material to these flood affected areas.

Tamil Nadu Governor Returns 10 Bills, Week After Court Expressed Concerns

Tamil Nadu Governor R. N. Ravi returned ten pending bills, two of which were passed by the earlier AIADMK government, to the Assembly.
Ravi's action came days after the Supreme Court had come down hard on him and his Punjab counterpart, as it heard complaints by the two state governments about delays in clearing bills.
The Tamil Nadu government has accused the BJP-appointed Governor of deliberately delaying the bills' clearance and scuttling the state's development by undermining the elected administration.

IICA Signs MoU with Lean Campus Startups (Trust) & WEICI India to Empower Women Entrepreneurs

The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) and Lean Campus Startups (Trust) & WEICI India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Manesar, Gurugram. The signatories to the MoU were Lata Suresh, representing IICA, and Umesh Rathod, representing Lean Campus Startups (Founder).
The collaborative objective of IICA and Lean Campus Startups & WEICI India is to empower both corporate and women entrepreneurs, augmenting their knowledge, skills, and competencies in the effective establishment and management of a diverse workforce. In partnership with IICA, LCS will orchestrate programmes for women entrepreneurs and students.

Nov 15, 2023

Govt Introduces PM Kisan Bhai To Break Traders' Monopoly

The Indian government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, is gearing up to launch 'PMKisan Bhai' scheme designed to empower farmers by breaking the monopoly of traders in determining crop prices.
PMKisan Bhai Scheme Set to Revolutionize Agricultural Trade
The proposed PMKisan Bhai (Bhandaran Incentive) scheme is designed to empower farmers by breaking the monopoly of traders in determining crop prices.
With a deadline for feedback now closed, the scheme is expected to be rolled out by the end of December, signaling a potential shift in the dynamics of agricultural trade in the country.

Tamil Nadu rains: Schools, colleges to remain closed in Chennai today.

All schools, colleges, and educational institutions will remain closed in Chennai, Tiruvallur, and Puducherry districts today, Wednesday, November 15, due to heavy rainfall in Tamil Nadu. Several parts of Tamil Nadu witnessed heavy rainfall on Tuesday. After coastal and interior districts of Tamil Nadu received severe downpours on Tuesday, many districts declared a holiday for schools on Tuesday.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted the possibility of isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall in the coastal regions of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal on November 14.
According to the weather forecasting agency, a low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeast Bay of Bengal in the next 24 hours due to an upper air cyclonic circulation over the southwest Bay of Bengal and over the South Andaman Sea.

Meghalaya launches 'Food Security' campaign to achieve zero hunger

In a concerted effort to ensure food security for the most vulnerable, the Department of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs in Meghalaya has launched the 'Food Security' Campaign, which focuses on sensitising the public about the National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013 and strives to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2 – 'Zero Hunger.
The campaign was launched by Minister-in-Charge Comingone Ymbon at the Shillong Press Club on Monday.Speaking to the media, Minister Ymbon informed reporters that the Department is exploring the use of social, mainstream, and community-based media to communicate the verticals of the Department and apply a hyper-local approach to reason with the public on pertinent matters linked to the provisions of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013.
The Minister further explained that the objectives of the Campaign is to create general awareness about food security being a right of the citizen and calls upon the public at ground zero community level to work together towards 'Zero Hunger' to meet the need of the public at the bottom of the poverty pyramid.
The One Nation One Ration Card scheme (ONORC) will also be taken up as one of the salient features of the National Food Security Act, he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Two-Day Visit to Jharkhand.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to make history by becoming the first Prime Minister to visit Ulihatu Village, the birthplace of Bhagwan Birsa Munda. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to make history by becoming the first Prime Minister to visit Ulihatu Village, the birthplace of Bhagwan Birsa Munda.
This monumental visit is scheduled for November 15th, where the Prime Minister will pay homage at the Bhagwan Birsa Munda Memorial Park cum Freedom Fighter Museum in Ranchi. On the occasion of Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas, PM Modi will kickstart the 'Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra.'
This initiative underscores the Prime Minister's commitment to ensuring the saturation of flagship government schemes, reaching every targeted beneficiary in a timely manner. The Yatra aims to create awareness and deliver the benefits of various welfare schemes directly to the people.
The Yatra will commence with the flagging off of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) vans in Khunti, Jharkhand. Its focus will be on providing essential services such as sanitation facilities, financial services, electricity connections, housing for the poor, and more. The Yatra will initially cover districts with significant tribal populations and gradually extend to all districts nationwide by January 25th, 2024.

Uttarakashi tunnel collapse

Uttarakashi tunnel collapse: Rescuers interact via walkie-talkie, at times in Bhojpuri, to keep calm
Rescue authorities in the collapsed tunnel in Dehradun are maintaining constant communication with the trapped laborers, speaking to them every hour to keep them calm and motivated.
The workers, who are said to be in good health and spirits, have been assured that experts and engineers are working round the clock to rescue them. As a precautionary measure, medicines and dry ration have been sent to the workers inside the tunnel. Contrary to rumors, there is electricity inside the tunnel.

Share on

TCY Analytics (View Subscription Plans)

Subscribe to GK Updates

I want to receive

GK Tags

July GK, June GK, May GK, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, ENVIRONMENT, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, SPORTS, NATIONAL AFFAIRS, DEFENCE, PERSONS IN NEWS, DAYS AND EVENTS, AWARDS AND HONOURS, GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES, GENDER/ HEALTH/ EDUCATION, ART AND CULTURE, BOOKS AND AUTHORS, TOURISM AND HOTEL INDUSTRY AWARENESS, ART AND CULTURE, LAW AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Start Discussion

On any topic

Take Tests

Compiled from GK updates

Login

Sign Up

Forgot Password

Download TCY App

Unlock All Services And Enjoy The Premium Benefits

US$ 10

US$ 13

US$ 15

US$ 17

US$ 19

US$ 20

US$ 21

US$ 22

US$ 23

US$ 24

US$ 25

US$ 26