General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - January 2024

Jan 2024

Oct 28, 2024

Centre Appoints 29 Joint Secretaries in Key Government Departments

In a move aimed at strengthening various departments, the Government of India appointed 29 officers as Joint Secretaries across different ministries and sectors. The reshuffle, orchestrated by the Centre, involved officers from a range of central services, including the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE), Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS), and Indian Revenue Service (IRS), among others. This reshuffle reflects the government's commitment to optimising governance by assigning experienced and specialized personnel to pivotal roles.

Bhupendra Patel Inaugurates 17th Urban Mobility India Conference & Expo 2024

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated the 17th Urban Mobility India Conference & Expo-2024 at the Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The event, which concluded on October 27, 2024, gathered over 2,000 professionals and academics and discussed the future of urban transport in India. The conference focused on the theme 'Standardisation and Optimisation of Urban Transport Solutions,' aimed at enhancing urban mobility through integrated strategies and innovative practices.

Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh Launches the 21st Livestock Census

Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh launched the 21st Livestock Census, which will be conducted until February next (2025) year at a cost of Rs. 200 crore. He emphasised that the collection of precise data is crucial for the government to formulate effective policies aimed at ensuring animal health security and promoting growth in the livestock sector.
The census aims to provide precise data to help formulate effective policies for animal health security and sector growth.
In addition to the census, a USD 25 million 'Pandemic Fund Project' was launched to enhance animal health security and preparedness.

EC Signs Electoral Cooperation Pact with Uzbekistan

The Election Commission of India signed an agreement for electoral cooperation with Uzbekistan's central poll body. This agreement was formalised during Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar's visit to Tashkent, where he served as an international observer for the elections on October 27.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aims to strengthen and deepen interaction between the two Election Management Bodies (EMBs).
The agreement is designed for the mutual benefit of both democracies.
Both electoral bodies have a history of mutual cooperation, with officials serving as observers in each other's elections.
A four-member delegation from Uzbekistan, led by Khusanova Mukhtabar, participated in India's Lok Sabha elections earlier this year (2024).

Oct 27, 2024

Great Nicobar Island Gains 13th Major Port Status

A quarter century after Kamarajar Port was named the country's 12th major port, the mega International Container Trans-shipment Port (ICTP) at Galathea Bay, in the Great Nicobar Island in the Bay of Bengal, was notified as the 13th major port. This paves the way for the development of the port, which could prove a game changer for maritime trade in the region.
The ICTP, with a 20m natural draught, will be strategically located on the East-West international trade and shipping route in proximity to transshipment terminals like Singapore, Klang and Colombo.

Oct 26, 2024

Himanshu Pathak New Director General of ICRISAT

The Governing Board of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) announced the appointment of Himanshu Pathak as the Director General-designate of the esteemed institute. The announcement was made by Governing Board Chair Professor Prabhu Pingali during an all-staff event held at ICRISAT headquarters in Hyderabad.
ICRISAT is a pioneering international organisation dedicated to improving dry land farming and agri-food systems, addressing hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and environmental degradation affecting 2.1 billion people in dryland regions of Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and beyond.
It was founded on March 28, 1972, through a Memorandum of Agreement between the Government of India and the CGIAR (Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centres).

Oct 25, 2024

Commemoration of Sardar Patel's 150th Birth Anniversary

Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the government will celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, on October 31 next year (2025), with two-year nationwide celebrations from 2024 to 2026.
This celebration will serve as a testament to his remarkable achievements and the spirit of unity that he epitomised.
Sardar Patel, born in Nadiad, Gujarat on October 31, 1885, was a Congress leader and the first Home Minister of independent India. He is credited with integrating 562 princely states to build the Republic of India.

Oct 24, 2024

Odisha Govt. Increases Casual Leave for Women Employees

In a significant move, the Odisha government announced an increase in the casual leave (CL) entitlement for women employees, granting an additional 12 days annually, effective immediately. This brings their total CL to 27 days, compared to 15 days for male employees. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi directed the increase, following Deputy CM Pravati Parida's earlier Independence Day announcement of one paid menstrual leave per month for women staff.

Ministry of Panchayati Raj Launches "Weather Forecasts at the Gram Panchayat Level"

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), in collaboration with the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), launched a landmark and a transformative initiative to provide Gram Panchayats with 5 days daily weather forecasting and provision to check hourly weather forecast – Gram Panchayat-Level Weather Forecasting –at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. This initiative, aimed at empowering rural communities and enhancing disaster preparedness at the grassroots, will directly benefit farmers and villagers across the country.
This is the first time that localised weather forecasts will be available at the Gram Panchayat level, supported by IMD's expanded sensor coverage.
A Training Workshop on "Weather Forecasts at the Gram Panchayat Level" was organised to mark the launch of this pioneering initiative.

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