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♦ Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi inaugurated the Artificial Intelligence Incubation Centre (IAAIIC) in Bengaluru.
♦ The IAAIIC aligns with the Indian Army’s vision of technological evolution by enhancing operational capabilities, building an AI-ready force, and addressing modern security challenges.
♦ Developed in collaboration with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), the centre will foster innovation and serve as a platform for academia, startups, industry leaders, and domain experts to develop indigenous AI solutions tailored to the Army’s unique requirements.
♦ BEL is providing the infrastructure and IT support, while the facility will be manned by Army personnel.
♦ The centre focuses on research and development in critical areas, including predictive maintenance, enhanced surveillance, decision support systems, and autonomous platforms.
Posted Date: December 19, 2024Places in News
♦ One of the world’s deadliest industrial accidents, the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, marked its 40th anniversary on 3 December 2024.
♦ In 1984 highly toxic gas methyl isocyanate (MIC) leaked from the Union Carbide factory, killing 5,479 people and maiming more than five lakh others.
♦ The Bhopal chemical plant was first established in 1969 near the city. It was owned by Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL), a local subsidiary of the US multinational Union Carbide Corporation (UCC).
Posted Date: December 3, 2024Places in News
♦ The 55th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFCI) was inaugurated at Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium in Goa on 20 November 2024. IFFI is set to continue till November 28.
♦ IFFI 2024 is making history by introducing Indian Sign Language interpretation during the opening ceremony, ensuring that audiences with hearing disabilities can fully participate in the event.
♦ This year (2024) the festival has received 1,676 submissions from 101 countries. The festival will present over 180 international titles from 81 countries, which include 16 premieres in world, three in international, 43 in Asian, and 109 in Indian categories.
Posted Date: November 20, 2024Places in News
♦ Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot inaugurated the India’s first all-women bus depot, named ‘Sakhi Depot’ in Sarojini Nagar on 16 November 2024. This depot has a total workforce of 223 women, comprising 89 drivers and 134 conductors. It operating a fleet of 70 buses, including 40 air-conditioned and 30 non-air-conditioned buses, that serve 17 routes across Delhi.
♦ The Sakhi Depot holds historical significance, as it was originally established in April 1954 as Delhi’s first bus depot and named after Sarojini Naidu, a renowned freedom fighter known as the Nightingale of India.
Posted Date: November 16, 2024Places in News
♦ India's first QR code-based coin vending machine (QCVM) has been installed in the Federal Bank's Puthiyara branch in the Kozhikode district of Kerala on 26 October 2024. This machine is set up in Kozhikode as a solution for those who want coins. Coins of Rs.1, 2, 5, and 10 are now available through this machine.
♦ It is a cashless coin delivery system that allows customers to make UPI transactions by scanning the QR code on the machine on their mobile phone. The QR code-based coin vending machine has been launched to help people solve the coin shortage. If you scan the QR code and make the required payment, the coins will be available through the machine.
Posted Date: October 28, 2024Places in News
♦ Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that Port Blair will be renamed as Sri Vijaya Puram on 13 September 2024. He said, Sri Vijaya Puram symbolises the victory achieved in the country’s freedom struggle.
♦ Andaman and Nicobar Islands have an unparalleled place in the country’s freedom struggle and history.
♦ Amit Shah said, that the island territory that once served as the naval base of the Chola Empire is today poised to be the critical base for our strategic and development aspirations.
♦ He said, It is also the place that hosted the first unfurling of the Tiranga by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and also the cellular jail in which Veer Savarkar and other freedom fighters struggled for an independent nation.
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♦ Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the world’s first conservation and breeding centre for Asian king vultures or red-headed vultures in Maharajganj, Gorakhpur. The facility will improve the population of critically endangered species listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list since 2007. The centre is named Jatayu Conservation and Breeding Centre.
♦ Asian king vultures are endangered due to the loss of their habitats and the excessive use of diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, in domestic animals, which becomes poisonous for vultures.
♦ The centre aims to ensure the good health of growing vultures and provide them with a pair. Once a female lays an egg, the pair will be left free in their natural environment.
♦ Yogi Adityanath laid the foundation stone for this centre on 7 October 2020 with an investment of Rs.2.80 crore.
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♦ Switzerland was ranked as the number one country for the third consecutive year in the ‘Best Countries Ranking 2024’ report. This is the seventh time the Switzerland has ranked first in the survey.
♦ In the 2024 ranking, Switzerland is followed by Japan, the United States of America, Canada and Australia.
♦ The Best Countries Report is an analysis by the U.S. News & World Report and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, measures perceptions of individual countries. The rankings are determined by a survey of nearly 17,000 respondents across 36 countries, with the report assessing 89 nations across 73 different attributes.
♦ India ranked 33 on the list. In 2023 India was spotted at 30 rank.
♦ Only Japan, Singapore, China and South Korea managed to crack the top 25 from Asia.
♦ The United Arab Emirates and Qatar were the only two Middle-Eastern countries that made the cut at 17 and 25 respectively.
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The Union government issued a Letter of Intent (LoI) to the University of Southampton, United Kingdom, to establish their campus in Gurugram on 29 August 2024. This is the first university to get LoI under the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) regulations for setting up foreign universities in the country. The university is expected to start its academic programmes in July, 2025. Courses will be offered in business and management, computing, law, engineering, art and design, biosciences, and life sciences.
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♦ A set of historic sites in South Africa associated with the country's liberation struggle and human rights crusader Nelson Mandela was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List on 27 July 2024. The parts include the Union Buildings (Pretoria), now the official seat of government; the Sharpeville Sites, commemorating the massacre of 69 people protesting the unjust Pass Laws; and The Great Place at Mqhekezweni, a site symbolic of traditional leadership where Nelson Mandela lived as a young man.
♦ The new listing is made up of 14 locations across South Africa grouped by UNESCO as "Human Rights, Liberation and Reconciliation: Nelson Mandela Legacy Sites".
Posted Date: July 29, 2024Places in News
♦ The Moidams of Assam received the prestigious 43rd UNESCO World Heritage Site tag in the cultural category on 26 July 2024. The decision was taken during the ongoing 46th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) being held in the national Capital Delhi.
♦ Nearly seven hundred years old, Moidams are hollow vaults of brick and stone and contain the remains of the Ahom dynasty from Assam.
♦ The inclusion of Moidams was decided unanimously by the World Heritage Committee meeting held in New Delhi. Moidams is the 1st cultural site (from the cultural heritage category) and the 3rd overall site from the North East to be inscribed on the World Heritage list.
♦ The two others are Kajiranga and Manas which were inscribed under the Natural Heritage category.
Posted Date: July 27, 2024Places in News
♦ The UAE has named a road in Abu Dhabi after Dr. George Matthew, an Indian-origin doctor who has made substantial contributions to the country’s healthcare sector. This honor is part of the “Honoring UAE’s Visionaries: Commemorative Streets” project initiated by the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT).
♦ The newly named George Matthew Street is located near Sheikh Shakbooth Medical City in Al Mafraq, commemorating Dr. Matthew’s 57-year-long service to the UAE’s healthcare system.
Posted Date: July 12, 2024Places in News
♦ Henley & Partners and New World Wealth firm released the 2024 World’s Wealthiest Cities Report. A total of 50 cities are present in this list.
♦ Mumbai ranked 24th on the list, significant affluent population with 58,800 millionaires, 236 centi-millionaires, and 29 billionaires. The city has experienced an impressive 82% growth in millionaires from 2013 to 2023.
♦ Delhi secured the 37th spot, houses 30,700 millionaires, 123 centi-millionaires, and 16 billionaires. Delhi has witnessed a remarkable 95% growth in millionaires from 2013-23.
♦ While Bengaluru found a spot in the top 10 most promising 'cities to watch' list for future growth. Bengaluru hosts 13,200 millionaires, 42 centi-millionaires, and 8 billionaires, exhibiting an exceptional 120% increase in millionaires over the past decade.
Top 3 cities:
♦ New York continues its reign as the world's wealthiest city, boasting a staggering 349,500 millionaires and a total wealth exceeding $3 trillion.
♦ The Bay Area, encompassing San Francisco and Silicon Valley, stands second globally with 305,700 millionaires and substantial growth rates in wealth over the past decade.
♦ Tokyo, once a frontrunner, has experienced a decline in its high-net-worth-individual (HNWI) population, slipping to third place with 298,300 millionaires.
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♦ According to IQAir, Kathmandu was found to be the most polluted city in the world. This was at the top of the list of cities with ‘unhealthy air’ in the world. New Delhi, Chiang Mai (Thailand), Hanoi (Vietnam), Bangkok (Thailand) and Dhaka (Bangladesh) are ranked second, third, fourth and fifth respectively.
♦ IQAir is a Swiss air quality technology company, that measured the real-time pollution of 101 cities in the world and prepared this report.
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Indian Coast Guard Director General Rakesh Pal inaugurated the Indian Coast Guard Aquatic Centre at ICGS Mandapam near Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu. The Indian Coast Guard, alongside the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, is one of the four forces under the Defence Ministry, each governed by its own legislation.
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♦ Adani Group started the first phase of its maiden copper plant at Mundra in Gujarat. This is the world's largest single-location copper manufacturing plant. Adani Enterprises is investing nearly USD 1.2 billion to set up a copper smelter with 0.5 million tonnes capacity in the first phase. The full-scale 1 million tonnes capacity is expected by FY29 (March 2029).
♦ India's per capita copper consumption is estimated around 0.6 kg compared to the global average of 3.2 kg. India's drive towards clean energy systems, increasing penetration of electric vehicles and a host of associated applications are expected to double the domestic copper demand by 2030.
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Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) secured the prestigious title of the 'Best Airport' in the Asia-Pacific region. This remarkable achievement marks the sixth consecutive year. The Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Best Airport award for 2023 in the category of over 40 Million Passengers Per Annum (MPPA) was conferred by the Airports Council International (ACI), further solidifying Delhi Airport's position as a leader in the aviation industry.
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Kishor Makwana (58) was appointed as the new chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes on 9 March 2024. He is a spokesperson of the Gujarat unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Love Kush Kumar from Bijnor in UP and Vaddepalli Ramchander from Telangana were appointed as new members. The tenure of the Commission is three years and this is the 7th Commission.
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Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurated India’s first Small Scale LNG Unit of Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) at its Vijaipur LPG plant in Madhya Pradesh. He also inaugurated 201 CNG Stations in 17 States. The inauguration of the CNG stations was done through video conferencing at a function in New Delhi.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's first underwater metro line in Kolkata on 6 March 2024. The line is located in the Kolkata Metro's Esplanade-Howrah Maidan section. The 4.8-km stretch of the East-West Metro was built at a cost of Rs.4,965 crore and will have the deepest Metro station in India at Howrah - 30 metres below the ground level.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for Sikkim's first railway station at Rangpo on 26 February 2024. It was among the over 2,000 rail infrastructure projects worth about Rs.41,000 crore unveiled by the Prime Minister. Basically, Sikkim did not have a railway line earlier. The government has signed this project in three phases. In the first phase, Sevoke to the Rangpo rail project; in the other phase, from Rangpo to Gangtok; and the third phase, from Gangtok to Nathula.
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♦ Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation announced the launch of the Vantara (Star of the Forest) programme on 26 February 2024. This an umbrella initiative to focus on rescue, treatment, care and rehabilitation of injured, abused and threatened animals, both in India and abroad. Vantara spread over 3,000 acres within the Green Belt of Reliance’s Jamnagar Refinery Complex in Gujarat. It aims to be one of the leading contributors to conservation efforts globally.
♦ The company said the shelter has over 200 elephants, over 300 large felines such as leopards, tigers, lions, and jaguars, among others and over 3,000 herbivores such as deer and over 1,200 reptiles, including crocodiles, snakes and turtles.
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♦ The 12th edition of the MILAN 2024 naval exercise commenced in Visakhapatnam on 19 February 2024. The nine-day event will conclude on Feb 27. The theme of MILAN 2024 is “Forging Naval Alliances for a Secure Maritime Future”. This exercise aims to strengthen collaboration among participating navies.
♦ Navies from the US, Japan, Australia, France, Bangladesh, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia, among others, participated in this event.
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India’s first Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) will be started from Uttarakhand, Union aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on 15 February 2024. Scindia informed that a helicopter will be deployed at All Indian Institute of Medical Science in Rishikesh from where it can be sent anywhere within a radius area of 150 km to airlift the people to the hospital.
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♦ Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Abu Dhabi’s first Hindu temple on 14 February 2024. This is the first Hindu stone temple in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This act of global spiritual unity was orchestrated by the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS).
♦ Thi is located on a 27-acre site near Al Rahba off the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway, the temple was constructed at a cost of approximately Rs 700 crore.
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♦ Former Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu and Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy inaugurated the Dakshin Bharat Sanskritik Kendra in Hyderabad on 12 February 2024. They also laid the foundation stone for the South India Cultural Centre of the Bharat Kala Mandapam Auditorium, at Shilpa Kala Vedika.
♦ The Sangeet Natak Akademi, an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Culture and an apex body in the field of performing arts in the country, promotes the rich cultural heritage of South India. The Ministry of Culture decided to set up a Regional Centre of Sangeet Natak Akademi in Hyderabad that will be known as Dakshin Bharat Sanskritik kendra.
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The Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) stadium in Rajkot was re-named as the Niranjan Shah Stadium. This modification comes as a tribute to Niranjan Shah, a former first-class cricketer and prominent cricket administrator, for his enormous contributions to the game and the region.
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♦ Union Culture Minister G. Kishan Reddy laid the foundation stone for India's digital National Museum of Epigraphy at the Salar Jung Museum. Spearheaded by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), this museum will house approximately one lakh ancient writings spanning various times and languages.
♦ The Central government had earlier announced the setting up of the Bharat Shared Repository of Inscriptions Bharat SHRI in a digital epigraphy museum with the digitisation of one lakh ancient inscriptions.
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♦ The Indian Navy to set up India’s second Very Low Frequency (VLF) radar station Telangana. For this, the State government has transferred 1,174 hectares of forest land under the Damagudem Reserve Forest near Pudur village in Vikarabad district to the Indian Navy. The VLF station used by the Navy to communicate with ships and submarines.
♦ INS Kattabomman Radar Station at Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu was the first of its kind and has been serving the navy since 1990.
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♦ Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the Ramlalla idol in the sanctum sanctorum at the temple in Ayodhya on 22 January 2024. The height of the idol is 51 inches. This was crafted by sculptor Arun Yogiraj from Mysuru. The chief architect of Ayodhya Ram temple is Chandrakant Sompura.
♦ The Ram Mandir has been constructed in the traditional Nagara style. Its length (east-west) is 380 feet; width 250 feet and height 161 feet. It is supported by a total of 392 pillars and has 44 doors.
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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy unveiled a 125-foot tall statue of Dr. B R Ambedkar at Swaraj Maidan in Vijayawada on 19 January 2024. The statue is termed as "Statue of Social Justice". The second-tallest statue of Ambedkar is situated in Telangana. It stands 175 feet tall.
♦ The project incurred a total cost of ₹404.35 crore and is spread over 18.81 acres of land. The statue has been built with 400 million tonne of steel and 120 million tonne of bronze.
♦ The project was started on December 21, 2021, and the statue was completed in February 2023.
Posted Date: January 19, 2024Places in News
♦ IIT Madras has joined hands with Altair to launch an eMobility Simulation Lab. The new lab will be set up in the Department of Engineering Design of IIT Madras with the financial support of Altair, a global that solutions in simulation, high-performance computing (HPC), and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
♦ The lab will host Altair’s modeling and simulation tools, thereby supporting the academic activities that IIT Madras will carry out in the other eMobility labs for Batteries, Charging, Power Electronics, Motors and Controllers, and Vehicle Engineering, among other related areas.
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The president of India, Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the 5th Edition of the Meghalaya Game in Tura, Meghalaya on 15th January 2024.
♦ The fifth edition of the Meghalaya Games will be held till 20 in Tura.
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Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena inaugurated the first international kite festival 'Patang Utsav' at Baansera, Delhi on January 13.
♦ Baansera is city's first bamboo theme park at Sarai Kale Khan on the bank of river Yamuna.
♦ The two-day festival is being organised by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), and will see over 30 professional kitists from Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Lakshadweep and* Gujarat exhibiting thier art.
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Atal Setu, India's longest sea bridge was inaugurated on January 12 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai.
♦ Trance Harbour Link, also known as the Atal Setu. It is India's logest sea bridge. The bridge connects Mumbai to Navi Mumbai (between Serwi and Nhava Sheva), Significantly reducing travel time between the two cities.
♦ It will reduce the current two-hour journey to just around 15-20 minutes.
♦ The length of this bridge is 21.8 km.
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* Asia’s largest open-air annual trade fair 'Bali Jatra' (Baliyatra) was inaugurated on the banks of the Mahanadi River in Cuttack, Odisha on 28 November 2023.
* This year the festival started on the occasion of Kartika Purnima and will continue till December 4.
* The festival, which marks the end of the 'kartik' month, celebrates the day when 'sadhabas' or 'mariners' used to set sail for distant lands such as Bali, Java, Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia, and Sri Lanka for trade.
* The literal meaning of Baliyatra is “voyage to Bali”. Bali is an island of Indonesia.
* As per historians, in early days, traders from Odisha, called Sadhabas used to go on voyages to Bali, Java, Borneo, Sumatra in Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
Posted Date: November 28, 2023Places in News
♦ President of India, Droupadi Murmu launched a National Education Campaign, titled, “New Education for New India” at Sambalpur, Odisha on 22 November 2023.
♦ This event was organized by Brahma Kumari Iswariya University, Sambalpur.
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♦ IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi have been ranked in the top 50 list in the QS Asia University Rankings 2024. This list was released by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) on 8 November 2023.
♦ IIT Bombay has secured the top position in India and 40th position in overall Asia. IIT Delhi stood second among Indian institutes and secured 46th rank overall. A total of 148 Indian universities are present in this list.
♦ Peking University of China topped the Asia ranking list by securing Rank 1 followed by the University of Hong Kong in the second position and the National University of Singapore in the third place. Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and Tsinghua University, China have secured 4th spot.
Top 10 Indian Universities in QS Asia University Rankings 2024:
IIT Bombay: Rank 40
IIT Delhi: Rank 46
IIT Madras: Rank 53
IISc Bangalore: Rank 58
IIT Kharagpur: Rank 59
IIT Kanpur: Rank 63
Delhi University: Rank 94
IIT Guwahati: Rank 111
IIT Roorkee: Rank 116
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU): Rank 117
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♦ Dhordo, a village located in the Kutch district of Gujarat was conferred the prestigious title of the Best Tourism Village by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) on 21 October 2023.
♦ With this, Dhordo is now one of the 70 villages from nearly 40 countries that enjoy this prestigious title.
Posted Date: October 21, 2023Places in News
♦ External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar unveiled the bust of Rabindranath Tagore at the International Friendship Park in Bac Ninh province, Vietnam on 15th October 2023.
♦ Jaishankar said he was pleased to know that Vietnam issued a commemorative postage stamp in honour of Tagore in 1982.
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♦ The country’s first solar roof cycling track was inaugurated in Hyderabad (Telangana) by state Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K Tarakarama Rao. This track named Healthway is the second of its kind globally.
♦ Located on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) between the main carriageway and service road.
♦ The 23-km path has two stretches - a pink line of 8.5 km from Nanakramguda to Telangana State Police Academy and a blue line of 14.5 km from Kollur to Narsingi with five different access points.
♦ It is a three-lane track that is 4.5 meters wide, with one meter of green space on either side.
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♦ Bhartiya Bhasha Utsav, A 75 day-long event to celebrate the Indian languages started on 28th September 2023 in Lucknow.
♦ Padma Shree awardees and representatives of different Indian languages are taking part in the program which includes Bahubhashi Sangoshthi i.e. Multi-language conference and play based on Ramayana.
♦ The festival will conclude on 11 December which is the birthday of the Famous Tamil poet Subrahmanyam Bharti and is celebrated as Indian Languages Day.
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♦ Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the first international cricket stadium in in Varanasi’s Ganjari in Uttar Pradesh.
♦ The stadium will be built in a 30-acre area at a cost of Rs.450 crore.
♦ The stadium is likely to be completed by December 2025.
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♦ Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveiled the 108-feet tall ‘Statue of Oneness’ of Adi Shankaracharya on the bank of the Narmada river at Omkareshwar.
♦ The statue weighs 100 tons and has been installed on a 75 feet high platform.
♦ It is made up of bronze that contains 88% copper, 4% zinc and 8% tin.
♦ At the event, Chouhan also laid the foundation stone for Rs.2,200 crore ‘Advait Lok’ at Omkareshwar.
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♦ The famed Hoysala temples of Belur, Halebid and Somananthpura in Karnataka have secured a place on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage list.
♦ This inclusion marks the 42nd UNESCO World Heritage Site. These Hoysala temples serve as a testament to India's abundant cultural and historical legacy.
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♦ Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated 'Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Awas Yojana' at Kushabhau Thakre Convention Centre (Minto Hall) in Bhopal.
♦ Under the scheme, the families who were left out of getting the benefit of housing facilities in various housing schemes will get their houses under it.
♦ Such families will get benefits whose applications under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Rural on the Awas Plus app portal and MIS portal of the Government of India have been automatically rejected.
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♦ Shantiniketan has earned a place on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
♦ This was founded by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore in 1901 in West Bengal's Birbhum district.
♦ The inclusion of Shantiniketan on the UNESCO World Heritage List was announced during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 17 September 2023.
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♦ Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first phase of the India International Convention Centre (IICC), named YashoBhoomi in Dwarka, New Delhi on 17th September 2023.
♦ The cost of this Project is Rs. 5,400 crore, with a total project area of over 8.9 lakh square metres and a built-up area of more than 1.8 lakh square metres.
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♦ Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam in Kancheepuram on the occasion of the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) founder C.N. Annadurai.
♦ Under this scheme, Rs.1,000 per month is being deposited to the accounts of all eligible women beneficiaries.
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♦ President Droupadi Murmu virtually launched the Ayushman Bhav campaign of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as well as the Ayushman Bhava portal from the Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar.
♦ The Ayushman Bhav campaign is a comprehensive nationwide healthcare initiative that aims to provide saturation coverage of healthcare services, reaching every village and town in the country.
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♦ Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated the country's first solar city Sanchi.
♦ In the programme, an agreement was signed between the state department of renewable energy and IIT Kanpur to make Sanchi a net zero city.
♦ Roof-top solar panels have been installed in all institutions like railway stations, schools, government offices, street lights, and post offices in Sanchi.
♦ Annually about 13 thousand 747 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced in Sanchi Solar City, which is equivalent to more than two lakh adult trees.
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♦ A Hyderabad-based robotics firm Grene Robotics was unveiled a state-of-the-art autonomous anti-drone system, powered by artificial intelligence.
♦ The system can protect not just vital installations like nuclear installations and oil rigs, but also a wide area encompassing even an entire city, from multiple drones of any kind.
♦ This is the first time such a system has been developed in India.
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♦ Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan launched a transformative 3-year partnership, “Education to Entrepreneurship: Empowering a generation of students, educators, and entrepreneurs” in New Delhi.
♦ This initiative is a collaboration between the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, and Meta (formerly Facebook).
♦ Within the next three years, Meta hopes to train 500,000 entrepreneurs in digital marketing through its partnership with NIESBUD.
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♦ Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankar launched the Indian Navy’s warship Mahendragiri in Mumbai.
♦ This was developed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL).
♦ This is India's seventh warship of Project 17A series, and is named after mountain peak in the eastern Ghats of Odisha.
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♦ The National Health Authority (NHA) announced 100 microsites project to accelerate the adoption of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) nationwide.
♦ In India, Mizoram became the first state to operationalize an ABDM microsite.
♦ Under this, all healthcare facilities - including the private clinics and labs, will be made ABDM-enabled and will offer digital health services.
Posted Date: August 24, 2023Places in News
♦ The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar was entered the World Book of Records (London) as Asia's largest such park.
♦ The garden is adorned with 1.5 million tulip bulbs from an ensemble of 68 distinct varieties.
♦ Each tulip variety presents a unique personality, painting the landscape with hues that range from the most delicate pastels to the most vibrant and striking shades.
♦ A lakh visitors have visited the picturesque garden.
Posted Date: August 20, 2023Places in News
♦ President Droupadi Murmu launched INS Vindhyagiri at Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers ( GRSE).
♦ This is the last in the series of three Project 17A (Alpha) frigates built by the Indian Navy.
♦ Just like its predecessors, INS Nilgiri, Udaygiri, Himgiri, Taragiri, and Dunagiri, Vindhyagiri is named after a mountain range in Karnataka.
Posted Date: August 17, 2023Places in News
♦ Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) Secretary Alkesh Kumar Sharma launched the ‘Graphene-Aurora program’ at a function in Maker Village Kochi, Kerala.
♦ The program shall be implemented by Digital University Kerala with joint funding from MeitY, Government of India and Government of Kerala and Industry partners, with the total budget outlay of Rs 94.85 Crore, wherein, Carborundum Pvt Limited joined as one of the main industry partners.
Posted Date: August 16, 2023Places in News
♦ Kerala assembly unanimously passed a resolution requesting the Centre to change the official name of the State from Kerala to Keralam in all languages.
♦ The resolution was tabled in the House by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and passed by all members unanimously.
♦ While a state government can only make a request for change in the name of the state, the actual process requires parliamentary approval under Articles 3 and 4 of the Constitution with the President referring the issue to the relevant state legislature.
♦ In the past, the name of Orissa state was changed to Odisha, and the name of its language from Oriya to Odia.
Posted Date: August 11, 2023Places in News
♦ An Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Named 'Neerakshi' (Eyes in the Water) was launched in Kolkata.
♦ It is designed to detect mines. This is a collaboration of Kolkata-based warship maker Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd and MSME entity AEPL.
♦ Neerakshi is 2.15m long and will have an endurance of nearly 4 hours and is capable of operating up to a depth of 300m.
Posted Date: August 8, 2023Places in News
♦ The Bihar government announced to constitute a 'Rhino Task Force' for suggesting measures for the reintroduction of the terrestrial mammals in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in the West Champaran district.
♦ The plan aims to increase the rhino-bearing areas in VTR by 5% over the next two years.
♦ At present there is only one rhino in VTR and 14 rhinos in Patna Zoo.
Posted Date: August 6, 2023Places in News
♦ Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar jointly launched Study in India (SII) Portal in New Delhi.
♦ The portal is a one-stop platform that will simplify international students’ academic journey in India.
♦ This will provide comprehensive information about Indian Higher Education Institutions.
♦ The portal will present information about the academic facilities, research support, and related information.
Posted Date: August 4, 2023Places in News
♦ Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav launched a Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition (RECEIC) in Chennai to promote the practices of resource efficiency and circular economy globally.
♦ The event took place during the G20’s Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group and Environment and Climate Ministers meeting.
♦ About 39 companies headquartered in 11 different countries have joined the coalition as its founding members.
Posted Date: July 31, 2023Places in News
♦ The International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) complex named 'Bharat Manapama' inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.
♦ He also unveiled the G-20 coin and G-20 stamp.
♦ IECC was developed as a national project at a cost of Rs. 2700 crores.
♦ The IECC is set to become the largest conference and exhibition site in India and will be the venue for the upcoming G-20 Summit in September.
Posted Date: July 28, 2023Places in News
♦ Bengaluru, a capital of Karnataka has become the first Indian city to join the World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF) a global network of cities that share research and intelligence, and explore the role of culture in future prosperity.
♦ It was established in 2012 by the office of the Mayor of London.
♦ It has currently 40 cities, Bengaluru is the 41st member of the forum.
Posted Date: July 28, 2023Places in News
♦ Prime Minister Narendra Modi Inaugurated International airport near Rajkot.
♦ It is the Gujarat's first greenfield airport.
♦ It is located in Hirasar village, 30 km from Rajkot.
♦ The airport has 3.04 km long and 45 meter wide runway where 14 planes can be parked at any given point.
Posted Date: July 27, 2023Places in News
♦ Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated a centralised Aviation Security Control Centre (ASCC) of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in New Delhi to meet the current security challenges.
♦ It will monitor all threats and social media chatter for the 66 civil airports currently under the CISF’s security cover.
♦ The ASCC will access 24×7 real-time data monitoring and trend analysis of passengers and air traffic.
Posted Date: July 26, 2023Places in News
♦ Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated an exhibition organized under Semicon India-2023 at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar.
♦ It marks the start of Semicon India 2023’s second edition, organised by India Semiconductor Mission in close collaboration with industry and industry associations.
♦ This will contintue until 30th July.
Posted Date: July 25, 2023Places in News
♦ Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel, Jyotiraditya M Scindia inaugurated Heli Summit 2023 in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh.
♦ He also launched RCS UDAN 5.2 and HeliSewa-App during the event.
♦ The 5th Helicopter & Small Aircraft Summit (Heli Summit 2023) was jointly organized by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, in association with the Government of Madhya Pradesh, Pawan Hans Ltd., and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
♦ The theme of the event was "Reaching the Last Mile: Regional Connectivity through Helicopters & Small Aircraft".
Posted Date: July 25, 2023Places in News
♦ Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the ‘GST Bhawan’ in Agartala, Tripura.
♦ It will provide common citizens with better access to GST-related matters and facilitate their interaction with officers.
♦ The newly established office complex will serve as the headquarters for CGST, CX, and Customs for the Agartala, Guwahati Zone under CBIC.
Posted Date: July 22, 2023Places in News
♦ Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal launched the curtain raiser of Global Maritime India Summit (GIMS), 2023 in Mumbai.
♦ The event is aimed at unlocking potential for new investment opportunities along with collaborations for knowledge and technology to enhance cooperation in trade and promote Ease of Doing Business (EODB).
Posted Date: July 18, 2023Places in News
♦ The Union Cabinet approved the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and The Chartered Accountants of the Maldives (CA Maldives).
♦ ICAI and CA Maldives aim to foster collaborative efforts and co-operation in enhancing Accounting Knowledge, facilitating the growth of Professional and Intellectual Development, promoting the interests of their respective members, and making a constructive impact on the progress of the Accountancy Profession in both the Maldives and India.
Posted Date: May 18, 2023Places in News
♦ Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launched Sanchar Saathi Portal.
♦ With the help of this portal, mobile users can track and block their lost mobile phones.
♦ The Sanchar Saathi Portal is an initiative of Department of Telecommunications.
♦ It empowers the citizens by allowing them to know the mobile connections issued in their names, get the connections not required by them disconnected and to block and trace the lost mobile phones.
Posted Date: May 16, 2023Places in News
♦ The Kerala government launched 'One Panchayat, One Playground' project to promote sports at the panchayat level in the state.
♦ Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has started this project in Kallikkad.
♦ The project will address the lack of quality playgrounds in around 450 local bodies in the State
Posted Date: April 24, 2023Places in News
♦ The government has conducted the first-ever census of water bodies in India.
♦ About 2,424,540 water bodies have been enumerated in the country by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, out of which 97.1 per cent are in rural areas and only 2.9 per cent are in urban areas.
♦ The top five states in terms of a number of water bodies are West Bengal (30.8%), Uttar Pradesh (10.1%), Andhra Pradesh (7.9%), Odisha (7.5%) and Assam (7.1%) -- which constitute around 63 per cent of the total water bodies in the country.
Posted Date: April 23, 2023Places in News
♦ Himachal Pradesh become the first stat in India to create a DNA database of unidentified bodies.
♦ The process of creating this database had started in April 2022.
♦ So far, the database holds records of 150 DNA samples of unidentified bodies.
♦ The database would help in identification of bodies which would turn out to be a big relief for the families.
♦ It would be easy to match DNA details stored in database with DNA samples of relatives.
Posted Date: April 18, 2023Places in News
♦ External Affairs Minister Dr S.Jaishankar virtually inaugurated the Buzi Bridge, constructed as part of 132 km Tica-Buzi-Nova-Sofala Road project.
♦ The bridge has been by built by India and this is a practical example of India Mozambique solidarity and friendship.
♦ The Buzi Bridge is an essential project that demonstrates India’s commitment to the development of Mozambique’s infrastructure.
Posted Date: April 16, 2023Places in News
♦ Kolkata Metro became the first metro rail in the country to make an under-river journey as its rakes passed through an underwater tunnel below the Hooghly river.
♦ The Metro coverd the 520-meter stretch under the river in 45 seconds.
♦ This tunnel under the river is 32 meters below the water level.
Places in News
♦ The Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi has entered the list of top 50 institutions for engineering in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023.
♦ According to the statement released by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), Delhi University is the Indian varsity with maximum entries (27) followed by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, (25) and IIT Kharagpur (23).
♦ The thirteen edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject has ranked 66 Indian universities, cumulatively achieving 355 entries, a 18.7 per cent increase compared to last year (299).
Posted Date: March 23, 2023Places in News
♦ G Krishnakumar took charge as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL).
♦ Krishnakumar will hold the position of CMD till April 2025 or until any further notice, whichever is earlier.
♦ Krishnakumar replaces Arun Kumar Singh, who retired as chairman in October 2022.
♦ Post that, Vetsa Rama Krishna Gupta was holding additional charge of the chairman.
Posted Date: March 19, 2023Places in News
♦ Krithi Krithivasan was appointed as the CEO of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), after the resignation of current CEO and MD Rajesh Gopinathan on March 16.
♦ Krithivasan joined TCS in 1989. Before taking over the role, he was the President and Global Head of the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) Business Group.
Posted Date: March 17, 2023Places in News
On 8th January, Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated a 120-feet-tall statue of a polo player riding a pony at Marjing Polo Complex in Manipur’s Imphal East district. Manipur is considered the birthplace of the game.
Posted Date: January 8, 2023Places in News
According to an analysis of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data (on 8th January), Delhi was the most polluted city in India in 2022 with PM2.5 levels more than double the safe limit and the third-highest average PM10 concentration.
♦ Among the most polluted cities with respect to PM2.5 levels, Delhi (99.71 micrograms per cubic meter) ranked first, Haryana’s Faridabad (95.64) ranked second and Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad (91.25) got third.
Places in News
Aviation analytics company Cirium released a list of the global airports in terms of on-time performance (OTP) on 7th January. Two Indian airports, Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport (2nd rank) and New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (7th rank) are placed in this list. Haneda Airport, Tokyo got the first rank. Similarly, three Indian airlines - IndiGo, AirAsia India, and Vistara have been listed among the top ten airlines in Asia-Pacific.
Posted Date: January 7, 2023Places in News
♦ Uttar Pradesh has constructed largest number of lakes under the Central Government’s Mission Amrit Sarovar.
♦ UP has built 8,462 lakes, followed by Madhya Pradesh (1668 lakes), Jammu and Kashmir (1458), Rajasthan (898), Tamil Nadu (818).
♦ The Ministry of Rural Development was launched this Mission Amrit Sarovar on 24th April 2022.
♦ The main aim of this mission is conserving water for future.
Posted Date: October 29, 2022Places in News
♦ Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has inaugurated India's longest rubber dam - ‘Gayaji Dam’ over the Falgu river in Gaya.
♦ It has been constructed at a cost of Rs.324 crore.
♦ Designed by experts from IIT Roorkee, the dam is 411 meters long, 95.5 meters wide and 3 meters high.
Posted Date: September 28, 2022