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By admin: July 3, 2024

Hemis Tsechu Festival 2024 Commences in Ladakh

Tags: Festivals

Hemis Tsechu, or Hemis Festival, is celebrated annually in Ladakh.

An Overview of the News

• Hemis festival is celebrated annually in Ladakh on the 10th day of the Tse-Chu lunar month in the Tibetan calendar, commemorating the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava.

• Purpose: The festival commemorates the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava, a revered Indian Buddhist mystic and the founder of Tibetan Buddhism.

Key Highlights of Hemis Festival 2024:

• Dates: Observed from June 16 to 17, 2024.

• Main Events: Central to the festival are mystic mask dances (Chams) and sacred plays performed by lamas.

• Mask Dances: Include elaborate performances such as the 13 Black Hat dancers, the Sixteen Brass mask dance, and representations of the eight manifestations of Guru Padmasambhava.

Historical Significance:

• Origin: Founded in the 17th century by Galras Rinpoche, the son of the King of Ladakh, Deskong Namgyal.

• Cultural Importance: The festival has been a cultural fixture, maintaining its traditions and rituals for centuries.

Conclusion of the Festival:

• Final Rituals: The festival concludes with monks gathering to worship Gyalpo Pehar (Dharmapala), the protector deity of Hemis Monastery.

Additional Information:-

• The Ambubachi Mela, a significant gathering in eastern India, is the principal festival of the Kamakhya temple in Assam, celebrated annually in June.

• On April 21, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 2550th Bhagwan Mahaveer Nirvan Mahotsav at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Delhi, coinciding with Mahavir Jayanti.

Sujata Saunik Appointed Maharashtra's First Woman Chief Secretary

Tags: Person in news State News

Sujata Saunik, a 1987 batch IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, has been appointed as the first woman Chief Secretary (CS) of Maharashtra, effective from June 30, 2024.

An Overview of the News

• The appointment of Sujata Saunik comes after the retirement of Nitin Kareer, who had served as the CS of Maharashtra since January 2024.

• Saunik will serve a one-year term, retiring in June 2025.

• She becomes the 45th CS of Maharashtra since the state's establishment in 1960.

• Before this role, she held positions including Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department and ACS in the General Administration Department.

• She also served as ACS of the Skill Development, Employment, and Entrepreneurship Department (SDEED), and as Principal Secretary of Public Health and Financial Reform.

About Maharashtra

• It is a state located in the western part of India and covers a significant part of the Deccan Plateau.

• Chief Minister - Eknath Shinde

• Governor - Ramesh Bais

• Official Animal - Indian giant squirrel

• Official Bird - Yellow-footed Green Pigeon

• Official Dance - Lavani

Additional Information:-

• Maharashtra becomes the first state in the country to approve Good Governance Regulations

• Ramesh Bais, Governor of Maharashtra, launched a book titled 'Gateways to the Sea: Historic Ports and Docks of Mumbai Region' at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai.

• On June 28, 2024, Maharashtra Government Launches Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana.

World's Largest Maritime Exercise, RIMPAC 2024, Sets Sail in Hawaii

Tags: Defence

The 29th biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise commenced with an opening ceremony and press conference in Honolulu, Hawaii on June 27.

An Overview of the News

• It involves participation from 29 nations and over 25,000 personnel.

• Scheduled to take place from June 27 to August 1, activities will occur in and around the Hawaiian Islands.

• The exercise includes approximately 40 surface ships, 3 submarines, and over 150 aircraft.

• Additionally, it will feature 14 national land forces from various participating countries.

RIMPAC 2024 Theme: Partners: Integrated and Prepared

• Objective: Foster stronger relationships among participating nations.

• Focus: Enhance interoperability through joint exercises.

• Outcome: Increase operational proficiency.

• Impact: Promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

INS Shivalik at RIMPAC-24: Key Points

• Mission Deployment: INS Shivalik, an Indian multi-role stealth frigate, reaches Pearl Harbour for RIMPAC-24.

• Previous Exercises: Completed JIMEX 24 bilateral exercise with Japan before joining RIMPAC.

• Harbour Phase: Includes symposiums, exercise planning, sports competitions, and reciprocal visits till July 7, 2024.

• Sea Phase: Divided into three sub-phases focusing on integration exercises and large force tactical exercises.

• INS Shivalik: A 6000-tonnes guided missile stealth frigate, showcasing Indian Navy's global operational capability.

Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise

• RIMPAC is the world's largest international maritime warfare exercise.

• Biennially held in Honolulu, Hawaii during June and July (except in 2020, when it was in August).

• Managed by the US Navy's Indo-Pacific Command at Pearl Harbor.

• Involves coordination with US Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Hawaii National Guard.

• First held in 1971 with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, and US.

• Regular participants: Australia, Canada, US, Chile, Colombia, France, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Peru, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand.

• Royal New Zealand Navy rejoined in 2012 after an absence following the 1985 ANZUS nuclear ships dispute.

Russia Approves 2033 Completion Plan for New Orbital Station

Tags: International News

Russia has approved the schedule for creating a Russian orbital station by 2033.

An Overview of the News

• Roscosmos, Russia’s state space corporation, released a statement detailing the schedule.

• The schedule includes:

  • Design and construction of space modules.

  • Flight tests of a new-generation manned spaceship.

  • Creation of launch vehicles.

  • Development of space infrastructure on Earth.

  • Timetable for the work of scientific institutes supporting the project.

• Yuriy Borisov, head of Roscosmos, signed the construction schedule along with directors from 19 enterprises involved.

Launch Schedule

• 2027: Launch of the scientific and energy modules.

• 2030: Launch of three core modules:

  • Universal nodal module.

  • Gateway module.

  • Base module.

• 2033: Launch of two additional target modules.

Financial Allocation

• A total of 608.9 billion rubles has been allocated to finance the project.

Objectives and Benefits

• Ensuring the continuity of Russia’s space program.

• Addressing issues of national security.

• Promoting scientific and technological development.

• Serving as a platform for testing space technologies.

Maharashtra CM Extends Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana Age Limit to 65 Years

Tags: State News

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has extended the age limit for the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana to 65 years.

An Overview of the News

• The requirement for women from families owning government land has been removed.

Implementation Details:

• Eligible beneficiaries to receive ₹1500 monthly aid starting from July.

• Chief Minister warns against bribery for scheme registration, ensures transparency.

• Officials caught demanding bribes will face suspension.

Government's Two-Year Achievements:

• Mahayuti government completes successful two years.

• Emphasizes treating entire Maharashtra as family.

• Focus on hassle-free distribution of scheme benefits to eligible citizens.

Budgetary Allocations and Welfare Measures:

• State budget allocates substantial funds for welfare schemes.

• Over ₹1 lakh crore earmarked for distribution among beneficiaries.

• Commitment to benefit all sections of society with citizen-friendly decisions.

Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana

• Eligible women aged 21 to 65 years will receive a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 under this scheme.

• The scheme aims to provide financial relief and empower women by supporting their health, nutrition, and overall well-being.

• The program is set to kick off in July, strategically timed four months before the state elections scheduled for October.

• This initiative reflects the government’s commitment to supporting women and fostering self-reliance.

About Maharashtra

• It is a state located in the western part of India and covers a significant part of the Deccan Plateau.

• Chief Minister -Eknath Shinde

• Governor - Ramesh Bais

• Official Animal - Indian giant squirrel

• Official Bird - Yellow-footed Green Pigeon

• Official Dance - Lavani

Additional Information:-

• Maharashtra becomes the first state in the country to approve Good Governance Regulations

• Ramesh Bais, Governor of Maharashtra, launched a book titled 'Gateways to the Sea: Historic Ports and Docks of Mumbai Region' at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai.

Union Minister Launches Global India AI Summit in New Delhi

Tags: Summits

Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated the Global India AI Summit in New Delhi.

An Overview of the News

• Vision of AI Utilization: India aims to democratize technology through its approach to artificial intelligence (AI).

India AI Mission

• India AI Mission: The government will launch the India AI Mission, a ₹10,000 crore initiative.

• Investment Focus: It will focus on creating AI computing infrastructure with 10,000 or more GPUs through public-private partnerships.

AI Innovation Center

• Establishment: An AI Innovation Center will be established.

• Focus: It will concentrate on acquiring high-quality datasets to enhance research and startup efforts.

Legislative Efforts

• Regulatory Framework: The government is developing legislation to regulate AI.

• Objectives: The legislation aims to manage risks and implement safeguards against potential harms associated with AI technologies.

Summit Highlights

• Participants: The summit featured speeches by Japanese Minister Hiroshi Yoshida, Minister of State for Electronics and IT Jitin Prasada, IT Secretary S. Krishnan, President of Nasscom Debjani Ghosh, and Vice President of Open AI Srinivas Narayanan.

• Focus Areas: Sessions covered various critical aspects of AI application, governance, talent development, and scaling AI innovations.

Aditya-L1 Completes First Halo Orbit around Sun-Earth L1 Point

Tags: Science and Technology

India's Aditya-L1 spacecraft, the country's first solar mission, has completed its first halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L1 point.

An Overview of the News

• ISRO conducted a station-keeping maneuver recently to transition Aditya-L1 into its second halo orbit smoothly.

• Launched on September 2, 2023, the Aditya-L1 mission is an Indian solar observatory stationed at Lagrangian point L1.

• It was inserted into its targeted halo orbit on January 6, 2024.

• Aditya-L1 takes approximately 178 days to complete one revolution around the L1 point in its halo orbit.

• The spacecraft is subjected to various perturbing forces during its journey, which can cause deviations from its intended orbit.

• ISRO highlighted the complexity of modeling the spacecraft's dynamics around the Sun-Earth L1 Lagrangian point.

Aditya-L1 Mission Overview

• Objective: Study the solar atmosphere, solar magnetic storms, and their impact on Earth's environment.

• Spacecraft Name: Aditya-L1

• Developed By: ISRO and Indian Space Research Institutes

• Orbit: Halo orbit around Lagrange point 1 (L1), 1.5 million km from Earth

• Mission Director: Nigar Shaji

• Launch: 2nd September 2023, aboard PSLV C57 at 11:50 IST

• Orbit Achievement: Reached intended orbit about an hour after launch

• Insertion at L1 Point: 6th January 2024, 4:17 pm IST

• Significance: First Indian Sun observation mission

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO):

• It was established on 15 August 1969.

• It is the national space agency of India. It launches its space rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

• Headquarters: Bengaluru

• Chairman: S Somnath

Dick Schoof Elected as New Prime Minister of Netherlands

Tags: International News

Dick Schoof, former head of the Dutch intelligence agency and counterterrorism office, is sworn in as the new Prime Minister of the Netherlands by King Willem-Alexander.

An Overview of the News

• The Netherlands has a new Prime Minister for the first time in 14 years.

• The new government was sworn in seven months after the far-right Party for Freedom won the largest share of seats in the elections.

• First non-party-aligned PM since World War II.

Formation of Government:

• Took 223 days to form a government after elections.

• The elections were dominated by Geert Wilders’ far-right, anti-Islam Party for Freedom.

• Wilders’ party won the largest share of seats but did not secure the PM position due to opposition from coalition partners.

Coalition Parties:

• Party for Freedom (Geert Wilders).

• People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (Mark Rutte’s center-right party).

• Farmer Citizen Movement (populist party).

• New Social Contract (centrist party).

Government Agenda:

• Coalition agreement titled “Hope, courage and pride.”

• Strict measures on asylum-seekers.

• Scrapping of family reunification for refugees.

• Reduction in the number of international students.

Controversies and Negotiations:

• Wilders backpedaled on extreme views, including banning mosques, Islamic schools, and the Quran.

• Ronald Plasterk, Wilders’ first choice for PM, withdrew due to allegations of medical patent fraud.

Cabinet Ministers:

• 15 other ministers installed alongside PM Schoof.

• Femke Wiersma, agriculture minister, made her declaration in Frisian.

About Netherlands

• The Netherlands, also known as Holland, is a country located in northwestern Europe.

• Monarch: King Willem-Alexander

• Prime Minister: Dick Schoof

• Capital: Amsterdam

• Currency: euro