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By admin: May 25, 2023

More than 90% of funds allocated under Smart Cities Mission utilised

Tags: National Government Schemes National News

Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has announced that more than 90% of the funds allocated under the Smart Cities Mission are being utilized and 73% of the projects have already been completed.

An overview of the news

• The smart city project was to be completed within five years of the selection of the city.

• However, in 2021, the ministry changed the deadline to June 2023 for all cities.

About Smart Cities Mission

• Smart Cities Mission is an initiative of the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs which was launched in 2015.

• It aims to transform urban areas into sustainable, citizen-friendly and technologically advanced cities.

• The mission's primary objective is to enhance the quality of life for citizens by providing them with improved infrastructure, better governance, and increased economic opportunities.

• Between January 2016 and June 2018 (when the last city, Shillong, was selected), the ministry selected 100 cities for the mission in five rounds.

Selection Process

• The mission follows a competitive approach where cities submit proposals based on specific criteria, including the adoption of smart solutions, citizen engagement, and sustainable development. 

• The selected cities undergo redevelopment in a phased manner.

Core components

• Infrastructure development: Emphasis is placed on developing physical infrastructure such as transportation systems, water supply, sanitation, and affordable housing to meet the needs of the urban population.

• Technology integration: The mission integrates technology to improve service delivery, including data analytics and smart grids devices for efficient resource management and real-time monitoring.

• Citizen engagement: The mission focuses on citizen participation and engagement through mobile applications and feedback mechanisms, empowering them to contribute to decision-making processes and hold authorities accountable.

• Sustainable practices: The mission promotes sustainable development by encouraging the use of renewable energy sources, green building practices, waste management systems, and efficient urban planning.

Funds Utilisation

• Till 1 May 2023, a total of Rs 38,400 crore was released for the Smart Cities Mission.

• Out of this amount, ₹35,261 crore has already been utilized for various projects.

Project Completion

• The Smart Cities Mission includes around 7,800 projects worth Rs 1.8 lakh crore.

• Of these projects, more than 5,700 projects worth Rs 1.1 lakh crore have been completed.

• The remaining projects are expected to be completed by June 30, 2024.

• Currently, only 22 out of 100 designated cities have successfully completed all the projects under the mission.

INSV Tarini crew back home after 188 days

Tags: Defence National News

The crew of INSV Tarini, who returned after an inter-continental voyage, were accorded a grand welcome at the flag-in ceremony in Goa. 

An overview of the news

• The crew returned home on 23 May after an arduous voyage of 17,000 nautical miles.

• Two women officers, Lt Cdr Dilna K and Lt Cdr Roopa A, were involved in the entire operation.

• Lt Cdr Dilna is a Logistics Officer in the Navy.

• Roopa, who hails from Puducherry, has graduated in Aeronautical Engineering from Chennai. He is a Naval Armament Inspection Officer.

• Both Dilna and Roopa are currently posted at INS Mandovi in Goa.

• The historic voyage from Goa to Rio de Janeiro to Cape Town was completed by INSV Tarini in 188 days.

• It reflects an exemplary display of gallantry, courage and tenacity by the crew and highlights the role of the Indian Navy as a pioneer in the country in ocean sailing.

PM flags off Vande Bharat Express from Dehradun to Delhi

Tags: State News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Vande Bharat Express from Dehradun to Delhi on 25 May through video conferencing.

An overview of the news

• The Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation the newly electrified railway sections in the state and declared Uttarakhand as a 100% electric traction state.

• This will be the sixth Vande Bharat connecting Delhi through various routes.

• As of now, the national capital is connected to Ajmer, Varanasi, Katra, Bhopal and Amb Andaura.

• This semi-high-speed train is India's 18th and Uttarakhand's first Vande Bharat train, which will start its inaugural run from Dehradun to Delhi's Anand Vihar Terminal.

• The train is equipped with world-class amenities, which will usher in a new era of comfortable travel experiences, especially for tourists traveling to the state.

• It has advanced security features including armor technology.

• The regular operations for the Delhi-Dehradun Vande Bharat Express will start on 29 May.

• With a travel time of 4 hours and 45 minutes, the train will cover a distance of 302 km. 

• The train will operate on all days of the week, except Wednesdays.

About Vande Bharat Express Train

• The first Vande Bharat Express was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 February 2019.

• These trains have a self-propelled engine which can save diesel and reduce electricity usage by up to 30%.

• The first Vande Bharat Express was manufactured by Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai.

• It was manufactured under the ‘Make in India’ programme, at a cost of about Rs 100 crore.

• These trains can achieve a maximum speed of 160 kmph.

• In the Union Budget for 2022-2023 the government has proposed the development and manufacture of 400 new Vande Bharat trains in the next three years.

First Urban Climate Film Festival

Tags: Festivals State News

The first ever Urban Climate Film Festival is going to be held in New Town, Kolkata from June 3 to 5 to sensitize the audience about the environmental, social and economic impacts of climate change on urban settlements.

An overview of the news

• The festival will highlight the environmental, social and economic impacts of climate change on urban settlements.

• The audience will be able to see these scenarios through the film.

• During this, 16 films from 12 countries will be screened.

• There will also be a Q&A session with filmmakers to discuss the impact of climate-change on urban buildings.

• People's views will also be invited on this subject.

• It aims to encourage citizens to 'behave environmentally responsible' in line with the call of the Hon'ble Prime Minister through the U-20 Priority Sectors and Lifestyle for Environment (LIFE) Mission.

• The festival will conclude with a special closing ceremony on June 5, the occasion of World Environment Day.

Organizer of the festival 

• Launched in New Delhi in March 2023, the film festival is being organized by the National Institute of Urban Affairs.

• This is being done through the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain (CITIIS) program under the U20 (Urban Track of the G-20) program.

• The festival is supported by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the French Development Agency (AFD), the European Union and the New Town Kolkata Green Smart City Corporation Limited.

Names of participants in the festival

• Dr. Surbhi Dahiya (Professor, Indian Institute of Mass Communication)

• Dr. Pranab Patar (Chief Executive, Global Foundation for Advancement of Environment)

• Sabyasanchi Bharti (Deputy Director, CMS Environment)

Background

• The Urban Climate Film Festival was launched on March 24 at the Alliance Francaise in New Delhi.

• After the successful event in Delhi, the festival was also organized at Alliance Francis de Bombay in Mumbai.

• Films sent by filmmakers from countries such as India, France, Iran and the US were screened at the festival.

India's AI supercomputer 'AIRAWAT' ranked 75th in Global Supercomputing list

Tags: INDEX Science and Technology

The AI Supercomputer ‘AIRAWAT’, installed at C-DAC, Pune has been ranked 75th in the top 500 Global Supercomputing List.

An overview of the news

• The announcement was made during the 61st edition of the International Supercomputing Conference (ISC 2023) held in Germany.

• The establishment of 'AIRAWAT' at C-DAC Pune is part of the National Program on AI initiated by the Government of India.

About supercomputer AIRAWAT

• AIRAWAT is the name for an in-house cloud platform for big data. 

• The proposed AIRAWAT system is a 100+ petaflop AI-focused supercomputer.

• There are parallels drawn to Japan’s AI Bridging Cloud Interface supercomputer in the NITI Aayog report. 

• This system is a 130 petaflop computer focused on providing compute for AI, ML and big data tasks.

What are supercomputers?

• A supercomputer can perform high-level processing at a faster rate than a normal computer.

• They work together to perform complex operations that are not possible with normal computing systems.

• Fast speed and fast memory are the characteristics of supercomputers.

• The performance of a supercomputer is generally evaluated in petaflops.

National Supercomputing Mission

• The National Supercomputing Mission was launched In 2015.

• The aim of the mission was to enhance the research capacities in the country to form a Supercomputing grid.

• It supports the government's vision of 'Digital India' and 'Make in India' initiatives.

• The mission is being jointly operated by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

• It is implemented by Center for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune and IISc, Bengaluru.

Some important facts about supercomputer

• China has the maximum number of supercomputers followed by the US, Japan, France, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland and the United Kingdom..

• India’s first supercomputer - PARAM 8000

• first supercomputer assembled indigenously - PARAM Shivay, installed in IIT (BHU)

• PARAM Shakti, PARAM Brahma, PARAM Yukti, PARAM Sanganak are some name of india's supercomputers.

• India's PARAM-Siddhi AI, has been ranked 63rd in the Top 500 list of most powerful supercomputers in the world.

Ministry of Civil Aviation launches UDAN 5.1

Tags: Government Schemes National News

The Ministry of Civil Aviation in India has launched UDAN 5.1 on 24 May, a special edition of the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme, with a special focus on helicopter routes.

The main features of UDAN 5.1

• For the first time under Regional Connectivity Scheme RCS-UDAN, this round is designed specifically for helicopter routes.

• There will be an increase in the scope of operations for the operators, which will now also allow routes where one of the origin or destination points is in the priority zone.

• The airfare ceiling has been reduced by 25% to make flying in helicopters more affordable for passengers.

• The Viability Gap Funding (VGF) cap for single and twin-engine helicopter operators has been substantially increased to enhance the financial viability for operating the routes.

• So far 46 helicopter routes have been operationalized under the scheme, benefitting many hilly and North East states and UDAN 5.1 is targeting coverage of a much larger number of routes.

About UDAN Scheme

• Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) was launched in 2016 as a Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

• Its objective is to make affordable, economically viable and profitable air travel on regional routes available to the common man even in small towns.

• It seeks to improve air connectivity to tier-2 and tier-3 cities through revival of unused and underused airports.

• The scheme will be jointly funded by the central government and state governments.

• The scheme will run for 10 years and can be extended thereafter.

World Thyroid Awareness Day - 25 May

Tags: Important Days

World Thyroid Awareness Day is observed every year on 25 May.

An Overview of the News

• The day aims to spread awareness about thyroid-related disorders, including their symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options.

• It is dedicated to thyroid sufferers and those involved in the study and treatment of thyroid diseases.

• World Thyroid Awareness Day aims to educate people about the importance of maintaining a healthy thyroid gland.

• The day promotes collaboration among health professionals, organisations and individuals in the field of thyroid diseases.

History of World Thyroid Awareness Day

• The day was first proposed in 2007 at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Thyroid Federation International and the meeting decided to celebrate World Thyroid Day on 25 May every year.

• In 1965, the European Thyroid Association (ETA) was founded.

• The year 2008 was chosen as the first year to celebrate World Thyroid Day.

About Thyroid

• Location: The thyroid gland is a small butterfly-shaped gland in the neck below the throat (Adam's Apple).

• Function: It produces hormones that regulate metabolism, growth, development, and energy levels.

• Hormones: The main hormones produced are T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine), which control various bodily functions.

• Hypothyroidism: When the thyroid produces too few hormones, it causes symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, and depression.

• Hyperthyroidism: Excessive thyroid hormone production results in symptoms such as weight loss, rapid heartbeat, and anxiety.

• Diagnosis:Medical history, physical exam, blood tests, and imaging are used to diagnose thyroid disorders.

• Treatment: Treatment options include medication, radioactive iodine therapy, and surgery.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel launched 'Hamar Sughghar Laika Abhiyan'

Tags: State News

On 21 May 2023, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel launched the 'Hamar Sughar Laik Abhiyan' in the 'Bharose Ka Sammelan' program at Sankra in Durg district.

An Overview of the News 

• The campaign aims to bring 1,800 malnourished children, identified through a survey, into the category of well-nourished children.

• This is the first district level campaign of its kind in the state and focuses on managing the growth of children through hunger testing.

About Chhattisgarh

• It is a state located in central India.

• Sirpur, located near the capital Raipur, is a town situated on the Mahanadi River.

• There is a huge Chitrakoot waterfall in the northwestern region of Chhattisgarh.

Formation - 1 November 2000

Capital - Raipur

Chief Minister - Bhupesh Baghel

Governor - Vishwabhushan Harichandan

Official Tree - Sal Tree

Rajya Sabha - 5 seats

Lok Sabha - 11 seats

Indian Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar wins gold at International Jumping Meeting in Greece

Tags: Sports Sports News

Indian Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar won gold while compatriot Jeswin Aldrin finished bagged silver at the International Jumping Meeting 2023 at Kallithea in Greece on 24th May. 

An overview of the news

• Kerala's Murali Sreesankar won the gold medal in the International Jumping Meet with a jump of 8.31 metres.

• Sreeshankar, who has played in the Tokyo Olympics, holds the national record of 8.36 metres.

• Sweden's Tobias Montaller won the silver with a jump of 8.27m, while France's Jules Pommery won the bronze.

• This was Murali Sreesankar's third competition of the year and also won the third gold medal.

• Jeswin Aldrin claimed silver with an effort of 7.85m.

First Bulgarian author to win International Booker Prize 2023

Tags: Awards

Bulgarian author Georgi Gospodinov won the 2023 International Booker Prize for his novel "Time Shelter".

An Overview of the News

• The novel was translated into English by Angela Rodel and is the first Bulgarian novel to win the International Booker Prize.

• "Time Shelter" is a captivating and remarkable literary work that explores themes of time, identity, and the human experience.

International Booker Prize:

• It is an international literary award held in the United Kingdom.

• It was introduced in June 2004 as a complement to the Man Booker Prize.

• The award recognizes outstanding works of fiction translated into English.

• It provides global exposure and appreciation to authors and their translated works.

Establishment - June 2004

First Prize - 2005

Presenter - Booker Prize Foundation

Bulgaria:

It is a Balkan nation located in Southeastern Europe.

President - Rumen Radev

Vice President - Ileana Iotova

Prime Minister - Galab Donev

Union AYUSH Minister inaugurates PCIM&H 'e-office' and online portal

Tags: National National News

Union Minister for AYUSH Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated "PCIM&H e-Office Portal" and an online portal.

An Overview of the News

• The objective of the online portal is to facilitate easy access of Pharmacopoeia Monographs to the stakeholders across the globe.

• During his visit to the Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine and Homeopathy (PCIM&H), the Minister inspected various laboratories: Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Microbiology, Herbal Garden, and Raw Drug Repository of ASU&H drugs.

• PCIM&H, under the Ministry of AYUSH, is actively involved in standardisation and quality control of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathic (ASU&H) drugs, and publishes standards in the form of Pharmacopoeia.

• In addition, the Minister released the monthly newsletter published by PCIM&H.

Advisor (Ayurveda), Ministry of AYUSH - Dr. Kaustubh Upadhyay

PCIM&H Director - Dr. Raman Mohan Singh

About Ministry of AYUSH

• It is a government ministry in India.

• It is responsible for the development, promotion and regulation of traditional systems of medicine.

• AYUSH is the abbreviation of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia Society and aims to promote education and research of the above.

• The ministry provides educational and training programs.

Establishment - 2014

Responsible Ministers - Sarbananda Sonowal, Cabinet Minister and Mahendra Munjapara, Minister of State

Ministry Executive - Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary

Ministry of Motherhood - Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India

Kerala becomes India's first fully e-governed state

Tags: State News

The state has achieved this feat through policy initiatives aimed at transforming it into a digitally empowered society.

An Overview of the News

• The government focused on setting up a knowledge-based economy and achieving 100% digital literacy.

• Important services across various sectors were digitized to ensure transparency, inclusiveness and accessibility for all citizens.

• E-governance in Kerala has streamlined service delivery, reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks and delays.

• Online portals and mobile applications have been launched for citizens to interact with government departments and access services easily.

• Integration of technology in the education and healthcare sectors has been a priority, with digital learning platforms and telemedicine services being implemented.

About Kerala

Capital - Thiruvananthapuram

Official Bird - Great Hornbill

Governor - Arif Mohammad Khan

Chief Minister - Pinarayi Vijayan

Origin of rivers in Kerala

• Periyar River

• Bharathapuzha River

• Pamba River

• Chaliyar River

• Chalakudy River

India's longest lake - Vembanad, Kerala

Maharashtra government launches ‘Shasan Aplya Dari’ initiative

Tags: State News

Eknath Shinde, Chief Minister of the Government of Maharashtra launched the ‘Shasan Aplya Dari’ initiative in Satara district of Maharashtra.

An Overview of the News

• The initiative aims to provide citizens easy access to government schemes and documents at one place.

• District administrations have been directed to organise two-day camps in their respective areas to facilitate distribution of benefits.

• Around 75,000 local people are expected to benefit from these camps.

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

Govindraj elected as President of Basketball Federation of India

Tags: Sports Person in news Sports News

Dr. Govindraj has been elected as the President of the Basketball Federation of India.

An Overview of the News

• He is a Congress MLC and holds the position of President of International Basketball Federation (FIBA), Asia and President of Karnataka Olympic Association.

• Dr. Govindaraj is the first Indian to be unanimously nominated as the President of FIBA Asia.

• The nomination was confirmed at the FIBA Asia Congress, making Dr. Govindaraj the first Indian to lead the International Basketball Federation in Asia, which comprises 44 countries.

• He succeeds Sheikh Saud Ali Al Thani of Qatar, who served as the head of FIBA Asia for four consecutive terms since 2002.

International Basketball Federation (FIBA)

• It is a federation of national organisations governing basketball around the world.

• It defines the rules of basketball, ensuring consistency and fairness across different countries and competitions.

• It hosts international competitions such as the FIBA Basketball World Cup and the Olympic Basketball Tournament.

• It consists of 212 national federations organised into five regions: Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania.

Establishment - 18 June 1932

Headquarters - Mies, Switzerland

President - Hamane Niang