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By admin: March 9, 2023

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's visit to India

Tags: International Relations

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived in Ahmedabad on 8 March on a four-day (8-11 March) visit to India to participate in the India-Australia Annual Summit.

An Overview of the news:

• After reaching Ahmedabad, the Prime Minister of Australia visited the Sabarmati Ashram and paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi. He also participated in a cultural program at the Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar, followed by a program at an Australian university in Albany Ahmedabad.

• Albanese will visit Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Delhi respectively during his visit. This is the first visit to India by an Australian Prime Minister since 2017.

• On the first day of his visit, the Prime Minister of Australia participated in the Holi program at the Raj Bhavan beside the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese watched part of the 4th Memorial Cricket Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

• On March 9 itself, the Australian Prime Minister went to Mumbai, where he was given a guard of honour at INS Vikrant.

• This is the first visit of Anthony Albanese, who became the Prime Minister of Australia in May 2022, and during this time there will be talks on various bilateral issues ranging from economic cooperation, defence cooperation.

• Australia and India have committed to a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) to further economic cooperation and trade agreement.

Free Trade Agreement (FTA):

• FTA is an agreement between two or more countries to reduce barriers to imports and exports.

• Goods and services can be bought and sold across international borders with little or no government tariffs, quotas, subsidies, or prohibitions to constrain their exchange.

FTAs of India:

• India has signed 13 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with its trading partners, including 3 agreements:

• India-Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA).

• India-UAE Comprehensive Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

• India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (IndAus ECTA).

India-Australia ECTA:

• Australia exports largely raw materials to India, while India exports finished goods.

• ECTA is based on this complementarity, creating better opportunities for both countries.

• India's imports from Australia are estimated at US$17 billion, while its exports to Australia are estimated at US$10.5 billion in 2022.

• However, India's imports from Australia are mainly (96%) raw materials and intermediate goods.

Coarse Grain Fair cum Exhibition organised in Madurai

Tags: National

The Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries organised a two-day Coarse Cereals Fair-cum-Exhibition from March 6-7, 2023 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

An Overview of the news:

• The fair cum exhibition was organised as part of the Mota Anaj Mahotsav series in collaboration with the Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and the Department of Agricultural Marketing and Agriculture, Government of Tamil Nadu.

• Tamil Nadu is known for the production of various coarse cereals. These cereals include Pearl Millet (Bajra), Jowar, Ragi, Little Millet-Kutki (Foxtail Millet-Kangni, Sawan, Kodo, Chena-Punarva) and Small Millet.

• During the event, the first Common Incubation Center under the Prime Minister's Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme was inaugurated at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University's Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Madurai.

• The objective of the two-day event was to provide a platform to micro and food processing entrepreneurs to interact with leading industry people through B2B and B2C interactions organised during buyer-seller meets.

Megafood Event World Food India 2023

• In addition to Mota Anaj Mahotsav, the Ministry will also organise the megafood event World Food India 2023 from 3 to 5 November 2023 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

• The event will be the biggest ever gathering of dignitaries, global investors and leaders from leading global and domestic companies that will place India firmly on the global food scene.

• 2023 has been declared by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Millet Year.

• Grown in more than 130 countries, millets are a traditional food for more than half a billion people in Asia and Africa.

• India is one of the leading producers of coarse cereals in the world with an estimated share of about 41 per cent in global production.

PMFME Scheme

• Prime Minister's Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme launched by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries on 29 June 2020 as part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat campaign.

• Its objective is to enhance the competitiveness of individual micro enterprises in the unorganised sector and encourage formalisation of this sector.

Untimely demise of famous actor and filmmaker Satish Kaushik

Tags: Person in news

Famous actor and filmmaker Satish Kaushik, 66, passed away on 9 March 2023 in Gurugram due to a heart attack.

An Overview of the news:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and many personalities from the film world have condoled Kaushik's death.

• In a career spanning over four decades, Shri Kaushik has left an indelible mark in theatre, cinema, TV and OTT platforms, acting, directing, writing and producing.

• Kaushik, who made his directorial debut with 'Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja', has directed films like 'Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain', 'Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai', 'Badhaai Ho Badhaai', 'Tere Naam' and 'Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai'. 

• Kaushik was an alumnus of the National School of Drama (NSD) and the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII).

• Kaushik, who hails from Haryana's Mahendragarh district, was appointed chairman of the Haryana Film Promotion Board by the Khattar government a few years ago.

• Born in Haryana and brought up in Karol Bagh, Delhi, Kaushik always wanted to be an actor.

• Kaushik wrote the dialogues for the 1983 film Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro and also wrote the story for Kaagaz (2021), starring Pankaj Tripathi.

Upcoming movies of Kaushik:

• 'Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan' and 'Emergency' are included in his upcoming films.

• Mr. Kaushik will also be seen in the web series 'Popcorn' on the over-the- top (OTT) platform 'Disney Plus Hotstar'.

Colonel Geeta Rana became the first woman officer to command a field workshop

Tags: Defence Person in news

Colonel Geeta Rana of the Indian Army's Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers has become the first woman officer of the Indian Army to command a field workshop on the forward front in eastern Ladakh.

An Overview of the news:

• Ms. Rana is currently a Colonel in the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME).

• The Indian Army has also approved women officers to take up the role of commanders.

• After this Colonel Geeta has become the first woman officer to achieve this achievement. Colonel Geeta will command the independent field workshop deployed along the China border.

Increasing role of women officers in the army:

• The Indian Army has recently released 108 vacancies for women military officers to command independent units in the Corps of Engineers, Ordnance, Electronics and Mechanical Engineers and other branches.

• In future other women military officers may also be given such appointments. Women officers who will be able to get approval from the boards can also be given command roles and in future they can be given appointments in higher positions.

• The Indian Army is also inducting women military personnel in military exercises with friendly countries.

• Along with this, women military officers are also being sent for peacekeeping missions.

• Army Chief General Manoj Pandey is in favour of giving all possible opportunities to women officers in the Army.

• Very soon women military personnel can be given appointments in the Artillery Regiment in the Army.

Konrad Sangma became the Chief Minister of Meghalaya for the second time

Tags: Person in news State News

National People's Party (NPP) President Konrad K Sangma was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya for the second consecutive term on 7 March 2023. 

An Overview of the news:

• Governor Fagu Chauhan also administered oath to 12 ministers along with Sangma.

• 8 MLAs from NPP, 2 from United Democratic Party (UDP), Hill State Peoples Democratic Party (HSPDP) and 1 each from BJP took oath as ministers.

• On 6 March, 58 newly elected members of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly were administered oath by Speaker Pro Tem Timothy D'Shira.

• Meghalaya has 60 assembly seats, but polling in the Sohyeong constituency was postponed following the death of UDP candidate HD R Lyngdoh. Shira, MLA from Resubelpara, was administered oath as the Speaker Pro-tem of the Assembly by Governor Fagu Chauhan.

Preston Tynsong and Sniawbhalang Dhar became Deputy Chief Ministers:

• Governor Fagu Chauhan administered the oath to the 12-member Council of Ministers, including NPP's Preston Tyansong and BJP's Alexander Lalu Hek.

Chief Minister in Indian Constitution:

• Article 164 of the Constitution provides that the Chief Minister will be appointed by the Governor.

• The leader of the party with a majority in the assembly elections is appointed as the Chief Minister of the state.

• A person who is not a member of the State Legislative Assembly can be appointed as the Chief Minister for six months. But he has to take the membership of the state assembly within the time limit, failing which he has to give up the post of chief minister.

Neiphiu Rio became the Chief Minister of Nagaland for the fifth time

Tags: Person in news State News

Neiphiu Rio was sworn in as Chief Minister for the fifth time on 7 March 2023 by Governor La Ganesan in Nagaland.

An overview of the news:

• During this, many other dignitaries including the Prime Minister were present in Kohima, in which Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma etc. were prominent.

• Taditui Rangkau Zelayang and Yanthungo Patton (BJP) took oath as Deputy Chief Ministers of Meghalaya in Shillong.

• The assembly elections were held on a total of60 seats in Nagaland. In which NDPP-BJP got 37 seats, in which NDPP got 25 seats and BJP got 12 seats. After this, the coalition government of NDPP and BJP has been formed.

• NCP has won 7 seats, NPP 5, LJP (Ram Vilas), Naga People's Front (NPF) and RPI (Athawale) 2 each and JD(U) one seat. While 4 independent members have also won.

• Nine legislators, including a woman legislator, Salhoutuonuo Kruse, took oath as ministers in the Nagaland cabinet on 7 March 2023.

• For the first time in the 60-year history of Nagaland assembly elections, a woman legislator has been elected. A total of 13 assembly elections have been held in Nagaland so far.

Chief Minister in Indian Constitution:

• Article 164of the Constitution provides that the Chief Minister will be appointed by the Governor.

• The leader of the party with a majority in the assembly elections is appointed as the Chief Minister of the state.

• A person who is not a member of the State Legislative Assembly can be appointed as the Chief Minister for six months. But he has to take the membership of the state assembly within the time limit, failing which he has to give up the post of chief minister.

Manik Saha became the Chief Minister of Tripura for the second time in a row

Tags: Person in news State News

Manik Sahahas taken oath as the Chief Minister of Tripura for the second consecutivetime on 8 March 2023 at Swami Vivekananda Maidan in Agartala, the capital of Tripura. Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr. Saha.

An Overview of the news:

• Ratanlal Nath, Pranajit Singha Roy, Pranajit Singha Roy, Tinku Roy Sushant Chowdhary etc have taken oath as ministers of Tripura at the swearing in ceremony of Manik Saha.

• PM Modi, Amit Shah, JP Nadda and chief ministers of BJP-ruled states also attended Mr. Saha's swearing-in ceremony.

• It is worth mentioning that BJP has become the single largest party in Tripura assembly elections by getting 32 seats out of total 60 seats. Tipra Motha Party came second by winning 13 seats. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) got 11 seats, while the Congress got three.

Chief Minister in Indian Constitution:

• Article 164 of the Constitution provides that the Chief Minister will be appointed by the Governor.

• The leader of the party with a majority in the assembly elections is appointed as the Chief Minister of the state.

• A person who is not a member of the State Legislative Assembly can be appointed as the Chief Minister for six months. But he has to take the membership of the state assembly within the time limit, failing which he has to give up the post of chief minister.

Shalija Dhami becomes first woman officer to command a fighter unit in IAF

Tags: Defence Person in news

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has announced on 8 March 2023 that Group Captain Shalija Dhami will take over the command of the Missile Squadron in the Western Sector. Ms. Dhami has become the first Indian woman officer to achieve this.

An overview of the news:

• Dhami was commissioned as a helicopter pilot in the year 2003.

• She is currently posted in the Operations Branch of Forward Command Headquarters.

• Dhami is the second deployment after Captain Shiva Chauhan of the Fire and Fury Corps of the Indian Army. 

• Shiva Chauhan is currently the first woman officer to be operationally posted in Siachen.

• In another achievement, Major Abhilasha Barak has become the first woman officer to join the Army Aviation Corps as a combat aviator after completing her training.

Indian Air Force (IAF):

• Headquarters: New Delhi

• It is the fourth largest air force in the world.

• Motto: Touching the sky with glory (taken from the eleventh chapter of the Bhagavad Gita).

• Chief of the Air Staff: Air Chief Marshal VR Chowdhary.