1. Zojila Day commemorated at Zojila War Memorial, Drass
Tags: National Defence National News
Zojila Day was observed on 1 November 2022 at the Zojila War Memorial near Dras to celebrate the gallant action taken by the Indian soldiers in 'Operation Bison'. 'Operation Bison' was launched on the icy heights of Zojila Pass, the gateway to Ladakh in 1948.
Important facts
The Commander of Drass Warriors of Leh's Fire and Fury Corps paid floral tributes to the soldiers who were martyred in liberating the Zojila Pass from Pakistani infiltrators.
Zojila Day is an indomitable symbol of the bravery of the Indian Army.
This battle is considered historic as tanks were used for the first time at such a height.
Zojila Day is a symbol of the indomitable spirit of bravery and 'Never Say Die' of the Indian Army.
About Zojila Pass
It is a high mountain pass in Jammu and Kashmir, located on National Highway 1.
It connects Srinagar in Kashmir Valley to Leh in Ladakh region.
It has an elevation of about 3,528 metres (11,575 ft), and is the second highest pass on the Srinagar–Leh National Highway after Photu La.
This is known as the 'Icy Storm Pass'.
The Zojila Tunnel project was started in the year 2018. It is the longest and strategic bi-directional tunnel in Asia.
About The battle of Zojila
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, Zojila was seized by Pakistani-backed invaders in 1948 in their campaign to capture Ladakh.
On November 1, 1948, the Zojila Pass was recaptured by the Indian Army in an attack called Operation Bison.
The Battle of Zojila was one of the first battles of the Indian Army in the high altitude region.
2. In-Situ Slum Rehabilitation’ Project
Tags: National Government Schemes National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 3,024 newly constructed EWS flats at Kalkaji in Delhi under the ‘In-Situ Slum Rehabilitation’ Project on November 2.
Important facts
He will also hand over the keys of the flats to the eligible beneficiaries at the Bhoomiheen camp at Vigyan Bhawan, Delhi.
In line with the Prime Minister's vision of providing housing for all, Delhi Development Authority is undertaking in-situ slum rehabilitation work in 376 slum clusters.
The DDA has taken up three such projects in Kalkaji Extension, Jailorwala Bagh and Kathputli Colony.
About In-Situ Slum Rehabilitation’ Project
The objective of the project is to provide a better and livable healthy environment with proper facilities to the people residing in slum clusters.
Under Phase I, 3024 EWS flats have been constructed at the vacant commercial centre site nearby.
The first phase of the project has been completed and 3024 flats are ready.
Under the Kalkaji Extension Project, in-situ slum rehabilitation of three slums—Bhumiheen Camp, Navjeevan Camp and Jawahar Camp at Kalkaji—is being carried out in a phased manner.
The slum site in the Bhumiheen camp will be vacated by rehabilitating the eligible families of this camp in newly constructed flats.
These flats have been constructed at a cost of about Rs 345 crore and are equipped with all civic amenities.
3. Arunachal Pradesh to get Northeast’s first fish museum
Tags: Government Schemes National News
A fish museum, the first of its kind in the Northeast, would soon be built in Arunachal Pradesh, Fisheries Minister Tage Taki said.
Important facts
The museum will be a part of the Integrated Aqua Park (IAP) sanctioned by the Union Ministry of Fisheries.
It will have all the fish species of the state and will act as a training center for the fishermen.
Three years ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced one IAP for each state and union territory under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMSY) to bring about a blue revolution.
The proposed cost of the project is Rs 100 crore.
Rs 43.59 crore was sanctioned for the project in the current financial year as first instalment.
The existing Tarin Fish Farm (TFF) located in the high altitude Bulla village will be upgraded as an IAP where this museum will be built.
Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMSSY)
It is a sustainable development scheme focused on the fisheries sector, to be implemented in all States/UTs from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25 (during a period of 5 years) under Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Under this scheme, an investment of Rs 20,050 crore will be made in the fisheries sector.
Insurance cover, financial assistance and Kisan Credit Card facility are also provided to the fishermen under the scheme.
Its objective is to rapidly promote rural development and rural economy by utilising rural resources.
An impressive growth of 14.3 percent has been registered in the fisheries sector till the year 2021-22 as compared to the year 2019-20.
4. Invest Karnataka - 2022 Summit
Tags: Economy/Finance Summits National News
The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, addressed the inaugural function of the Global Investors Meet Invest Karnataka 2022 through video conferencing on November 2, 2022.
Important facts
More than 80 speakers will present their views in the three-day event to be held in Bengaluru from November 2-4.
The key themes to be addressed during the event will be related to innovation, sustainability, equity and resilience.
Speakers include some top industry leaders including Kumar Mangalam Birla, Sajjan Jindal, Vikram Kirloskar among others.
The aim of the Summit is to attract potential investors and establish a growth agenda for the next decade.
The sessions of the conference will be hosted separately by Germany, Netherlands, South Korea, Japan and Australia who are in India along with high level ministerial and industrial delegations from their respective countries.
The global scale of the event will give Karnataka an opportunity to showcase its culture to the world as well.
5. International book fair at Expo Centre UAE
Tags: International News
The 41st international book fair, being organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), will be held from November 2-13, 2022 at Expo Centre Sharjah.
Important facts
The book fair will host several award winning authors, intellectuals and other literary figures from across the world.
This year's theme of the fair is 'Spread the Word'.
The Publications Division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India is participating in the Sharjah International Book Fair.
The Publications Division will offer readers and book lovers a wide variety of books on the history of the Indian freedom struggle and freedom fighters.
Readers will get a chance to read more than 100 books and magazines in various Indian languages on various subjects.
About Publications Division
Established in the year 1941, the Publications Division is a premier publishing house of the Government of India.
The Directorate of Publications Division is a repository of various types of books and magazines.
These books highlight topics of national importance and the rich cultural heritage of India.
It offers books and magazines in various languages on diverse subjects like Indian history, culture, literature, biography, science, technology, environment and employment.
Its textual content is renowned for its authenticity as well as for the reasonable price of the publications.
Its major publications include popular monthly magazines such as Yojna, Kurukshetra, Bal Bharati and Aajkal as well as the weekly employment newspaper Employment News.
Apart from this, it also publishes the prestigious reference annuity 'India Year Book' of the government.
6. CDFD launches study to develop treatments for rare genetic diseases in children
Tags: Science and Technology National News
Hyderabad-based Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) on November 1, 2022 launched a nationwide study to decode the genetic mutation that causes Paediatric Rare Genetic Disorder (PRaGeD) in children.
Important facts
The PRaGeD mission is a pan-India initiative funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
The initiative will discover genes that cause rare diseases, develop suitable treatments, provide counselling and create awareness among people.
About 15 research and health institutions from across the country are participating in the study.
Under this initiative, 5,600 families will be screened over a period of five years to identify the genetic causes of undiagnosed paediatric rare genetic diseases.
Once the genetic mutation is detected in these children, the researchers will conduct studies in animals and cell models to understand how the genetic mutations are causing the rare disease.
What is a rare genetic disease?
A rare disease is any disease that affects a small percentage of the population.
Most rare diseases are genetic, therefore these are called rare genetic diseases.
These diseases are present throughout a person’s entire life, even if symptoms do not immediately appear.
Common rare diseases found in India are haemophilia, thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia and primary immune deficiency in children, auto-immune diseases, lysosomal storage disorders like Pompe disease, Hirschsprung disease etc.
The burden of rare genetic diseases in India is close to 70 million and about 30 percent of children suffering from such diseases are below the age of five years.
7. UP’s Ranipur gets 53rd tiger reserve of India
Tags: National National News
The Ranipur Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh has become the 53rd tiger reserve of India, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on 31st October.
Important facts
Ranipur Tiger Reserve in Chitrakoot district of UP is the fourth tiger reserve in the state after Dudhwa, Pilibhit and Amangarh.
According to the latest tiger census conducted in 2018, India has 2,967 tigers, of which 173 are in UP.
About Ranipur Tiger Reserve
Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the UP-MP border in Chitrakoot and about 150 km from Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
Covered with northern tropical dry deciduous forests, this area is home to tigers, leopards, bears, spotted deer, sambar, chinkara and other mammals.
Established in 1977, it is one of the main attractions of Chitrakoot district of Uttar Pradesh.
Other tiger reserves in Uttar Pradesh
At present there are three tiger reserves in the state. These include Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, Amangarh Tiger Reserve and Pilibhit Tiger Reserve.
Amangarh is the buffer zone of Jim Corbett National Park and is located in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh.
Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is located in Lakhimpur, Pilibhit Tiger Reserve is in Pilibhit.
8. Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina confers ‘Friends of Liberation War’ honour on Edward M Kennedy
Tags: Awards International News
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina posthumously awarded the prestigious 'Friends of Liberation War' honour to former US Senator Edward M Kennedy in Dhaka on 31 October for his contribution to the liberation of Bangladesh.
Important facts
The honour was handed over to his son Edward M. Ted Kennedy Jr.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina remembered with gratitude the contribution of Edward Kennedy Sr.
He said Kennedy Sr. took a bold step against the genocide committed by Pakistan on innocent Bengali people despite the role of the US government during the 1971 Liberation War.
She said Kennedy Sr. had worked hard to suspend military and economic aid to Pakistan until the end of the war.
Liberation War of 1971
In the 1950s, Pakistan was ruled by a military-bureaucratic rule that ruled the entire country (East and West Pakistan) in an undemocratic manner.
The Bengalites had no political representation in this system of governance.
This dominance of West Pakistan was challenged by the Bengalis during the general elections of 1970.
In the general election of 1970, the Awami League of East Pakistan's Sheikh Mujibur Rahman got a clear majority.
West Pakistan was not ready for any leader of East Pakistan to rule the country.
On March 26, 1971, West Pakistan launched Operation Searchlight in East Pakistan.
As a result, lakhs of Bangladeshis had to take refuge in India.
The Pakistani army had to face defeat due to the bravery of the 'Muktiwahini Sena' and Indian soldiers who fought for the independence of Bangladesh.
On 6 December 1971, a new nation Bangladesh was born out of 13 days of war with the intervention of India.
9. Govt restricts use of Glyphosate in agriculture
Tags: National National News
The government has recently banned the use of herbicide glyphosate and its derivatives, considering the health hazards to humans/animals. Only authorised pest control operators are allowed to use it.
About Glyphosate
It is a widely used herbicide that controls broadleaf weeds and grasses.
It works by blocking an enzyme essential for plant growth.
It was developed in 1970, and its scientific name is N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine.
This product is mainly used in agriculture.
Glyphosate and its formulations are widely registered and are currently used in over 160 countries, including the European Union and the United States.
Farmers around the world have been using it for safe and effective weed control for more than 40 years.
In India, glyphosate is approved for use only in tea gardens and non-planting areas with the tea crop. Its use elsewhere is illegal.
Health impacts of glyphosate
The worrying findings were revealed in a 2020 study by Pan India on the status of glyphosate use in the country.
The health effects of glyphosate range from cancer, reproductive and developmental toxicity to neurotoxicity and immunotoxicity.
Symptoms include burning, swelling, skin irritation, mouth and nose pain, unpleasant taste, and blurred vision.
The large-scale use of glyphosate in non-designated areas has serious consequences.
The use of all weedicides, including glyphosate, is depleting food resources and depriving them of adequate nutrition.
It was being used in more than 20 crop fields.
10. Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) Asia Pacific Conference
Tags: National National News
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Goa is hosting a three-day long Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) conference from 1st to 3rd November 2022.
Important facts
Delegates will discuss and collaborate on key issues that will help shape the future of Asia's aviation industry and turn the vision of the Global Council for Complete Air Transport Systems (CATS) of 2045 into reality.
Theme of 2022 conference - “Think Global, Collaborate Regional, Accomplish Local”.
The conference also covered Digitization and Automation, which play an important role in strengthening CANSO's vision for the skies of the future.
Delegates will also be able to witness some of the cutting edge technology that will help modernise air traffic management in the region.
About CANSO
The Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) is the global voice of the air traffic management (ATM) industry and is shaping future skies.
Its members support more than 90% of the world's air traffic and include air navigation service providers, airspace users and operators, manufacturers and aviation industry suppliers.
It brings together the world's air navigation service providers, leading industry innovators and air traffic management experts to share knowledge, develop best practices, and shape the future of safe and seamless airspace.
Founded - 1996
Director General - Simon Hocquard
About Airports Authority of India
Airports Authority of India is an organisation/authority functioning under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) manages a total of 133 airports which include 11 international airports, 8 customs airports, 81 domestic airports and 25 civil enclaves in defence airfields.
Established- 1st April, 1995
President- Sanjeev Kumar
Headquarters - New Delhi
