Current Affairs search results for tag: national
By admin: Dec. 10, 2022

1. IIT Delhi organised 4th edition of Industry Day

Tags: Important Days National News

IIT Delhi organised 4th edition of Industry Day

IIT Delhi's flagship industry-academia partnership event, Industry Day 2022, held on December 10, 2022. 

Important facts

  • K Ananth Krishnan, Executive Vice-President and Chief Technology Officer, Tata Consultancy Services, who is an IIT Delhi alum, was the chief guest on the occasion.

  • The fourth edition of the daylong event gives an opportunity to the industry to witness how IIT Delhi is working to develop technologies that will benefit both the industry and society.

  • The event was attended by top leadership of more than 15 large corporate and business houses.

  • The event was attended by industry leaders, scientists, IIT Delhi faculty, research scholars, and students.

  • Over 70 cutting-edge technologies developed by the researchers of IIT Delhi were showcased as product demonstrations on the Industry Day.

Themes of Industry Day 2022

  • Industry Day 2022 was focused on four themes that have been built into India's commitment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

  • These topics are healthcare, electric vehicles, communications technology, and clean energy and the environment.


By admin: Dec. 10, 2022

2. Skill Development Ministry to hold Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Mela on December 12

Tags: National News

Skill Development Ministry to hold Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Mela

The Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Mela (PMNAM) will be organised by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) on December 12, 2022 at 197 locations in 25 states and union territories.

Important facts

  • The main objective of this program is to encourage companies to hire more apprentices.

  • The goal of the government is to raise apprenticeship opportunities in India to 10 lakhs by the end of 2022 and to 60 lakhs by 2026. 

  • Several local businesses have been invited to be a part of the fair to provide an opportunity to the local youth to shape their career through apprenticeship training.

  • The event will witness the participation of various companies from different sectors. 

  • Participating companies will have the chance to meet potential apprentices on a single platform and choose applicants on the spot.

  • Candidates who have passed Class 5 to 12 and have skill training certificates, or ITI Diploma holders or graduates can apply during this apprenticeship mela.

About Apprenticeship mela

  • Apprenticeship melas are hosted in the country every month, wherein selected individuals receive a monthly stipend in accordance with government criteria for gaining new skills.

  • Apprenticeship is considered the most sustainable model of skill development, and it has been getting a big boost under the Skill India Mission.

  • The government is trying to train one million youth every year through apprenticeship training.


By admin: Dec. 10, 2022

3. More than 3 crore 60 lakh pregnant women receive comprehensive antenatal care under PMSMA

Tags: Government Schemes National News

More than 3 crore 60 lakh pregnant women receive comprehensive antenatal care under PMSMA

The Government has said that more than three crore sixty lakh pregnant women have received comprehensive antenatal care under the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) programme across all States and Union Territories.

Important facts

  • Dr. Bharti Praveen Pawar, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, said this in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on 9 December.

  • The program was launched with the objective of providing free, assured, comprehensive and quality antenatal care to all pregnant women universally on the 9th of every month.

  • The percentage of institutional deliveries in public facilities has increased from 52 per cent in 2015-16 to around 62 per cent in 2019-21.

Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan

  • This is a programme under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

  • It aims to provide free antenatal services (ANC) and essential treatment to pregnant women on 9th of every month.

  • The scheme is applicable only for the pregnant women in their pregnancy period of 3 to 6 months.

Objectives of the scheme

  • Provide healthy life to pregnant women.

  • Lowering the maternal mortality rate.

  • Making pregnant women aware of their health issues and diseases.

  • Making sure safe delivery and healthy life of the baby.


By admin: Dec. 10, 2022

4. 10th meeting of Empowered Task Force of Clean Ganga Mission

Tags: Government Schemes National News

10th meeting of Empowered Task Force of Clean Ganga Mission

The Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat chaired the 10th meeting of the Empowered Task Force (ETF) of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) on 8th December 2022. 

Important facts

  • The Minister reviewed the progress of various components under the Namami Gange Programme.

  • The Union Minister directed the States and Central Ministries/Departments to expedite the work being done for the overall rejuvenation of river Ganga.

  • The minister urged the states and central ministries to achieve the targets in a time-bound manner.

  • Ashok Kumar, Director General, NMCG, briefed the task force about the activities undertaken by Arth Ganga over the past months.

  • Kumar added that the Ghat Mein Haat initiative was launched under Arth Ganga in the Ganga Basin among other activities.

  • The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare informed of the steps taken to build organic farming and natural farming corridors along River Ganga.

National Mission for Clean Ganga(NMCG) 

  • It was registered on 12 August 12, 2011 as a society  under the Societies Registration Act 1860.

  • It serves as the implementing arm of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), which was constituted under the provisions of the Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986.

  • It was established to address pollution challenges in the Ganga river.

  • The operational area of the project covers the Ganga basin and all the states through which the river flows, including Delhi.

  • The objective is to reduce pollution and ensure rejuvenation of the Ganga river. 


By admin: Dec. 9, 2022

5. Centre allows 100% WFH for IT units in SEZs till December 31, 2023

Tags: National Economy/Finance

Centre allows 100% WFH for IT units in SEZs

The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry in a notification issued on 8 December 2022 has allowed information technology (IT) companies operating in special economic zones (SEZs) to permit 100 per cent work from home (WFH) or any place outside such zones till December 31, 2023.

The government has amended the rule 43A under the SEZ law to allow WFH for employees of IT and information technology enabled services,

In July 2022, the Central government had allowed 50 per cent of the employees in SEZs, including contractual workers, to work from home. Till now, WFH was permitted for a maximum per­iod of one year in an SEZ unit. 

Special Economic Zone (SEZ)

Special Economic Zone in India has been set up under the Special Economic Zone act 2005 which was implemented on 10 February 2006. There are 270 operational SEZ in India as on 22 November 2022.The concept of SEZ was taken from China.

The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry is the nodal body of SEZ in India. 

The objective of the SEZ as per the SEZ act 2005 are as follows:

(a) Generation of additional economic activity; (b) Promotion of exports of goods and services; (c) Promotion of investment from domestic and foreign sources; (d) Creation of employment opportunities; (e) Development of infrastructure facilities


By admin: Dec. 9, 2022

6. Delhi HC seeks Centre's response on plea by Ashok Swain against cancellation of OCI card

Tags: National News

Ashok Swain against cancellation of OCI card

The Delhi High Court on 8 December sought response of the Central Government on the plea of Ashok Swain against the cancellation of the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card.

Important facts

  • Justice Prathiba M Singh issued notice on the petition by the Sweden resident and granted four weeks' time to the Centre to state its stand.

  • The petitioner is a professor at Uppsala University in Sweden.

  • He said in his petition that as per the show cause notice issued in 2020, his OIC card was arbitrarily stopped on the alleged grounds that he was involved in inflammatory speeches and anti-India activities.

  • Subsequently, on February 8 this year, the authorities cancelled the OCI card of the petitioner, which was in violation of his right to free movement.

  • The petition alleged that the order of cancellation of OCI card is illegal, arbitrary and illegal.

  • The petition states that a scholar has an important role in the society to discuss and criticise the policies of the government through his work.

  • Mere criticism of the policies of the present ruling dispensation does not amount to anti-India activity under Section 7D(e) of the Citizenship Act, 1955.

Who is an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)?

  • OCI is defined as a person who was a citizen of India on or after 26th January, 1950 or eligible to become a citizen of India on that date or belonging to any territory that became part of India after 15th August, 1947 or a child or grandchild of such a person, who fulfils the other eligibility criteria.

  • The OCI category was introduced by the Government of India in the year 2005.

  • An applicant shall not be eligible for an OCI card if he or his parents or grandparents, great-grandparents have ever been a citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh or any other country notified by the Government of India in the Official Gazette.

  • OCI cardholders can enter India, obtain a Multipurpose Lifelong Visa to visit India and do not even need to register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO).


By admin: Dec. 9, 2022

7. 1000 Khelo India centers to be opened across country by August 15: Anurag Thakur

Tags: Sports National

1000 Khelo India centers to be opened across country by August 15

The Union Ministry for Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Thakur on 9 December 2022 informed the Lok Sabha that one thousand Khelo India sports centers will be set up in the country by 15 August 2023. He said that the government has so far approved 773 centers.

Khelo India Sports Center Scheme 

The Khelo India Centers have been launched by the Union Sports Ministry in partnership with the state governments to ensure the availability of grassroots-level sports infrastructure across the country.

In June 2020 the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports had announced plans to set up 1000 new Khelo India Centers, all over India. At least each district of the country will have one Khelo India Sports Center

An exception has been made for the North-East states, Jammu & Kashmir, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and Ladakh where two centers are to be established per district.

What will the Khelo India Sports Center Do? 

The center will focus on developing sports infrastructure and provide training to the sportsperson in one discipline.

The respective state governments will have to hire former athletes to facilitate the management of these centers in a proposed low-cost and effective sports training mechanism.

The central government will provide financial assistance for the remuneration of the past champion athletes as coach, support staff, purchase of equipment, sports kits, consumables, participation in competition and events.


By admin: Dec. 9, 2022

8. Over 16 lakh people renounce Indian citizenship since 2011

Tags: National

Over 16 lakh people renounce Indian citizenship since 2011

According to the government of India over 16 lakh Indians have given up  Indian citizenship since 2011 including 183,741 this year. The information was given in the Rajya Sabha on 9 December 2022 by the Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan.

Number of Indian who gave up Citizenship 

Year

Number of Indians who  gave up their citizenship 

2011 

1,22,819

2012

1,20,923

2013

1,31,405

2014

1,29,328

2015

1,31,489 

2016

1,41,603

2017

1,33,049

2018

1,34,561

2019

1,44,017

2020

85,256

2021

1,63,370

2022( till 31 October )

1,83,741 

Total 

16,21,561


The total number of Indians who gave up Indian citizenship since 2011 comes to 16, 21,561.

Foreigners who took Indian Citizenship excluding citizens of Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan

The minister said that excluding the citizens of Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, the number of foreign nationals who took Indian citizenship was 93 in 2015, 153 in 2016, 175 in 2017, 129 in 2018, 113 in 2019, 27 in 2020, 42 in 2021 and 60 in 2022.


By admin: Dec. 9, 2022

9. World Bank’s flagship Gender Toolkit launched

Tags: National News

World Bank’s flagship Gender Toolkit launched

The World Bank launched the 'Toolkit on Enabling Gender-Responsive Urban Mobility and Public Spaces in India' on 8 December.

The toolkit was launched at a session organised by the World Bank and the Chennai Urban Metropolitan Transport Authority in Chennai.

About Gender Toolkit

  • The toolkit from World Bank contains practical tools that can inform a wide set of policymakers as well as private or community-based organisations to help ensure safe and inclusive public transport for women in India.

  • It aims to guide Indian cities on how to design public transport that is more inclusive of women's travel needs.

  • It aims to spotlight gender issues surrounding mobility and city design.

  • It recommends integrating gender equality into new and existing transport policies and plans.

  • It also talks for increasing representation of women in decision making in key institutions such as urban local bodies and public transport authorities.

  • The continued poor representation of women as frontline workers in public transport reinforces the perception that women feel unsafe in public transport.

Background of the toolkit

  • The toolkit has been designed in response to a 2019 World Bank-supported survey of 6,048 respondents in Mumbai.

  • This survey found that between 2004 and 2019, men shifted to two-wheelers to commute to work, while women used auto-rickshaws or taxies, which tend to be more costly (per trip) than two wheelers.

  • India has amongst the lowest female labour force participation rates globally, at 22.8 per cent in 2019-20.


By admin: Dec. 9, 2022

10. Japan, Britain and Italy to jointly build sixth generation fighter jets

Tags: Defence International News

Japan, Britain and Italy to jointly build sixth generation fighter jets

Japan, Britain and Italy are merging their next-generation jet fighter projects to build an advanced front-line 6th generation fighter into operation by 2035. It is for the first time that Japan is collaborating in a defence project without the participation of the United States of America since World War Two. It is seen as a move by Japan to counter an increasingly assertive China and Russia in the region.

The project will merge the British-led Future Combat Air System project, also known as Tempest, with Japan's F-X programme in a venture called the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).

Britain's BAE Systems, Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Italy's Leonardo will lead design of the aircraft, which will have advanced digital capabilities in AI and cyber warfare.

The newly developed fighter plane will replace Britain’s Typhoon fighters and Japan’s F -22 fighter plane.

Britain, Italy and Japan are part of the US fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighter program and parts of the planes are assembled in Italy and Japan. The new jet is not expected to affect the F-35 program.

China and Russia also are developing the 6th generation fighter plane. At present China has 5th generation fighter planes J-20 and J-31, while the Russian 5th generation planes are Su-57.

India which has the Rafale fighter plane is considered to be a 4.5 generation plane.