1. Review of site work progress of Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal, Gujarat
Tags: National National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the site work progress of the National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal in Gujarat on 18 October via video conferencing.
About National Maritime Heritage Complex
It is being developed in Lothal (Indus Valley civilisation) region of Gujarat.
The project not only showcases India's rich and diverse maritime heritage but also helps Lothal to emerge as a world class international tourist destination.
The foundation stone of the project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the master plan was agreed in March 2019.
Work on this project started in March 2022, it is being developed at a cost of about Rs 3500 crore.
This heritage theme park will cover an area of 400 acres with structures like the National Maritime Heritage Museum, Lighthouse Museum, Maritime Institute, and eco-resorts.
It is one of the major projects under the Sagarmala scheme of the Ministry of Culture (MoC) and Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW).
About Lothal
Lothal was one of the southernmost sites of the ancient Indus Valley civilization, located in the Bhil region of the state of Gujarat.
Construction of the city Lothal is believed to have begun around 2200 BCE.
Lothal was discovered in 1954 by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Lothal is known for the discovery of the oldest man-made dockyard.
It was an important and thriving trade centre in ancient times, with its trade in pearls, gems and precious jewellery reaching the far corners of West Asia and Africa.
About Indus Valley Civilization
It is also known as the Harappan civilization which developed in the western part of South Asia, contemporary Pakistan and western India around 2,500 BC.
It was basically an urban civilization and people lived in well-planned and well-built towns, which were also centres of trade.
It had wide roads and a well-developed drainage system and houses were built of burnt bricks and had two or more storeys.
2. Review of site work progress of Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal, Gujarat
Tags: National National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the site work progress of the National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal in Gujarat on 18 October via video conferencing.
About National Maritime Heritage Complex
It is being developed in Lothal (Indus Valley civilisation) region of Gujarat.
The project not only showcases India's rich and diverse maritime heritage but also helps Lothal to emerge as a world class international tourist destination.
The foundation stone of the project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the master plan was agreed in March 2019.
Work on this project started in March 2022, it is being developed at a cost of about Rs 3500 crore.
This heritage theme park will cover an area of 400 acres with structures like the National Maritime Heritage Museum, Lighthouse Museum, Maritime Institute, and eco-resorts.
It is one of the major projects under the Sagarmala scheme of the Ministry of Culture (MoC) and Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW).
About Lothal
Lothal was one of the southernmost sites of the ancient Indus Valley civilization, located in the Bhil region of the state of Gujarat.
Construction of the city Lothal is believed to have begun around 2200 BCE.
Lothal was discovered in 1954 by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Lothal is known for the discovery of the oldest man-made dockyard.
It was an important and thriving trade centre in ancient times, with its trade in pearls, gems and precious jewellery reaching the far corners of West Asia and Africa.
About Indus Valley Civilization
It is also known as the Harappan civilization which developed in the western part of South Asia, contemporary Pakistan and western India around 2,500 BC.
It was basically an urban civilization and people lived in well-planned and well-built towns, which were also centres of trade.
It had wide roads and a well-developed drainage system and houses were built of burnt bricks and had two or more storeys.
3. Ulf Kristersson elected Sweden's new Prime Minister
Tags: Person in news International News
Sweden's parliament on 17 October elected Ulf Kristersson, 59, leader of the Conservative Moderate Party, as the new Prime Minister.
Important facts
He will head a coalition that is also backed by a once radical right-wing party.
His government is expected to assume office on October 18.
His alliance consists of three parties. Although the coalition does not have a majority, in Sweden, the prime minister can rule as long as there is no majority against him in parliament.
His party emerged as the major winner in Sweden's 11 September general election, with a record 20.5 percent of the vote, behind outgoing Prime Minister Magdalena Andersen's Social Democrats.
The Social Democrats have dominated Swedish politics since the 1930s.
The new government plans to cut taxes, start the process of building new nuclear power plants, tighten immigration rules and give more police powers as part of a policy deal with the Sweden Democrats.
About Sweden
It is located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in northern Europe.
The ancient name of the country was Svitiod.
Prime Minister - Ulf Kristersson
Capital - Stockholm
Currency - Swedish krona
King - Carl XVI Gustaf
4. Diplomat Apoorva Srivastava appointed Ambassador to Slovak Republic
Tags: Person in news International News
Apoorva Srivastava, a diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service, has been appointed to serve as India’s Ambassador to the Slovak Republic.
Important facts
Apoorva, a 2001 batch officer, is currently serving as the Consul General at the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Prior to this, she held various positions in the Ministry of External Affairs and was posted in Kathmandu and Paris, among other places.
India and Slovakia have signed agreements ranging from defence and air services to economic and cultural.
India and Slovakia regularly support each other's candidacy for top positions in multilateral organisations such as the International Court of Justice and the United Nations.
Slovak Republic
Slovak Republic or Slovakia is a landlocked country of central Europe.
It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, and Austria to the southwest.
Its former federal partner, the Czech Republic, lies to the west.
Prime Minister - Eduard Heger
Capital - Bratislava
President - Zuzana Caputova
Currency - Euro
Official Language - Slovak
5. India-Africa Defence Dialogue
Tags: Defence International News
India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD) being held on 18 October on the sidelines of the 12th DefExpo in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Important facts
The theme of the dialogue is ‘India-Africa : Adopting Strategy for Synergising and Strengthening Defence and Security Cooperation’.
It aims to explore new avenues of convergence for mutual engagement including in the areas of capacity building, training, cyber security, maritime security and counter-terrorism.
Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis (MP-IDSA), India's leading think-tank for advanced research in international relations, is the knowledge partner for the India-Africa Defence Dialogue.
India’s approach towards Africa is guided by the Kampala Principles enunciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018.
On February 6, 2020, the first ever India-Africa Defence Ministers' Conference was held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in conjunction with the DefExpo.
What are Kampala Principles?
The Kampala Principles promote the ownership of private sector partnerships (PSEs) through development cooperation by partner countries.
These principles ensure the alignment of PSE projects and programs with national sustainable development priorities.
About African continent
It is the second largest continent (after Asia), covering about one-fifth of the total land surface of Earth.
It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, the Mediterranean Sea in the north, the Red Sea and Indian Ocean in the east, and the Atlantic and Indian Oceans in the south.
The island of Madagascar, off the coast of Africa, is one of the largest islands in the world.
The African continent has a population of over one billion, with a combined GDP of $2.5 trillion, making it a huge potential market.
Africa is a resource-rich continent rich in crude oil, gas, pulses and lentils, leather, gold and other metals, all of which are lacking in substantial quantities in India.
6. Conference of the Secretaries of Civil Aviation
Tags: National Summits National News
The Conference of Civil Aviation Secretaries of all States and Union Territories was organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on 17 October 2022 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
Important facts
The inaugural session was presided over by Rajiv Bansal, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India.
Presiding over the inaugural session, Rajiv Bansal said that a lot of progress has been made in the aviation sector in the last year.
He said domestic air traffic is almost near the pre-Covid level, many new airports have been inaugurated and new routes have been started.
The government has taken several steps to promote drones, helicopter medical emergency services and fractional ownership, he said.
During the conference, requested the states to reduce VAT on Aviation Turbine Fuel, ATF and appreciated the states which have already done so.
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia addressed the Conference.
Objective of the conference
The objective of the conference is to promote greater cooperation and synergy between the State Civil Aviation Departments and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to enhance the development of the civil aviation sector.
Government Initiatives in Civil Aviation sector
National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016
UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) Scheme
The Government has allocated INR 10,667 crore for the Ministry of Civil Aviation in Union Budget 2022-23.
The government has allowed 100% FDI under automatic route for greenfield projects, while 74% FDI is allowed under automatic route for brownfield projects.
7. Conference of the Secretaries of Civil Aviation
Tags: National Summits National News
The Conference of Civil Aviation Secretaries of all States and Union Territories was organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on 17 October 2022 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
Important facts
The inaugural session was presided over by Rajiv Bansal, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India.
Presiding over the inaugural session, Rajiv Bansal said that a lot of progress has been made in the aviation sector in the last year.
He said domestic air traffic is almost near the pre-Covid level, many new airports have been inaugurated and new routes have been started.
The government has taken several steps to promote drones, helicopter medical emergency services and fractional ownership, he said.
During the conference, requested the states to reduce VAT on Aviation Turbine Fuel, ATF and appreciated the states which have already done so.
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia addressed the Conference.
Objective of the conference
The objective of the conference is to promote greater cooperation and synergy between the State Civil Aviation Departments and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to enhance the development of the civil aviation sector.
Government Initiatives in Civil Aviation sector
National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016
UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) Scheme
The Government has allocated INR 10,667 crore for the Ministry of Civil Aviation in Union Budget 2022-23.
The government has allowed 100% FDI under automatic route for greenfield projects, while 74% FDI is allowed under automatic route for brownfield projects.
8. Iraq’s Moqtada al-Sadr’s movement refuses to join new government
Tags: Person in news International News
Iraqi firebrand Shia leader Moqtada al-Sadr’s movement announced its refusal to join a new government being formed by Prime Minister-designate Mohammad Shia al-Sudani. This is likely to prolong the political instability in the country. The Moqtada al-Sadr’s movement announcement came after the Iraqi Parliament elected Abdul Latif Rashid, a 78-year-old Iraqi Kurd, as Iraq’s new president on 13 October 2022.
The newly elected President named al-Sudani as prime minister in a bid to end a year of political gridlock in the country since the October 2021 elections.
Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, supported by Iran backed Coordination Framework coalition parties has one month, within which to form a government.
Political instability in Iraq
- The democratic institutions built in oil-rich Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Dictator Saddam Hussein remain fragile, and neighbouring Iran wields major influence in the Shia majority Iraq.
- After the toppling of Saddam Hussein there has been bitter sectarian conflict between the Iraqi populations divided into Kurdish, Sunni, and Shia groups.
- To tackle the sectarian problem a new power sharing system has been developed in Iraq .The President by convention is Kurdish, the Prime minister a Shiite Arab and the parliament speaker a Sunni Arab.
- Iraq has been without a new government since elections last October, when candidates loyal to Mr. Sadr won the single biggest bloc of seats and eclipsed rival Shiite political parties backed by Iran. His relationship with Iran is also not good.
- Moqtada al-Sadr, who has the ability to mobilise tens of thousands of his supporters with a single tweet, has repeatedly demanded early elections, while the Coordination Framework wants a new government in place before any polls are held.
- Tensions between the two rival Shia camps boiled over on August 29 when more than 30 al-Sadr supporters were killed in clashes with Iran-backed factions and the army.
Republic of Iraq
In ancient times the region where modern Iraq is was known as Mesopotamia (Land between the rivers).
The modern state of Iraq was created in 1921 by Britain.
It gained its independence from Britain in 1932.
It is an Oil rich Arab country and it is the largest supplier of crude oil to India.
Capital: Baghdad
Currency: Iraqi Dinar
President: Abdul Latif Rashid
9. President appoints Justice D Y Chandrachud as the 50th Chief Justice of India
Tags: National Person in news
In a tweet on 17 October 2022, the Union Minister for Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju said that the President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Supreme Court Judge. Justice D Y Chandrachud as the 50th Chief Justice of India (CJI) with effect from 9th November 2022.
The incumbent Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, who took charge as CJI on 27 August 2022, will retire on November 8 this year.
Justice Chandrachud, who is set to be the 50th Chief Justice of India, would have a tenure of two years. He is due to retire on November 10, 2024.
Under article 124 clause 2 of the Indian constitution the President of India has the power to appoint the Chief Justice of India.
Supreme Court and its Chief Justice
The Supreme Court of India came into existence on 26 January 1950. The Federal Court which was set up under the Government of India act 1935 was converted into the Supreme Court of India.
Its first sitting was held on 28 January 1950.
The first Chief Justice of India was Harilal J.Kania.
The 16th Chief Justice of India, Yeshwant Vishnu Chandrachud, is the longest-serving Chief Justice. He was Chief Justice of India for over 7 years (February 1978 – July 1985).
The 22nd Chief Justice of India, Kamal Narain Singh, is the shortest-serving Chief Justice. He was the Chief Justice of India for 17 days (25 November 1991 – 12 December 1991).
10. Prime Minister Inaugurates 600 Pradan Mantri Kisan Samruddhi Kendras
Tags: Government Schemes National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated PM Kisan Samman Sammelan 2022 at Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi on 17 October, 2022.
Important facts
The Prime Minister also inaugurated 600 Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samruddhi Kendras (PMKSK) under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.
The Prime Minister also launched the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Fertilizer Project - One Nation One Fertilizer.
One Nation, One Fertilizer will free the farmer from all kinds of confusion regarding the quality and availability of manure.
During the event, the Prime Minister also released the 12th instalment of Rs 16,000 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) through Direct Benefit Transfer.
The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Agriculture Startup Conclave and Exhibition.
During the programme, the Prime Minister also launched an e-magazine on fertilisers, 'Indian Age'.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samruddhi Kendras
3.25 lakh fertilizer shops will be developed across the country as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samridhi Kendra (PMKSK).
These will be the centres where farmers can not only buy fertilizers and seeds but also conduct soil tests and get useful information about farming techniques.
Under this scheme, retail fertilizer shops in the country will be converted into PMKSK in a phased manner.
