1. Neeraj Mittal appointed as Secretary, Department of Telecommunications (DoT)
Tags: Person in news
Neeraj Mittal was appointed as Secretary in the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
An Overview of the News
Neeraj Mittal is a 1992-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer.
He is currently serving as the Principal Secretary in the Department of Information Technology, Tamil Nadu.
Prior to this, he worked as Senior Advisor in the World Bank Group and as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
He is replacing K Rajaraman, who is now the chairman of the International Financial Services Centers Authority (IFSCA) in Gujarat.
S Krishnan will head the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
S Krishnan, a 1989 batch IAS officer, was appointed as the new Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
Krishnan currently holds the post of Industries Secretary in the Tamil Nadu State Government.
His appointment comes after the retirement of the previous secretary Alkesh Kumar Sharma on August 31.
Important appointments and changes in the Ministries and Departments of the Government of India
VL Kantha Rao, who was earlier holding the post of Additional Secretary in the Department of Telecommunications, has been selected as the Secretary in the Ministry of Mines.
Former Secretary, the Ministry of Mines, Vivek Bhardwaj will now hold the role of Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
Umang Narula has been designated Secretary in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, bringing his broad administrative experience to this vital portfolio.
Arunish Chawla, a 1992 Bihar cadre IAS officer, is set to take charge as the secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals within the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers from November 1, 2023.
Chanchal Kumar of the 1992 batch and Bihar cadre has been appointed as Secretary in the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region.
Vumlunmang Vualnam, a 1992 Manipur cadre IAS officer, has been assigned the role of Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation. He previously served as Additional Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs under the Ministry of Finance.
2. Vumlunmang Vualnam assumes the role of Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India
Tags: Person in news
Vumlunmang Vualnam officially begins his tenure on September 1, 2023, in the role of Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), Government of India.
An Overview of the News
Vualnam takes over the position after the superannuation of Rajeev Bansal, who retired on August 31, 2023.
Vualnam is a distinguished Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1992 batch. He is part of Manipur cadre.
Throughout his career, Wualnam has held various important roles in the Central Government. These include serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, and Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Corporate Affairs.
He has also held important roles in the Government of Manipur. These posts include Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare Department and Director of Transport.
Vualnam has also contributed internationally as an advisor to the Executive Director at the World Bank.
About the Ministry of Civil Aviation
It acts as the central authority responsible for the development and regulation of civil aviation in the country.
One of its primary roles is to formulate national policies and programs aimed at guiding the development and management of civil aviation.
Beyond policy formulation, it also oversees various aspects of aviation, including airport facilities, air traffic services, and transportation of passengers and cargo by air.
Additionally, the ministry is tasked with administering and enforcing the provisions set forth in the Aircraft Act of 1934 and the Aircraft Rules of 1937.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation is also responsible for the administrative oversight of the Commission of Railway Safety.
3. Assam's International Airport Becomes 1st Airport In Northeast India To Launch 'Digi Yatra' Facility
Tags: Latest Popular State News
Guwahati's popular Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LBBI) has become the first airport in Northeast India to launch a 'Digi Yatra' facility.
An Overview of the News
The innovative service aims to enhance the air travel experience in the region by streamlining airport processes.
Cooperation and Objectives:
The 'Digi Yatra' initiative is a collaboration with the Ministry of Civil Aviation with the goal of modernizing and improving air travel.
It aims to revolutionize passenger navigation through airports, making it more intuitive and convenient.
Major Areas of Implementation:
The 'Digi Yatra' service has been implemented in three main areas of the airport: entry points, check-in counters, and boarding zones.
Traditional long queues and delays during check-in and security procedures are expected to come down significantly.
Facial Recognition Technology:
The core of the 'Digi Yatra initiative is the use of facial recognition technology for seamless airport travel.
This eliminates the need for traditional methods of ticket verification and ID checking.
Security and Privacy Measures:
Passenger data is encrypted and stored in the passenger's smartphone wallet, ensuring privacy.
No personally identifiable information (PII) is stored during the process.
Industries and Commerce Minister of Assam - Chandra Mohan Patowary
About Assam:
It is a state located in the northeastern region of India. It is bounded by Bhutan in the north, Arunachal Pradesh in the east, Nagaland in the northeast, Manipur in the southeast, Mizoram in the south, and West Bengal in the west.
Formation (as a state) - 26 January 1950
Capital - Dispur
Chief Minister - Himanta Biswa Sarma
Governor - Gulab Chand Kataria
4. Assam CM launches 'Amrit Brikshya Andolan' app
Tags: State News
The 'Amrit Brikshya Andolan' app and web portal was launched by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
An Overview of the News
'Amrit Brikshya Andolan' app and web portal aims to plant 1 crore saplings in a single day on 17th September 2023, a significant milestone in the state's efforts to boost the green economy and contribute to the fight against global warming.
The primary objective of the project is to significantly increase the forest cover of Assam and encourage collective action in the face of climate change.
On 17th September,around 40 lakh members of women self-help groups will play an important role by planting two commercially viable saplings each, totaling 80 lakh saplings.
The remaining 20 lakh or more saplings will be planted by various groups including Anganwadi workers, tea garden workers, government officials, police and forest battalions and the general public of the state.
To encourage participation, the state government will set up distribution centres to provide saplings in a convenient manner.
Individuals who register on the 'Amrit Brikshya Andolan' app or portal and upload their geo-tagged photographs planting saplings will receive a reward of Rs 100 in their bank account, with an aim to encourage more people to participate in the tree plantation drive. To inspire.
Looking to the future, the state government has set ambitious targets, including planting 5 crore trees by the year 2025, to further strengthen its commitment towards environmental protection and sustainable development.
The initiative has been supported and approved by the Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupendra Yadav.
About Assam:
Location: It is a state located in the northeastern region of India. It is bounded by Bhutan to the north, Arunachal Pradesh to the east, Nagaland to the northeast, Manipur to the southeast, Mizoram to the south and West Bengal to the west.
Wildlife: Contains Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park and Nameri National Park.
Language: Assamese is the official language of the state, but several other languages are also spoken, including Bengali, Bodo, and Hindi.
Formation (as a state) - 26 January 1950
Capital - Dispur
Chief Minister - Himanta Biswa Sarma
Governor - Gulab Chand Kataria
Rajya Sabha - 7 seats
Lok Sabha - 14 seats
Official Dance - Bihu Dance
Official river - Brahmaputra
5. India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway
Tags: International News
The India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) Highway is a regional connectivity project covering approximately 1,360 km (845 mi) that aims to connect India, Myanmar and Thailand.
An Overview of the News
The project was proposed by former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and approved in 2002. Its construction began in 2012 and is being implemented in several phases.
The Ministry of External Affairs in India, in collaboration with Myanmar and Thailand, is responsible for project implementation, with funds allocated from the Ministry of Finance.
The highway starts from Moreh in Manipur, India, passes through Myanmar and ends at Mae Sot in Thailand. The India-Myanmar Friendship Road is the first section connecting Tamu/Moreh to Kalemyo and Kalewa.
India's contribution to the project includes the construction of 69 bridges along with access roads on the 74-km Kalewa-Yagyi road section and the 70-km Tamu-Kyygon-Kalewa (TKK) road section in Myanmar.
About Thailand
It is officially known as the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam, located on the Indochinese peninsula in Southeast Asia.
It is bordered by Myanmar and Laos to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the east, and Malaysia and the Gulf of Thailand to the south.
On the western side, it is bordered by the Andaman Sea, and also has maritime borders with Vietnam to the southeast and Indonesia and India to the southwest.
Capital- Bangkok
Official language - Thai
Emperor - Vajiralongkorn (Rama X)
Prime Minister - Prayut Chan-o-cha
About Myanmar
Capital - Naypyidaw
Official Language - Burmese
President - Myint Swe (Acting)
SAC President and Prime Minister - Min Aung Hlaing
SAC Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister – Soe Win
6. Assam government launched "Gajah Kotha" campaign
Tags: Government Schemes
Assam launched "Gajah Kotha" campaign to address the growing problem of Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC).
An Overview of the News
The "Gajah Kotha" campaign involves over 1,200 participants and aims to promote coexistence between humans and elephants.
The focus of the campaign is on HEC affected villages in Eastern Assam.
The main objective is to educate the residents about elephant behaviour, ecology and the cultural importance of elephants in the region.
The campaign emphasizes the importance of conservation efforts in reducing HEC.
Aranyak, a renowned wildlife NGO based in Guwahati is leading the campaign.
The British Asian Trust and the Assam Forest Department are collaborating on this initiative.
The Darwin Initiative is providing support for the expedition.
The launch of the "Gajah Kotha" campaign reflects Assam's commitment to promote harmonious co-existence between humans and elephants.
About Assam:
Location: It is a state located in the northeastern region of India. It is bounded by Bhutan to the north, Arunachal Pradesh to the east, Nagaland to the northeast, Manipur to the southeast, Mizoram to the south and West Bengal to the west.
Wildlife: Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park and Nameri National Park
Language: Assamese is the official language of the state, but several other languages are also spoken, including Bengali, Bodo, and Hindi.
Formation (as a state) - 26 January 1950
Capital - Dispur
Chief Minister - Himanta Biswa Sarma
Governor - Gulab Chand Kataria
Rajya Sabha - 7 seats
Lok Sabha - 14 seats
7. Center extends financial incentives to 12 states to accelerate power sector reforms
Tags: Economy/Finance National News
Centre has provided financial incentives to 12 states to accelerate power sector reforms. These states will receive over 66 thousand crore rupees incentives for reforms in the power sector.
An overview of the news
This initiative aims to support and motivate states in implementing reforms that enhance the efficiency and performance of the power sector.
The announcement regarding this initiative was made in the Union Budget 2021-22 by the Union Finance Minister.
As part of the initiative, states are granted an additional borrowing space of up to 0.5 percent of their Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) annually for a period of four years, from 2021-22 to 2024-25.
Based on the recommendations of the Ministry of Power, the Ministry of Finance has granted permission for the reforms undertaken by 12 state governments in the years 2021-22 and 2022-23.
As a result, these states have been allowed to raise financial resources of Rs 66,413 crore through the additional borrowing permissions over the past two financial years.
Each State as an incentive to embark on the reform process is as follows:
SL No. | State | Cumulative amount (Rs in crore) |
1. | Andhra Pradesh | 9,574 |
2. | Assam | 4,359 |
3. | Himachal Pradesh | 251 |
4. | Kerala | 8,323 |
5. | Manipur | 180 |
6. | Meghalaya | 192 |
7. | Odisha | 2,725 |
8. | Rajasthan | 11,308 |
9. | Sikkim | 361 |
10. | Tamil Nadu | 7,054 |
11. | Uttar Pradesh | 6,823 |
12. | West Bengal | 15,263 |
Total | 66,413 |
8. Sahitya Akademi announces winners of Bal Sahitya Puraskar
Tags: Awards
The Sahitya Akademi has announced the recipients of the Bal Sahitya Puraskar and Yuva Puraskar for this year.
An overview of the news
The announcement was made at a meeting of the Sahitya Akademi's Executive Board, chaired by President Madhav Kaushik.
The winners of both awards will receive an engraved copper plaque and a cheque of Rs 50,000 each at a ceremony to be held later.
Sudha Murty, a renowned children's author, has been selected for the Bal Sahitya Puraskar for her collection of stories titled 'Grandparents' Bag of Stories'.
Suryanath Singh has been chosen for the Hindi language category of the Bal Sahitya Puraskar for his collection of short stories called 'Kotuk App'.
Anirudh Kanisetti will receive the Yuva Puraskar for his work 'Lords Of The Deccan: Southern India From Chalukyas To Cholas', while Atul Kumar Rai will be awarded in the Hindi language category for his novel 'Chandpur ki Chanda'.
The recipients for Manipuri, Maithili, and Sanskrit categories of Yuva Puraskar, as well as the Bal Sahitya Puraskar for Manipuri, will be announced later.
No Yuva Puraskar winner was announced for Odia, and no Bal Sahitya Puraskar winner was announced for Kashmiri.
Winners of the Bal Sahitya Puraskar
The remaining winners of the Bal Sahitya Puraskar are listed as Rothindranath Goswami (Assamese), Shyamalkanti Das (Bengali), Pratima Nandi Narzaree (Bodo), Balwan Singh Jamoria (Dogri), Rakshabahen Prahladrao Dave (Gujarati), Vijayashree Haladi (Kannada), Tukaram Rama Shet (Konkani), Akshay Anand 'Sunny' (Maithili), Priya AS (Malayalam), Eknath Avhad (Marathi), Madhusudan Bisht (Nepali), Jugal Kishore Sarangi (Odia), Gurmeet Karyalvi (Punjabi), Kiran Badal (Rajasthani), Radhavallabh Tripathi (Sanskrit), Mansing Majhi (Santali), Dholan Rahi (Sindhi), Udhayasankar (Tamil), DK Chaduvula Babu (Telugu), and Mateen Achalpuri.
Winners of Yuva Puraskar
The other recipients of the Yuva Puraskar include Jintu Gitartha (Assamese), Hamiruddin Middya (Bengali), Mainaosri Daimary (Bodo), Sagar Shah (Gujarati), Manjunayak Challur (Kannada), Nighat Nasreen (Kashmiri), Tanvi Kamat Bambolkar (Konkani), Ganesh Puthu (Malayalam), Vishakha Vishwanath (Marathi), Naina Adhikari (Nepali), Sandeep (Punjabi), Devilal Mahiya (Rajasthani), Bapi Tudu (Santali), Monika J Panjwani (Sindhi), Ram Thangam (Tamil), Johny Takkedasila (Telugu), Dheeraj Bismil (Dogri), and Tauseef Bareilvi for Urdu.
9. Gauhati HC quashed Nagaland govt’s notification banning dog meat’s sale
Tags: State News
The Kohima bench of the Gauhati High Courtrecently quashed the 2020 order of the Nagaland government that banned the sale and trade of dog meat in markets and restaurants.
An overview of the news
The High Court has observed in its order that the State or its executive officers cannot interfere with the rights of others unless they refer to a specific rule of law, which authorizes them to do so.
The High Court observed that dog meat appears to be an accepted food among the Nagas even in modern times.
Justice Marly Wankung gave this decision after hearing the petition of three persons.
This petition was filed under Article 226 of the Constitution for issuance of appropriate writ for violation of fundamental rights of the petitioners and principles of natural justice.
The Nagaland government had banned the sale, trade and import of dog meat on July 4, 2020, after photographs of disabled dogs tied in sacks were circulated on social media.
Nagaland State
Nagaland was formally recognized as a separate state on December 1, 1963, with Kohima declared as its capital.
It is bounded by Arunachal Pradesh in the northeast, Manipur in the south and Assam in the west and northwest and Myanmar (Burma) in the east.
Mithun (Gyal) is the state animal of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
Blyth's Tragopan is the state bird of Nagaland.
The Konyaks are the largest tribe, followed by the Aos, Tangkhul, Semas and Angami.
Other tribes include the Lotha, Sangtam, Phom, Chang, Khim Hungama, Yimchungar, Zeliang, Chakhesang (chokri) and Rengma.
10. Government of India constituted peace committee in Manipur
Tags: committee National News
Government of India has constituted a Peace Committee in Manipur under the Chairpersonship of Governor, Manipur Anusuiya Uikey on 10 June.
An overview of the news
The constitution of the Peace Committee in Manipur was announced by Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, during his visit to the state from May 29th, 2023 to June 1st, 2023.
Members of Peace Committee
The committee consists of the chief minister, state government ministers, members of parliament (MPs), members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) and leaders of various political parties.
The Committee also includes former civil servants, educationists, litterateurs, artists, social workers and representatives of different ethnic groups.
Mandate of the Committee
The primary mandate of the Peace Committee is to facilitate the peace-making process among different ethnic groups in Manipur.
This involves promoting peaceful dialogues and negotiations between conflicting parties or groups.
The Committee aims to foster social cohesiveness, mutual understanding, and cordial communication between the various ethnic groups in the state.
The objective of the committee is to resolve conflicts, redress grievances and promote reconciliation among the various communities in Manipur.
