1. Assam and Arunachal Pradesh sign agreement to settle boundary dispute
Tags: State News
The governments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have signed an agreement for the settlement of an inter-state boundary dispute between the two States on 21 April.
An overview of the news
This agreement was signed by the Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.
The agreement between the two states will end the dispute over 123 villages along the border.
The settlement has been done keeping in mind the historical perspective, demographic profile, administrative convenience, proximity to the border and aspirations of the residents.
Both the state governments have agreed that this settlement will be final in respect of these disputed villages and in future neither state will make any new claim related to any area or village.
After the agreement, a detailed survey will be conducted by the Survey of India to determine the boundaries of the two states.
What is Assam and Arunachal Pradesh boundary dispute?
Assam shares an interstate border of 804.10 km with Arunachal Pradesh.
The state of Arunachal Pradesh, created in 1987, claims that some of its residents' land has been given to Assam.
Arunachal Pradesh has raised concerns from time to time that several forest areas in the plains that traditionally belonged to hill tribal communities were unilaterally transferred to Assam.
A tripartite committee recommended that some areas be transferred from Assam to Arunachal.
Assam contested this and the matter is in the Supreme Court.
2. Kerala becomes the first state to adopt "Water Budget"
Tags: State News
Kerala has adopted a water budget, the first of its kind in the country, to deal with the problem of water scarcity in summer.
An Overview of the news
Despite the abundance of rivers, streams, backwaters and rainfall, many parts of Kerala face severe water scarcity during summer.
The water budget will help the state to ascertain the demand and supply of water resources and apportion it accordingly.
The first phase of the water budget covers 94 gram panchayats in 15 block panchayats, and the details were unveiled by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Volunteers, resource persons and technical committee members have considered all water sources in each panchayat, including rainfall, wetlands, canals and other water bodies, and also calculated the demand from humans and animals, agriculture and industries.
The water budget will be prepared by a committee of various experts along with officials from the Center for Water Resources Development and Management and the State Water Resources Department.
Rehabilitation of the irrigation network is also underway in the Western Ghats, with about 7,290 km of irrigation network already rejuvenated under Phase I and II of the project.
About Kerala
Capital - Thiruvananthapuram
Official Bird - Great Hornbill
Governor - Arif Mohammad Khan
Chief Minister - Pinarayi Vijayan
India's longest lake - Vembanad, Kerala
Origin of rivers in Kerala
Periyar River
Bharathapuzha River
Pamba River
Chaliyar River
Chalakudy River
3. Thawe Festival organised in Bihar
Tags: Festivals State News
The Thawe Festival took place on 15th and 16th April in Gopalganj, Biharand the festival was jointly organised by the Department of Tourism and the Department of Art and Culture.
An Overview of the News
The objective of the festival is to promote tourism in Gopalganj and invite visitors to Thawe Durga Temple.
Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav inaugurated the festival.
Bollywood singer Himesh Reshammiyaparticipated in the second day of the festival.
This year the 11th Annual Thave Festival was celebrated.
The festival has been organised since 2012 at the Home Guard Ground near Thawe Durga Temple.
List of famous fairs and festivals of Bihar-
Chhath Puja: It is one of the most important festivals in Bihar and is celebrated to worship the Sun God.
Makar-Sankranti: It is celebrated every year on January 14, and marks the beginning of the harvest season.
Buddha Jayanti: Celebrated on the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha, considered the founder of Buddhism.
Sonepur Pashu Fair: It is one of the biggest cattle fairs in Asia and is organised every year in the month of November.
Rajgir Festival: It is celebrated every year in the month of October and is a three-day festival which showcases the cultural heritage of Bihar.
Sama-Chakeva Bihula: This is one such festival which is celebrated every year in the month of November.
Madhushravani: It is a festival celebrated every year in the month of August, and is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Ganga.
Pitru Paksha Mela: It is held every year in the month of September, and is dedicated to ancestor worship.
Malmas Fair: It is held every three years in Bihar, and is considered to be one of the biggest fairs in the state.
4. Mangrove Pitta bird found in Odisha
Tags: State News
Mangrove Pitta birds were counted in two coastal districts of Odisha, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur, in which 179 birds were found.
An Overview of the News
Mangrove pitta (Pitta Megharencha) birds are near threatened and are found in parts of eastern India.
179 different mangrove pitta birds were counted in the mangroves near the mouth of the Mahipura River inside the Bhitarkanika National Park.
Birds were counted by sight and by their chirping.
1,39,959 birds of 140 species arrived in Bhitarkanika National Park in January this year.
Bhitarkanika National Park
It is a protected area located in the Kendrapara district of Odisha in eastern India.
It covers an area of 145 square kilometres and was established as a national park on September 16, 1998.
Bhitarkanika National Park, also recognized as a Ramsar site on 19 August 2002, is a wetland of international importance.
It also has a rich mangrove ecosystem that supports a wide variety of plant and animal life.
About Odisha
It is an eastern Indian state situated on the Bay of Bengal.
It is bounded by Jharkhand in the north, West Bengal region in the north east and Chhattisgarh in the south and Bay of Bengal in the east.
Formation - 1 April 1936
Capital - Bhubaneswar
District - 30 (3 Divisions)
Governor - Ganeshi Lal
Chief Minister - Naveen Patnaik
State Legislature - Unicameral
Legislative Assembly - Odisha Legislative Assembly (147 seats)
Rajya Sabha - 10 seats
Lok Sabha - 21 seats
5. 'Kambam Angoor' gets GI tag
Tags: State News
The GI tag was granted to Tamil Nadu's famous Cumbum Paneer Thirachai, also known as Cumbum Grapes.
An Overview of the News
The Cumbum Valley on the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu is known as the 'Grape City of South India', where Paneer Thirachai is cultivated.
Theni district Paneer Thirachai is one of the highest grape growing regions. However, the 'Paneer' variety is mainly associated with the Cumbum Valley, where the area under cultivation is spread over about 2,000 acres in 10 villages.
This variety, also known as Muscat Hamburg, is known for its rapid growth and early maturity.
Paneer grapes were first introduced to Tamil Nadu in 1832 by a French priest. These grapes are rich in vitamins, tartaric acid and antioxidants, and they also help reduce the risk of some chronic diseases.
What is a GI Tag?
A Geographical Indication (GI) is a name or sign given to products that come from a specific geographical location.
GIs certify that products have been made using traditional methods or have specific qualities due to their origin.
It is used for food, handicrafts and industrial products.
GI tag ensures that only authorised users can use the name of the product.
Who grants and regulates Geographical Indications?
It is a type of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) recognized and protected under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) provides a framework for the protection of GIs at the international level.
In India, the registration and protection of GI is governed by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into effect in September 2003.
About Tamil Nadu
The state was formed on 26 January 1950 but its boundaries were redrawn on 14 January 1969.
It is situated at the mouth of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean.
Tamil Nadu is the largest producer of bananas and flowers, second largest producer of mangoes, rubber, groundnut, coconut and third largest producer of coffee.
Governor - Ravindra Narayan Ravi
Chief Minister - MK Stalin
Assembly seats - 235 seats
Rajya Sabha seats - 18
Lok Sabha seats - 39
6. Tribal Affairs Minister launched Marketing, Logistics Development for PTP-NER scheme
Tags: State News
Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda on 18th April launched a new scheme “Marketing and Logistics Development for Promotion of Tribal Products from North -Eastern Region (PTP-NER)” for the benefit of Scheduled Tribes of Northeastern Region.
An overview of the news
The scheme has been introduced for the benefit of Scheduled Tribes of the North-Eastern Region.
The objective of the scheme is to strengthen livelihood opportunities for tribal artisans through enhanced efficiency in procurement, logistics and marketing of tribal products from North Eastern States.
The scheme will be applicable to the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim.
As part of this plan, there is a plan to start a panel of tribal artisans from the North Eastern Region by organizing 68 Tribal Artisan Melas in different districts of the region.
Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED)
It came into existence in 1987.
TRIFED is a national-level organisation functioning under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Its Head Office is located in New Delhi and has a network of 13 Regional Offices.
It aims at socio-economic development of tribal people in the country through marketing development of tribal products.
About India's North-East region
The North Eastern Region (NER) comprises eight States - Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
The North Eastern region of India is a landlocked region with no access to the sea.
It is geographically isolated from the rest of India and is connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of land called the Siliguri Corridor (Chicken’s Neck).
Sikkim - the ‘Brother’ of the Seven Sisters
Assam- World’s largest ‘Tea Producer’
Manipur- Jewel of India
Arunachal Pradesh- Land of Rising Sun
Meghalaya- Scotland of India
Tripura- the most ‘Literate’ in the Northeast around 95% Literacy rate
Mizoram- Molasses Basin
Sikkim- Sparsely Populated, the only state having world’s largest ‘Kanchenjunga Mountain’
Nagaland- famous for Mon’s Ethnicity
7. First AIIMS inaugurated in the Northeast at Changsari near Guwahati
Tags: State News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Changsari near Guwahati on 14th April. It is the first AIIMS in the Northeast.
An overview of the news
He announced three other medical colleges in Assam.
The three medical colleges at Nalbari, Nagaon and Kokrajhar have been built at a cost of around Rs 615 crore, Rs 600 crore and Rs 535 crore, respectively.
He also laid the foundation stone of Assam Advanced Health Care Innovation Institute (AAHII) at IIT-Guwahati
The Prime Minister also launched a healthcare scheme to provide free medical treatment of Rs 5 lakh each year to 11 million beneficiaries.
The AIIMS campus, built at a cost of Rs 1,123 crore, is a one-of-a-kind healthcare facility in the entire northeastern region.
It will have an annual intake capacity of 100 medical students every year.
The foundation stone for the institute was laid by PM Modi in 2017.
He distributed Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) cards in all districts.
About Northeast India
Northeast India comprises seven states : Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura.
The northeast is bordered by Bhutan, China, Myanmar and Bangladesh with a total length of over 2000 km and is connected to the rest of India by a narrow 20 km wide corridor of land.
Northeast India is also known as the “Seven Sisters”.
8. Bihu performance in Guwahati creates Guinness World Record
Tags: State News
Bihu, a beloved cultural event in Assam, was performed in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries at the Suraszai Stadium in Guwahati on 14 April.
News Overview
The festival is known for bridging differences and symbolising harmony between human beings and nature.
More than 11,000 folk dancers and drummers performed the Bihu dance and played the dhulia (drum) at one place, creating two Guinness World Records.
The performance set a new record for the largest Bihu dance at a single venue, while the dhol players set a record for the highest number of drummers performing at a single venue.
The Assam government announced an appreciation of Rs 25,000 for each artist.
About Assam:
Location: 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.
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 Animal - Indian Rhinoceros
Official Bird - White-winged Duck
Official Dance - Bihu Dance
Official flower -Rhynchostylis retusa
Official river -Brahmaputra
9. 125 feet tall Ambedkar statue unveiled in Hyderabad
Tags: State News
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao recently unveiled a 125-feet tall bronze statue of BR Ambedkar in Hyderabad.
An Overview of the News
The statue was unveiled to mark the 132nd birth anniversary of Ambedkar, who is best known for his role in drafting the Indian Constitution.
It is now the tallest statue of Ambedkar in India with a height of 125 feet.
This statue is situated near the State Secretariat on the beautiful banks of Hussain Sagar Lake.
Ambedkar's statue is a symbol of social justice and equality. It commemorates the contribution of BR Ambedkar towards building a just and equal society for all.
About Telangana
It is a state located in south-central India on the high Deccan Plateau.
It is the eleventh largest state of India by area.
Telangana was carved out of the northwestern part of Andhra Pradesh on 2 June 2014 and became the newly formed state of Telangana with Hyderabad as the capital.
Telangana is bordered by Maharashtra to the north, Chhattisgarh to the northeast, Karnataka to the west, and Andhra Pradesh to the east and south.
As of 2019, the state of Telangana is divided into 33 districts.
Formed (by split) - 2 June 2014
Capital - Hyderabad
District - 33
Governor - Tamilisai Soundararajan
Chief Minister - K Chandrasekhar Rao (BRS)
State Legislature - Bicameral
Legislative Council - (40 seats)
Legislative Assembly - (119 seats)
Rajya Sabha - 7 seats
Lok Sabha - 17 seats
High Court - Telangana High Court
10. Aman Sehrawat won gold medal in Asian Wrestling Championship 2023
Tags: State News
On 13 April, Indian wrestler Aman Sehrawat won the gold medal in the men's 57 kg freestyle category at the Asian Wrestling Championships 2023 held in Astana, Kazakhstan.
An Overview of the News
- Sehrawat won the gold medal by defeating Almaz Samanbekov of Kyrgyzstan with a score of 9-4.
- India got its first gold medal in the Asian Wrestling Championship 2023.
- It was Aman Sehrawat's second podium finish of the year. He had earlier won the gold medal in the Under-23 World Championship held in Spain last year.
- India won 13 medals at the Asian Wrestling Championships 2023 with two freestyle medals, four Greco-Roman medals and seven women's wrestling medals.
- The Asian Wrestling Championships is an annual wrestling competition organised by the Asian Wrestling Federation (AWF).
- The championships consist of men's freestyle, men's Greco-Roman and women's freestyle wrestling events.
- The first Asian Wrestling Championship was held in 1979 in Tehran, Iran.
About Kazakhstan:
- It is a Central Asian country that was once a part of the Soviet Union. It became an independent nation in 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
- The country is the ninth largest country in the world by land area, stretching from the Caspian Sea in the west to the Altai Mountains in the east.
- The capital of Kazakhstan is Nur-Sultan, which was renamed from Astana in 2019. It is a modern city known for its futuristic architecture.
- Almaty is the largest city in Kazakhstan and an important cultural and economic centre. It was the capital of Kazakhstan until 1997 when the government was moved to Astana.
