All in One Current Affairs

India eyeing $250 billion maritime economy by 2024: Defence secretary

Obaid Siddiqui – Veteran broadcaster, academician, poet passes away

Veteran broadcaster, poet and academician Obaid Siddiqui passed away in a Ghaziabad hospital due to health related problems. Siddiqui, 63, was quite unwell due to multiple ailments and was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Kaushambi, Ghaziabad, for the past one week where he breathed his last.

In 1957, Siddiqui received higher education from Aligarh Muslim University and joined the All India Radio at Srinagar station in 1988. He later moved to London to work with BBC Urdu service, where he stayed till 1996. In 2004, he joined Jamia Millia Islamia’s AJK Mass Communication Research Centre and later rose to become its director. Siddiqui, who also worked with NDTV, was also known as an Urdu poet.

Kannada scholar and activist, Chidananda Murthy passes away

Noted Kannada scholar, epigraphist and activist Chidananda Murthy passed away at age 88. He was ill for sometime and was being treated for age-related illness at a private hospital, where he breathed his last. Murthy was known for his work on Kannada inscriptions.

His work played a key role in deciding the antiquity of the Kannada, which helped get the language Classical Language status from the Union government in 2008. He was also a vocal Kannada activist, leading Kannada Shakti Kendra in 1970s and 1980s. Later, he became a champion of the Hindu Right-Wing cause. He was one of the key articulators of the argument against Tipu Sultan.

Babul Baruah, Veteran PTI journalist passes away at 80

Veteran PTI journalist Babul Baruah, who was associated with the premier news agency for nearly 40 years, has died following prolonged illness. He was 80. Suffering from kidney failure and cardiac problems for the last few years, Baruah passes away in Pune.

Baruah joined PTI in 1966 at its Guwahati bureau before he was transferred to Itanagar to establish the Arunachal Pradesh office. He served at PTI’s eastern region headquarters in Kolkata during the ’80s and was subsequently posted in Aizwal, covering Mizoram when the state was reeling under insurgency. Baruah also served at PTI’s Silchar office, and then at Shillong from where he retired in 2002.

Celebration of Harvest Festival and Lohri in North India

The festival of harvest, Lohri is being celebrated in North India especially in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu and Chandigarh. Lohri marks the end of the long nights of winter and welcomes the longer days of summer, as the Sun begins its journey to the Northern Hemisphere.

Lohri is celebrated with a bonfire. The festival is mostly associated with crop harvesting and happiness. It also encourages a sense of community and unity. Several young married couples also pray for a child during Lohri celebrations and those who get child also celebrate it with great fervour.

Another myth about the beginnings of the Lohri festival revolves around the story of Dulla Bhatti – a robber who reportedly saved girls from getting sold. Popcorns, peanuts, Rewari and Gajak are distributed to all neighbours, friends and relatives on the occasion.

Odisha: Population of ‘mugger’ crocodile increases

The number of muggers, an endangered crocodile species, in Ghodahada irrigation reservoir and adjoining waterbodies in Odisha’s Ganjam district has increased, much to the delight of wildlife activists and officials. The number of the crocodile species in and around the reservoir was counted at 65 in the three-day-long census that ended on Saturday. The census was conducted with the participation of around 50 persons who were divided into 20 teams.

While 44 muggers were found in the 5 sq km reservoir, 21 were counted in the nearby waterbodies, said Amlan Nayak, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of BerhampurLast year, the population of muggers in the area was at 58, which included 43 in the Ghodahada reservoir. The population of the muggers had remained stagnant in 2017 and 2016, while their number was 49 in 2015, official sources said.

Improvement in their habitat was stated to be the cause of the increase in the population, said the officer. The Mugger is one of the three crocodile species found in Odisha. The other crocodile species are gharial and salt- water crocodile or estuarine crocodile. Forest officials said no mugger was found dead in the area in the last three years. Ghodahada reservoir is considered as one of the potential habitats for the muggers in the state after Satakosia and Similipal.

Kaziranga National Park records 96 species of wetland birds

Kaziranga, home of the world’s most one-horned rhinos, has 96 species of wetland birds — one of the highest for wildlife preserves in India. Officials of the Kaziranga National Park and avian specialists conducted the second wetland bird count on January 9-10.

The teams counted a total of 19,225 birds belonging to 96 species under 80 families. The first waterfowl census in 2018 had yielded 10,412 birds covering 80 families from 21 families. Kaziranga, about 220 km east of Guwahati, has a total area (tiger reserve) of 1,030 sq km with a core area of 430 sq. km. It was established in 1908 and is a World Heritage Site since 1985.

The other species with sizeable numbers include gadwall, common coot, lesser whistling duck, Indian spot-billed duck, little cormorant, ferruginous duck, tufted duck, Eurasian wigeon, Asian openbill, northern lapwing, ruddy shelduck and spot-billed pelican.

Andhra Pradesh likely to have four Regional Capitals

Amid uncertainty over the future of Amaravati as Andhra Pradesh’s capital, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is planning to build four regional capitals. Rajya Sabha member T.G. Venkatesh claimed that YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government may prefer to develop capitals in four different regions to ensure the state’s all-round development.

The Chief Minister will be the ex-officio Vice-Chairman of the board, while at least one Member of Parliament, two members of the State legislature (elected), four other members from that zone (nominated by the state government) will be members of the Board. Each zone will have a full-time secretary, who will be nominated by the Government. A Principal Secretary rank officer will be considered for the post.

The four capitals are likely to be developed are Vizianagaram for the north-coastal Andhra zone; Kakinada for East and West Godavari districts; Guntur for the south coastal Andhra; and Kadapa for Rayalaseema. As Amaravati comes under Guntur district, whatever buildings constructed so far may be used for one of the capitals.

Bihar: Cultural exchange programme to be organised

A cultural exchange programme will be organised in February in Gaya, Bihar under “Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat” with youths of state, Tripura, as well as Mizoram. Different programmes organised under the aegis of Ek bharat shrestha Bharat are spreading fragrance of unity of India.

Anjani Kumar, District Co-ordinator of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangthan (NYKS) told AIR that in the upcoming event the youths of Tripura and Mizoram would show case their culinary expertise, perform different kind of folk dance with songs and their traditional musical instruments.

Telangana’s Peddapalli bags ‘Swacchatha Darpan Award 2020’

Peddapalli district administration has won the “Swachhatha Darpan award” for the second consecutive year from the Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation at a programme organised in New Delhi. Bollywood actor and founder of Paani Foundation Aamir Khan presented the award to Collector A. Sri Devasena on the occasion. The district, under the leadership of Ms. Devasena, has bagged four national awards under the Swachh Bharat Mission.

The district achieved 100% coverage of all villages with community toilet blocks for men and women with running water overhead tank, tiled flooring, washbasins, paintings, signboards etc. It also recorded 100% coverage of soak pits to become the country’s first open-drain free district with salutary effect seen in 65% decline in dengue cases as compared to last year.

The district completely banned single-use plastic and promoted non-woven cloth bags provided by women SHGs and helped them secure employment. Peddapalli was acclaimed for the implementation of panchasutras (five-point programme) to achieve cent per cent sanitation in villages.

Indian Railways sign MoU with RailTel for Phase 2

After successful completion of the Phase 1 execution of NIC e-office for 50,000 users in 58 units, Indian Railways has signed MoU with RailTel for the phase 2 of the project. In phase 2, RailTel will register 39,000 users over 34 Railway divisions in NIC e-office platform by 30th June 2020.

E-Office fosters a paper-less culture which will not only save operational cost but also reduce the carbon footprint which is one of the most urgent needs of the world and directly impacting every citizen of the country.

Robert Abela set to become Malta’s new prime minister

Political newcomer Robert Abela set to become Malta’s new prime minister having been elected leader of the ruling Labour Party following a vote on Saturday.

The election result became known early on Sunday with Abela winning 58 per cent of the votes of some 17,500 members of the party. He was up against Chris Fearne (56) the deputy prime minister and minister of health, who had been the initial favourite to win.

Joseph Muscat is stepping down as leader and prime minister amid claims that he protected associates who had links to people allegedly involved in the 2017 murder of anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Senior IPS A.P. Maheshwari appointed new Director General of CRPF

Senior IPS officer Anand Prakash Maheshwari was on Monday appointed as the Director-General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The post of DG CRPF was lying vacant after R R Bhatnagar retired on December 31.

Maheshwari, a 1984 batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, has been appointed to the post up to February 28, 2021, i.e. the date of his superannuation, the order stated.

Book compilation of Arun Jaitley’s writings to hit stands in February

A book, compilation of selected writings by former finance minister Arun Jaitley, offers readers with the late politician’s sharp insight on topics including GST, demonetisation and Kashmir, publishing house Juggernaut Books announced.

The book, “A New India: Selected Writings 2014-19”, is an authoritative account of the policies and decisions made by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government during its first stint. It will hit the stands in February.

Jaitley, who passed away at the age of 66 in August last year, as a finance minister rolled out the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2017, the biggest tax reforms after Independence. BJP’s and PM Modi’s chief trouble-shooter, he helmed the finance, defence, corporate affairs and information and broadcasting ministries.

‘PAX SINICA: Implications for the Indian Dawn’ launched by S Jaishankar

A book on China titled ‘PAX SINICA: Implications for the Indian Dawn’ authored by Dr. Samir Saran and Akhil Deo was recently launched by Union External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The book is published by Rupa Publications India.

Dr Samir Saran, the President of Observer Research Foundation (ORF), one of Asia’s most influential think tanks is a Commissioner of The Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace, member of the World Economic Forum’s South Asia advisory board and Global Future Council on Geopolitics. Akhil Deo is a Junior Fellow at the ORF. His research interests include India’s foreign policy and the impact of emerging technologies on society.

Swami Vivekananda’s ‘Karma Yoga’ released in Nepal on Vishwa Hindi Diwas

The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu released four books, including the Nepali translation of Swami Vivekananda’s ‘Karma Yoga’, at an event marking the Vishwa Hindi Diwas.

The other three books includes – the Nepali translation of a book compiling five famous stories by Indian writer Premchand; the Hindi translations of ‘Ashwathama’ written by Nepalese poet Madhav Prasad Ghimire and; ‘Utkrishta Kahaniyan’ a collection of 25 modern Nepali stories written by young and upcoming Nepali story writers.

A special issue of ‘Sahityalok’, the research journal of Central Hindi Department of Tribhuvan University was also released during an event at the embassy to mark the occasion.

Kolkata: Two ICGS commissioned by Defence Secretary

Defence Secretary, Ajay Kumar commissioned Two Indian Coast Guard Ships (ICGS) Annie Besant and Amrit Kaur at Kolkata. ICGS Annie Besant was named in honour of Annie Besant, philanthropist, theosophist, prolific author and supporter of the Indian freedom struggle. It will be based at Chennai under the operational and administrative control of the Commander, Coast Guard Region (East). ICGS Amrit Kaur ship will be based at Haldia under the operational and administrative control of the Commander, Coast Guard Region (North East).

ICGS Annie Besant and ICGS Amrit Kaur are fitted with state-of-the-art technology, navigation and communication equipment, sensors and machinery. The ships are equipped with Bofors 40/60 guns and 12.7 mm SRCGs (Stabilised Remote Controlled Gun) for enhancing the fighting efficiency of the ship. The ships are also capable of undertaking multi-faceted tasks such as surveillance, interdiction, search and rescue, and medical evacuation.

Capt. Tania Shergill, first woman parade adjutant for Republic Day parade

Captain Tania Shergill, an officer with Army’s Corps of Signals, will be the first woman parade adjutant for the Republic Day parade. Captain Shergill is an electronics and communications graduate,
Commissioned in March 2017 from the Officer Training Academy, Chennai.

The Republic Day parade will witness Infantry Combat Vehicle BMP-2K of the 18 Mechanised Infantry, Dhanush Gun System and the Army Air Defence on the Rajpath. Contingents of the Corps of Signals, Sikh Light Infantry, Kumaon Regiment, the Grenadiers, the Parachute Regiment will also take part in the parade.