SIPVS Knowledge is Power
- Madhya Pradesh Assembly declares Narmada living entity
The Madhya Pradesh government has passed a resolution granting river Narmada the status of a living entity
- A month ago, the Uttarakhand High Court had declared Ganga, Yamuna and their tributaries living entities with the status of a legal person.
- The living entity status will mean that the Narmada will be owner of all property and litigation for its conservation could be initiated on the river’s behalf.
- GSLV Successfully Launches South Asia Satellite
India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F09) successfully launched the 2230 kg South Asia Satellite (GSAT-9) into its planned Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
- Launch of GSLV was its eleventh and took place from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota, the spaceport of India.
- This is the fourth consecutive success achieved by GSLV carrying indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage.
- In its oval shaped GTO, the South Asia Satellite is now orbiting the Earth.
- South Asia Satellite is a communication satellite built by ISRO to provide a variety of communication services over the South Asian region. For this, it is equipped with Ku-band transponders.
- International permaculture conference to be held in Hyderabad
Permaculture experts from around the world will attend the 13th International Permaculture Convergence (IPC) to be held in Hyderabad from November 27 to December 2, 2017.
- More than 1,200 delegates from across the globe will attend the IPC with the theme ‘Towards healthy societies’.
- It is being organised by Hyderabad-based environmental and developmental NGO Aranya Agricultural Alternatives, the International Permaculture Convergence Council (IPCC) and Friends of IPC (FIPC).
- The primary objective of IPC 2017 is to provide Indian farmers an opportunity to get inspired and learn how their current challenges can be solved using permaculture principles.
- Govt declares entire Assam as ‘disturbed’ area
The Centre has declared the entire Assam as a “disturbed” area under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act — the AFSPA — for three more months, citing various violent activities by insurgent groups ULFA, NDFB and others.
- In a gazette notification, the Home Ministry said the entire Assam, besides bordering areas of Meghalaya, have been declared “disturbed” under the AFSPA for three months with effect from May 3.
- The ministry said there were 75 incidents of violence in Assam in 2016 in which 33 people, including four security personnel, were killed and 14 others were abducted.
Points to Remember
- Armed Forces Special Powers Acts (AFSPA), are Acts of the Parliament of India that grant special powers to the Indian Armed Forces in what each act terms “disturbed areas”.
- According to The Disturbed Areas (Special Courts) Act, 1976 once declared ‘disturbed’, the area has to maintain status quo for a minimum of 3 months.
- The AFSPA has been continuing in Assam since November 1990.
- Security forces conduct biggest combing operation in Kashmir since 90s
In view of growing attacks on policemen and incidents of bank robberies, a massive ”cordon and combing” operation had been launched by the security forces in south Kashmir’s Shopian district.
- The massive door-to-door joint search operation launched by the Army, paramilitary and J&K Police is probably the biggest such exercise in the past 15 years in the violence-hit South Kashmir.
- Facebook, Airtel launch Express Wi-Fi in India
Social media giant Facebook has partnered with country’s largest telecom player Airtel to deploy 20,000 internet hotspots through Facebook’s Express Wi-Fi service in India. These hotspots will be installed by the company in the coming few months.
- Express Wi-Fi is part of Facebook’s global initiative to spread internet connectivity.
- It is currently operational in five countries-India, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria and Indonesia.
- Facebook started testing the service in 2015 and has nearly 700 internet hotspots already deployed across the four Indian states of Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Meghalaya.
- India opens small arms manufacturing unit in MP in a joint venture with Israel
Strengthening defence ties, India has opened its first private small arms manufacturing plant at Malanpur, Madhya Pradesh in a joint venture with Israel.
- The JV company, Punj Lloyd Raksha Systems Pvt Ltd, will manufacture small arms in the plant for the Indian defence forces and also for exports.
- The plant will manufacture weapons like X95 assault rifle, Galil sniper, Tavor assault rifle, Negev light machine gun and the Ace assault rifle, which is similar to the Tavor but less advanced.
- Govt appoints MDs, CEOs of seven public sector banks
The government has appointed new managing directors and chief executive officers of seven public sector banks.
The new appointments are:
- R Subramaniakumar: MD and CEO of the Indian Overseas Bank (IOB).
- Rajkiran Rai G: MD and CEO of the Union Bank of India.
- Sunil Mehta: MD and CEO in the Punjab National Bank.
- Usha Ananthasubramanian: Allahabad Bank as its new MD and CEO.
- Dinabandhu Mohapatra: MD and CEO of the Bank of India.
- M O Rego: MD and CEO Syndicate Bank.
- R A Sankara Narayanan: MD and CEO of Vijaya Bank.
Source :- Daily Current Affairs Capsule
