General News Assembly elections 2022: EC announces 7-phase election in 5 states from Feb 10, counting on March 10. UP to vote in 7 phases; Manipur in 2 phases; Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa in single phase. CM Adityanath to contest from Gorakhpur, Akhilesh Yadav to contest from home turf Karhal. AAP names Bhagwant Mann as Punjab’s CM candidate, Amit Palekar as Goa CM candidate. India displays its military might, cultural diversity, socio economic progress at 73rd Republic Day parade. President approves 384 Gallantry Awards, other decorations to Armed Forces; Padma awards announced. Vaccination for 15-18 age group, booster dose to senior citizens, healthcare and frontline workers begins. India’s total COVID caseload touches 4.14 crore; cumulative vaccination crosses 166.7 crore. Focus on localised curbs to contain COVID, minimise damage to livelihood: PM Modi to Chief Ministers. No one can be forced to get vaccinated against their wishes: Centre tells SC. PM Modi launches India-assisted projects with Mauritius counterpart Pravin Kumar Jugnauth. PM Modi reviews strategic partnership with new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz . India, 5 Central Asian countries decide to establish joint working group on Afghanistan. PM lays foundation stone of 22 developmental projects worth over ₹4,800 crore in Imphal. PM Modi […] Read more
General News Parliament adjourned sine die, ahead of schedule; Lok Sabha registers 82% productivity, Rajya Sabha 47%. Bill repealing 3 farm laws gets President’s assent; Cabinet clears draft Bill for linking Aadhaar & voter ID. Farmers call off protest after Centre accepts their demands in writing. India’s total COVID-19 cases rose to 3,48,38,804; cumulative vaccination coverage exceeds 144.5 crore. Omicron tally rose to 1200; Delhi and Maharashtra top the chart. India to start administering booster doses for frontline workers and people above 60 from Jan 10. COVID-19 vaccine booster dose to be given nine months after second shot. Children aged 15 to 17 to be administered Covaxin from Jan 3. Centre asks states to impose night curfew, containment zones to curb Omicron spread. Govt panel recommends restricted emergency use of Covovax, Corbevax and anti-Covid pill Molnupiravir. Himachal Pradesh becomes first state to achieve 100% vaccination. Centre releases ₹604 crore to J&K to expedite Jal Jeevan Mission implementation. Purvanchal Expressway, Kushinagar Airport, Jewar Airport, Ganga Expressway – among projects announced by PM Modi in poll-bound UP. PM Modi inaugurates multiple development projects worth over ₹650 crore in Goa. Rajnath Singh inaugurates 27 bridges and 3 roads on LAC and LoC. Goa […] Read more
General News Winter Session of Parliament begins from November 29, to go on till December 23. PM Modi announces repeal of 3 contentious farm laws; Farm laws repeal Bill passed by both the Houses. WHO names new COVID strain ‘Omicron’, classifies it as ‘highly transmissible’. Centre advises States to ramp up testing for early detection of cases over Omicron scare. India COVID tally touches 3.46 crores, Active cases account for 0.30% of total infections. Global COVID-19 caseload crosses 263 million: deaths surge to more than 5.2 million. Over 124 crore COVID vaccine doses administered I India so far; 32% fully vaccinated. India to hit net-zero climate target by 2070: PM Modi at COP26 climate summit. Almost 200 nations strike climate deal with coal compromise; International Solar Alliance signs UN pact. Centre extends funding for weather, climate services to ₹2,135 crore. Defence Acquisition Council gives nod to production of AK 203 rifles. Ajit Doval chairs Security Dialogue on Afghanistan; NSAs of 7 countries raise issue of terrorism in Kabul. CDS General Rawat meets Czech Army’s Chief of General Staff, discusses bilateral defence cooperation. Gen Naravane meets with Israeli General; discusses aspects of bilateral military cooperation. Admiral R Hari Kumar takes charge […] Read more
General News India crosses 100 crore COVID vaccinations milestone; over 106.14 crore vaccinated so far. India COVID tally touches 34.2 million, Active cases account for 0.48% of total infections; recovery rate improves to 98.18%. PM Modi launches Swachh Bharat-Urban 2.0, AMRUT 2.0 for ‘Garbage Free’ and ‘Water Secure’ cities. PM Modi launches Jal Jeevan Mission App and Rashtriya Jal Jeevan Kosh. 16th East Asia Summit: PM Modi calls for free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. PM Modi hosts Danish PM; both countries agree on 5-year plan to implement green strategic partnership. G20 Summit: PM Modi highlights India’s contribution to fight against COVID. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla calls on Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa. Jaishankar, UK counterpart agree to facilitate travel between two nations. US Navy chief Admiral Mike Gilday arrives in Delhi; holds talks with Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh. Gen Naravane meets Sri Lanka’s top civilian and military leadership; discusses steps to boost defence ties. Jaishankar takes part in new quadrilateral with Israel, UAE and U.S. Jaishankar calls on Israeli President, PM; discusses bilateral full potential of bilateral relations. S Jaishankar-UK counterpart Liz Truss review progress on roadmap 2030; discuss terror, Afghanistan. S Jaishankar holds talks with UK CDS […] Read more
General News India COVID tally touches 33.7 million, 883 million vaccine doses administered so far. Active cases account for 0.80% of total infections; recovery rate improves to 97.84%. Govt allows door-to-door COVID vaccination for differently-abled persons. PM Modi launches Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, health ID for every citizen. PM Modi holds first bilateral meeting with Biden; discusses Indo-Pacific, climate, COVID. PM participates in the first in-person Quad Summit; addresses at 76th session of UNGA. India, Australia holds ‘2+2’ talks to strengthen defence, strategic cooperation. Jaishankar meets China’s Wang Yi; calls for early resolution on LAC issues in eastern Ladakh. S Jaishankar meets with UK’s Foreign Secretary; calls for resolution of ‘quarantine Issue’. Indian envoy to Qatar meets Taliban leaders, says Afghan soil must not be used for terrorism. India to host G-20 summit in 2023 for the first time; Piyush Goyal appointed sherpa for grouping. Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari to be new chief of Indian Air Force. IAF plane carrying Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari conducts mock emergency landing in NH 925 in Barmer. India signs a project agreement with the US for air-launched unmanned aerial vehicles. India, Singapore conduct major naval exercise near South China Sea. Defence Ministry places […] Read more
General News India celebrates its 75th Independence Day; PM Modi announces ₹100 lakh crore Gatishakti plan for holistic growth and National Hydrogen Mission. PM Modi declares August 14 to be observed as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day. Parliament session ends 2 days ahead of schedule; 22 Bills passed by both the Houses. Rajya Sabha records 29% productivity and Lok Sabha records 22%. President Kovind gives assent to Constitutional Amendment Bill allowing States to identify OBCs. India COVID tally touches 32.8 million, active cases account to 1.14% of total infections. India administers over 65.41 crore doses of COVID vaccination; recovery rate stands at 97.49%. Centre releases 2nd tranche of COVID Emergency Package to help states improve health infrastructure. DGCI approves study on mixing of Covaxin and Covishield doses; trial to involve 300 volunteers. Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID vaccine gets approval for Emergency Use in India. Many states announce COVID relaxation measures; schools, colleges , cinema halls set to reopen. Kerala govt reimposes Sunday lockdown, announces night curfew from 10pm to 6am from August 30. India, China agree to disengage from a key patrol point in Ladakh. Bhubaneswar becomes first Indian city to achieve 100% COVID-19 vaccination. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launches […] Read more
General News Monsoon session of Parliament: Both houses face repeated adjournments over Pegasus, farm laws. All citizens aged 18 and above to be vaccinated by December 2021: Health Ministry tells Parliament 36 new ministers take charge after Cabinet revamp; 7 promoted, 12 ministers dropped. PM Modi offers India’s Co-WIN platform to the world for adaptation to local use. India COVID tally touches 31.6 million, 470 million vaccine doses administered so far. Active cases account for 1.28% of total infections; recovery rate improves to 97.34%. Global Coronavirus caseload crosses 198.5 million; US cases surpass 35.7 million. PM Modi inaugurates, lays foundation stones of projects worth over ₹1,500 crore in Varanasi. Tirath Singh Rawat tenders resignation as CM of Uttarakhand; Pushkar Singh Dhami takes oath as CM. Union Minister Thawarchand made Karnataka Governor; 7 other States get new Governors. Basavaraj Bommai sworn in as the 30th Chief Minister of Karnataka. S Jaishankar holds delegation level talks with Iranian, Russian and Georgian couterparts. S Jaishankar discusses outstanding issues along the LAC in the Western Sector with China’s Wang Yi. US Secretary of State Blinken meets PM Modi, discusses regional challenges, cooperation on COVID. President Kovind visits J&K, Ladakh; pays tributes to Kargil martyrs […] Read more