Current Affairs 9 May 2023

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Uttar Pradesh becomes first state to make digital health cards for children On May 7, 2023, The Urban Development Department and Lucknow Smart City launched the ‘School Health Program’ making Uttar Pradesh (UP) the first Indian state to make digital health cards for children.

• As a pilot project, the program has been started by Lucknow Smart City in three schools in Lucknow viz. Aminabad Inter College, Kashmiri Mohalla Girls Inter College and Kashmiri Mohalla Montessori School.
• These schools have been given the responsibility of health checkup of 1765 children.

About School Health Program:
i.Under this, a digital health report card will be prepared on 130 parameters for the overall physical and mental well-being of municipal school. A health insurance worth Rs 25,000 will also be given to these children
ii.30 to 35-member mobile health team of doctors, paramedics, health volunteers as well as team coordinators will do desk-to-desk examinations of the child. A unique ID card will be made for each child, through which the child’s parents, school and administrative officials can download this health card. Follow-up of the Digital Health Report is also done every six months.
iii.There will an eye test, dental test, test of oral health of children as well as abilities to listen and speak are also tested.
iv.Workshops are also conducted on topics like child psychology, first aid, health and hygiene.
About Uttar Pradesh (UP):
Governor- Anandiben Patel
Chief Minister– Yogi Adityanath
Bird Sanctuaries– Surajpur Wetland, Soor Sarovar Bird Sanctuary (Declared as a Ramsar Site in 2020)

NITI Aayog’s Best Practices in Social Sector: A Compendium, 2023 includes 14 Union Govt InitiativesOn May 1, 2023, the NITI Aayog (National Institute for Transforming India) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) released the ‘Best Practices in Social Sector: A Compendium, 2023’ which is a compilation of 75   initiatives of the Centre and the states/ Union Territores(UTs) in the social sector.

• Out of the 75 initiatives, 14 have been launched by Union Government, two are joint initiatives by the Centre and the state governments, while the rest are from 26 states and UTs.

14 Social Sector:
The 75 initiatives are the innovations in policymaking at national and state levels in 14 key social sectors such as health, education, agriculture, science and technology, the environment, Disaster mitigation,Sports, COVID–19, Energy conservation, E- governance and digitization, Women’s empowerment, Financial inclusion, Skill development, and Social welfare.

• 75 initiatives have benefitted a large segment of the society and are replicable.

About National Institution for Transforming India(NITI Aayog):
CEO -B.V.R. Subrahmanyam
Headquarters – New Delhi
Establishment – 2015
>> Read Full News

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Inaugurates India’s 1st IAF Heritage Centre in ChandigarhDuring his visit to Chandigarh on May 08, 2023, the Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Ministry of  Defence, has inaugurated India’s first-of-its-kind Indian Air Force (IAF) Heritage Centre in Chandigarh’s Sector 18 to highlight the IAF’s various aircraft and its contributions in various wars.

• The IAF heritage is spread across 17,000 square feet at the Government Press Building in Chandigarh.
• It includes five vintage aircraft and would provide visitors with cockpit exposure and an experience with flight simulators.

Backdrop: An MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) for the heritage centre was signed in June 2022 between the Chandigarh administration and the IAF, in the presence of Banwarilal Purohit, Administrator of UT of Chandigarh.
Key Points:
i.The heritage centre has the first IAF-made patent aircraft Air Force ‘Kanpur-1 Vintage Prototype Aircraft’, a single-engine indigenous flying machine designed and built by the late Air Vice Marshal Harjinder Singh in 1958 at Base Repair Depot Kanpur.
ii.The Defence Minster was accompanied by Banwarilal Purohit, V R Chaudhari, Air Chief Marshal, Kirron Kher, Member of Parliament (MP).
iii.The Defence Minister also inaugurated and laid foundation stones for a few other projects in Chandigarh.
iv.A souvenir shop equipped with the IAF’s memorial and scale models has been set up at the heritage centre

• Note – Souvenir ship is a shop that sells things that are meant to be a reminder of a place one visits.

Additional Features:
i.A beautiful one-foot wall in the centre has photographs/paintings of 58 vintage and retired aircraft.
ii.Various rescue operations being undertaken by the IAF all over the country and at the world level were also planned to be included in the heritage centre.
iii.The initiatives undertaken by the Air Force Family Welfare Association for the benefit of the families of air warriors at the station, regional and central levels were also planned to be shown through projectors.
iv.As per the MoU signed in June 2022, the heritage centre is set to have simulators, decommissioned aircraft, aero engines and other IAF artefacts along with employing virtual reality and artificial intelligence.

Vistara Becomes the First Indian Airline to Use Sustainable Aviation Fuel

On 4th May 2023, Air Vistara became the 1st Indian carrier to operate a commercial domestic flight on a widebody aircraft using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).  The feat was achieved by the airline’s new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flying from Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), Delhi to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai using a blend of 17% SAF and 83% conventional jet fuel, reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by around 4,500 kilograms (kg).

• On this flight, Vistara was able to reduce approximately 10,000 pounds of CO₂ emissions.
• This initiative is a part of Vistara’s efforts to minimize carbon emissions and support a sustainable future for the aviation industry.

Vistara is the flagship brand of Tata SIA Airlines, a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines.
Note: Vistara was named the ‘Best Overall Airline’ in Central/Southern Asia at the 2023 Regional Passenger Choice Awards. It also recently received the Ch-aviation Asia’s Third Youngest Airline Fleet award for the second consecutive year.

BANKING & FINANCE

Visa Launched CVV-Free Payments Feature for Tokenised CardsVisa, the Card payments company, launched a Cardholder Verification Value (CVV) free feature for tokenized cards in India to make the online transaction process easier. Thus enabling the users to carry out online transactions without the need to enter the CVV.

• It eliminates the need for customers to enter the CVV for every domestic transaction.
• The feature allows the merchants only to verify the three-digit CVV once when tokenising the card.

The process of Authentication:
i.Under tokenized cards, the tokenization process replaces card details with a unique code, which improves transaction security.
ii.The tokenised transactions require two-factor authentication i.e. first at tokenisation and then when entering the OTP.
Advantage:
i.The CVV free feature prevents the customers from having to input their 16-digit debit or credit card number, CVV, and expiry date at merchant websites for every transaction.
ii.The transaction could be made securely as the online merchants could only store tokens (not card data) and the tokens also cannot be used on other merchant platforms. 
Note – Merchants like Zomato and payment service providers Razorpay are the existing users of Visa’s CVV-free solution.
Prevailing Service:

• After RBI eased the two-factor authentication for online card transactions up to Rs 2,000 in 2016, Visa had launched the Visa Safe Click service in 2019 to eliminate the need for CVV or OTP for transactions below Rs 2,000. Now Visa plans to pause Safe Click. 
• As of March 2023, Visa claims to have issued over 250 million tokens in India.

Rise of UPI Transaction:
i.According to latest RBI (Reserve Bank of India) data, total debit and credit transactions in the country totalled 458.8 million in February 2023, worth Rs 1.68 lakh crore.
ii.As per the data of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) data, the total UPI (Unified Payment Interface) transactions in February 2023 were more than 7.53 billion, processing payments worth Rs 12.35 lakh crore, underscoring the popularity of the payments infrastructure.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS     

Ram Nath Kovind confers ‘Bharat Ratna Dr Ambedkar Award’ on CM Yogi Adityanath for Creating Fear-Free UPOn 5th May 2023, Ram Nath Kovind, a former President of India, honoured Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister (CM) of Uttar Pradesh (UP), with the 13th edition of the Bharat Ratna Dr Ambedkar Award, for creating a fear-free UP, during the ceremony held at Shanmukhananda Auditorium in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

• The award was received by Lalji Prasad, a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) in UP, on behalf of CM Yogi Adityanath.
• The award ceremony event was organised by the Buddhanjali Research Foundation.
• On this occasion, the 13th Bharat Ratna Dr Ambedkar Award was also given to popular film actors Prem Chopra, Udit Narayan, and Rajpal Yadav as well as other talents from other regions of India.

About Yogi Adityanath:
i. Yogi Adityanath (born Ajay Mohan Singh Bisht) was born on 5 June 1972 in Pauri Garhwal, Uttar Pradesh (now in Uttarakhand).
ii. He is a politician from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and an Indian Hindu monk who has been serving as the 21st and 1st Hindu monk CM of UP since 19 March 2017.
iii. At the age of 26, in 1998, he started his political career by becoming the youngest Member of Parliament (MP) from Gorakhpur to the 12th Lok Sabha.
iv. He has been elected as an MP from Gorakhpur to the Lok Sabha for 5 consecutive terms (in 1998, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014 elections).
v. From 1998 to 1999, he worked in departments like the Committee on Food, Civil Supplies, Public Distribution and its Sub-Committee-B on the Department of Sugar and Edible Oils, and was a Member of the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
vi. On 19th March 2017, he became the 21st Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. In 2022, he won the UP Legislative Assembly election from Gorakhpur.
vii. In 2022, he took oath as the CM of UP for the 2nd time at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
About the Bharat Ratna Dr Ambedkar Award:
The Dr Ambedkar National Award or the Dr Ambedkar National Award for Social Understanding and Upliftment of Weaker Sections is a national award presented by the Government of India (GoI) in honour of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (B. R. Ambedkar), Former Minister of Law and Justice of India.
i. The award was established in 1992 and is administered by the Dr Ambedkar Foundation to people or organizations for their outstanding work.
ii. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 10 Lakhs and a citation.
iii. The inaugural award was conferred in 1993 to the National Institute of Social Work and Social Science, Bhubaneswar, Odisha.   

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS  

King Charles III & Queen Camilla crowned at Westminster Abbey, UKOn 6th May 2023, King Charles III was crowned as the King of the United Kingdom(UK) and sovereign of 14 Commonwealth realms at the coronation ceremony held at Westminster Abbey (formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster) in London, the UK.

• The Queen Consort (the wife of a reigning king) Camilla, was crowned the Queen beside King Charles III during the coronation. She became the 29th Queen Consort to be crowned at Westminster Abbey.
• This marks the 40th coronation to take place at Westminster Abbey since 1066.
• For the first time since 1937, the Queen Consort was crowned beside the coronation of the King. Queen Elizabeth, wife of King George VI, was the last Queen Consort to be crowned.

Note:
A Bible lesson from the biblical book of Colossians was read by Rishi Sunak, UK’s first Prime Minister of Indian heritage and a practising Hindu.
Significance of King Charles III’s coronation: 
i.The Coronation Service of Their Majesties the King and The Queen Consort at Westminster Abbey will be attended by a congregation of more than 2,200 people including the royal family members, Nobel Prize winners, British Empire Medal recipients and others.
ii.The Coronation did not formally change the King’s status.

• Charles became King of the UK and 14 other realms in September 2022, when his mother Queen Elizabeth II died after 70 years on the throne.

iii.In total, 4,000 armed forces personnel and 19 military bands took part in the event, making it the biggest state occasion since the coronation of the late Queen in 1953.
Key Points:
i.King Charles III wore St Edward’s Crown for the historic coronation ceremony.
ii.It was worn by the King’s late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, during her own coronation in June 1953. And by the King’s late grandfather, King George VI, at his coronation in May 1937.
iii.Queen Camilla wore the Queen Mary’s Crown at the Coronation. It is the first time a Consort’s crown has been re-used since the 18th century.       

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Indian Navy decommissions INS Magar at Naval base in Kochi after 36 years of ServiceOn May 6, 2023, the Indian Navy (IN) decommissioned Indian Naval Ship (INS) Magar, the oldest Landing Ship Tank (Large) after 36 years of service at the Naval base in Kochi, Kerala. It was commanded by CDR Hemant V Salunkhe.

• It was decommissioned in the presence of Vice Admiral MA Hampiholi, Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, as a Chief Guest. He helmed the ship from 2005-06.

Key Points:
i.The ship’s timeline and special postage cover were also released during the event.
ii.INS Magar was launched on November 16, 1984 by Meera Tahiliani and commissioned on July 18, 1987 at Garden Reach Shipyard and Engineers (GRSE) Limited, Kolkata (West Bengal) by late Admiral Radhakrishna Hariram Tahiliani.
iii.During service, INS Magar participated in numerous operations, amphibious exercises and humanitarian missions and operations including Samudra Setu wherein more than 4,000 Indian nationals were repatriated from various corners of the world, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
iv.The ship was also instrumental in evacuation of over 1,300 survivors post Tsunami in 2004 and had been part of several joint military exercises with the Indian Army.
v.In 2018, the vessel was converted into a training ship and joined the First Training Squadron at Kochi.

IAF Received 1st Batch of Indigenous Loitering Munitions – TATA ALS 50Indian Air Force (IAF) has received its first indigenously designed and developed Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) loitering munitions named the TATA ALS 50 which are capable of operating from all kinds of terrain and high altitude areas and can take down targets at a range of over 50 km, without exposing any personnel to risk.

• The munitions which are also known as suicide drone has been developed by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL)
• The munitions are designed for VTOL and have successfully demonstrated their capability to carry out precision strikes (less than 2 meters) during trials and tests.
• TATA ALS 50 could allow for real-time targeting, either by the operator or autonomously.

Features:
VTOL capability will support operating in areas where limited space is available, like narrow valleys, fortified mountain positions, small jungle clearings and the decks of warships.
Loitering munition could be used to destroy enemy targets that may be beyond line of sight, including high-value targets like command centres and missile launchers, that may be located at far distances.

Rocket Lab launches 2 NASA satellites to study Tropical Storms and Hurricanes

On 8th May 2023, Rocket Lab USA, Inc.(Rocket Lab) launched the first of the 2 launches to deploy NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)’s Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation Structure and Storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) mission across two separate Electron launches.

• Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket launched Rocket Like A Hurricane, 1st of the 2 launches to deploy NASA’s TROPICS mission carrying two TROPICS CubeSats, from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand.
• This is also the Rocket Lab’s 36th Electron launch overall.

Note:
The 2nd mission – Coming To A Storm Near You – is scheduled to launch from the same location in mid-late May 2023.

About TROPICS:
i.NASA’s TROPICS constellation will monitor the formation and evolution of tropical cyclones, including hurricanes, and will provide rapidly updating observations of storm intensity.
ii.This data will help scientists better understand the processes that effect these high-impact storms, ultimately leading to improved modelling and prediction.
iii.The constellation, a part of NASA’s Earth System Science Pathfinder Program, consists of 4 CubeSats that require launch to a specific orbit at an altitude of 550 kilometres and inclination of about 30 degrees.

• These were originally planned as a series of six satellites but the first two were lost in an Astra launch failure in 2022, and the remaining four were subsequently switched to Rocket Lab.

IAF’s First C295 for India completes its Maiden Flight in Spain

The Indian Air Force (IAF)’s 1st C295 medium transport aircraft has completed its maiden flight in Spain, marking a significant milestone towards its delivery by the second half of 2023. The aircraft took off from Seville, Spain, on 5 May 2023 and landed after 3 hours of flight.

• This first flight represents a significant accomplishment for the 1st Make in India aerospace programme.

India’s defence ministry signed a ₹21,935-crore agreement to acquire 56 C295 aircraft in September 2021 to replace the (IAF) legacy AVRO fleet.

• The first 16 aircraft will be assembled in Seville, Spain, and delivered to the customer in ‘fly-away’ condition.
• The remaining 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India as part of an industrial partnership between Airbus Defence and Space and Tata Advanced Systems Limited companies.

The C295 programme comprises a total of 280 orders from 39 operators, making it an unmatched aircraft in its weight and mission class.

SPORTS

Max Verstappen of Red Bull won the F1 Miami Grand Prix 2023Dutch-Belgian racing driver Max Verstappen of Red Bull won the Formula 1(F1) Miami Grand Prix(GP) 2023 title, the 5th round of the 2023 F1 World Championship, at the Miami International Autodrome, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the United States of America(USA).

• This marks Max Verstappen’s 38th career win, tying him with Sebastian Vettel for most victories for Red Bull.
• Mexico’s Sergio Perez (Red Bull) finished 2nd and Spain’s Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) finished 3rd in Miami GP 2023.

The Miami GP 2023, officially known as the F1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix 2023, is the 2nd edition of Miami GP. The inaugural edition was held in 2022.
Note: Max Verstappen was the inaugural winner of the Miami GP in 2022.

About Miami Grand Prix:
Circuit: Miami International Autodrome is a one-of-a-kind circuit located at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida USA.
Circuit length- 5.41 km
Race Length– 308.326 km
Laps– 57

Podium of F1 Miami Grand Prix 2023: 

Key Points:
i.With this win, Max Verstappen leads the 2023 Drivers Standings with 119 points, followed by his teammate Sergio Perez with 105 points and Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin with 75 points.
ii. Previously, Max Verstappen won the Bahrain GP 2023, the opening round of the 2023 F1 World Championship and the Australia GP 2023.
iii.The Constructors’ Championship standing is topped by Austria’s Red Bull Racing-Honda followed by the United Kingdom’s (UK) Aston Martin Aramco-Mercedes at 2nd, and Germany’s Mercedes at 3rd.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

CM Pushkar Singh Dhami releases Book on Cybercrime Titled “Cyber Encounters” in Hindi Version

On 7th May 2023,  Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister (CM) of Uttarakhand, launched the Hindi version of “Cyber Encounter: Cops’ Adventures With Online Criminals”  (साइबर एनकाउंटर्स) at St Joseph’s Academy, Rajpur Road, Dehradun, Uttarakhand. This version has been published by Prabhat Prakashan Pvt. Ltd.

• The book was originally written in English by Ashok Kumar, the Director General of Police(DGP) of Uttarakhand, and co-authored by OP Manocha, a former scientist of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and published by Ebury Press.
• The book provides information about the world of cybercriminals and the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies while tracking and catching them.

Dr Sandeep Marwah Presented the First Copy of Book “8 Years of Modi Sarkar” to Ram Nath Kovind

Dr Sandeep Marwah, the Chancellor of AAFT University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, and President of the International Chamber of Media and Entertainment Industry (ICMEI), presented the 1st copy of the book “8 Years of Modi Sarkar- A Compilation of Achievements”, published by ICMEI, to Ram Nath Kovind, the former President of India.

• The book documents the achievements of the Modi government over the past 8 years.
• The book is sure to be a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, and anyone interested in understanding the government’s work over the past eight years.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day 2023 – May 8World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day is annually observed across the globe on 8th May to celebrate the principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
The theme of World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day 2023 is “Everything we do comes #fromtheheart”
Background:
i.The idea of World Red Cross Day originated during the 14th International Conference held in London, the United Kingdom, in 1938.
ii.In 1946, The Board of Governors of the League of the Red Cross Societies (LORCS) proposed the celebration of World Red Cross Day and it was later adopted in 1948.
iii.The first International Red Cross Day was celebrated on 8th May 1948.
iv.The celebration was renamed as World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day in 1984.
About the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC):
President– Francesco Rocca
>> Read Full News

International Thalassaemia Day 2023 – May 8 International Thalassaemia Day is annually observed across the globe on 8th May to raise awareness about Thalassaemia, a genetic blood disorder caused when the body doesn’t make enough of a protein called haemoglobin, an important part of red blood cells.

• The theme of International Thalassaemia Day 2023 is “Be Aware. Share. Care: Strengthening Education to Bridge the Thalassaemia Care Gap”.

Objective of the Day:
i. To increase understanding and knowledge about thalassaemia, its symptoms, and its impact on individuals, families, and communities and show support for those who live with it.
ii. To promote the importance of early diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and ongoing support for people living with this blood disorder and healthcare professionals involved in their care.
Background:
In 1994, the Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF) proclaimed the 8th May of every year as the International Thalassaemia Day to remember all the Thalassemia patients who fought the disease and lost their life.
The day was established in the memory of George, the son of TIF’s President and Founder, Panos Englezos.

• The first ever International Thalassaemia Day was observed on 8th May 1994.

About Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF):
The Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation founded in 1986.
President & Founder– Panos Englezos
Headquarters– Strovolos, Nicosia, Cyprus
>> Read Full News

World Athletics Day 2023 – May 7World Athletics Day is annually observed across the globe on May 7 to promote sports and exercise for physical and mental well-being. The day aims to raise awareness about the benefits of physical activity and encourage young and school children to take up athletics.

• World Athletics Day 2023 was observed on 7th May 2023 under the theme “Athletics for All – A New Beginning”.

The day is annually observed by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), formerly the International Amateur Athletic Federation (1912–2001).

• The IAAF was renamed World Athletics in 2019.

i. The IAAF, the world governing body for the sport of track and field athletics, introduced World Athletics Day as a social responsibility titled “Athletic for a Better World.”
ii. The 1st ever World Athletics Day was observed on 15th May 1996, with the participation of over 50 countries, and the event was launched by the late Primo Nebiolo, the then-president of the IAAF.
About the World Athletics:
World Athletics (or IAAF) was established on 17 July 1912, in Stockholm, Sweden, following the Olympic Games closing ceremony.
President- Sebastian Coe
Headquarters- Monaco
>> Read Full News

64th Raising Day of Border Roads Organisation – 7th May 2023The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), annually celebrated its Raising Day on May 7th to mark the establishment of the BRO on 7th May 1960. The day aims to recognise the contribution of the BRO personnel and invite all ranks of the Organisation to continue on the path of excellence towards the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges in the border areas.

• 7th May 2023 marks the observance of the 64th Raising Day of BRO.

BRO is the leading road construction organisation in India which has been managed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) since 2015. It also supports the armed forces to meet their strategic needs by dedicated and cost effective development and maintenance of the infrastructure.

• BRO has constructed over 61,000 kms of roads, over 900 Bridges, four Tunnels and 19 airfields along India’s borders and in friendly foreign countries, including Bhutan, Myanmar, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.

Background:
i. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) was formed on 7 May 1960 to secure India’s borders and develop infrastructure in remote areas of the north and north-east states in India.
ii. The Government of India set up the Border Roads Development Board (BRDB), as an inter-ministerial body, in March 1960 under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister.
iii. The BRDB was reconstituted in 1985 with the Defence Minister as the chairman. Currently, the Minister of State (MoS) for Defence is the chairman of the Board.
iv. The Director-General Border Roads (DGBR) is the executive head of the BRO and the Organisation is primarily composed of officers from the Border Roads Engineering Service (BRES) and personnel from the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF).
About Border Roads Organisation (BRO):
Established in- 1960
Director General- Lt. Gen. Rajeev Chaudhary
Headquarters- New Delhi, Delhi
Motto– We Will Either Find a Way or Make One
>> Read Full News

STATE NEWS

ACC Appointed IAS officer Vineet Joshi as new Chief Secretary in Manipur

On May 7th 2023, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) appointed Vineet Joshi, Additional Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, as the new Chief Secretary in Manipur.

• The 1992 Manipur cadre IAS officer, Vineet Joshi replaced Dr Rajesh Kumar, whose term was previously extended for six-months in December 2022, but was cut short because of Vineet Joshi’s appointment.

Key Points

• Vineet Joshi also replace three other IAS officers MH Khan (1988 cadre), Moses Challai (1990 cadre) and P Vaiphei (1991 cadre), all of Manipur cadre.
• ACC has approved the appointment of Vineet Joshi on the request of the Government of Manipur to handle the Clashes that broke out in the state after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the 10 hill districts on May 3, 2023 to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
• So far, 23,000 people have been rescued from the violence-hit areas and were moved to military garrisons.

Responsibilities:
i. According to the order of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (personnel division) of the Manipur government, the Governor of Manipur appointed Dr Vineet Joshi as Chief Secretary (Finance/Information Technology/Department of Defence Protection/Cabinet/Planning).
ii. Vineet Joshi has also been given additional responsibilities of Chief Vigilance Commissioner, Manipur and Principal Resident Commissioner, Manipur Bhawan, New Delhi, Delhi.
About Vineet Joshi:
i. Vineet Joshi served as the Principal Secretary to Manipur Chief Minister N Biren
ii. He joined the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports as private secretary in 1999.
iii. He was appointed as the chairperson of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) twice, in 2010 and then again re-appointed in 2022
iv. He served as the Director-General of National Testing Agency (NTA), which is responsible for conducting entrance examinations in India.
Other Recent appointments:
On May 4th 2023 the Manipur government appointed:
i. Retired IPS (Indian Police service) officer and former CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) chief Kuldiep Singh as the security advisor.
ii. IPS officer Ashutosh Sinha as the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Intelligence, and the Operational Commander.
About Manipur:
Capital– Imphal
Chief Minister– N. Biren Singh
Governor– Anusuiya Uikey
Airports– Imphal International Airport

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List of Current Governors in India – February 2023

List of Current Chief Ministers in India – February 2023

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