Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan has stepped down from his post. Governor of Assam, Prof. Jagdish Mukhi, has been given temporary charge of the Aizawl Raj Bhavan. Mr. Rajasekharan, who was former State president of the BJP in Kerala, had been sworn in as Governor of Mizoram in May 2018.
2. Which state disaster management authority has been honoured with the coveted SKOCH award 2018?
The Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) has been honoured with the coveted SKOCH award for 2018 for its remarkable achievements in the field of disaster management at the 56th SKOTCH Summit at New Delhi on February 25, 2019. The Skoch award covers the best efforts in the areas of finance, governance, banking, disaster management, technology, economics and inclusive growth. The OSDMA received an Order-of-merit in the Gold category for constructing 879 multipurpose cyclone and flood shelters that played a key role in saving human lives during Cyclone Phailin in 2013. It also bagged an 'Order-of-merit' in the silver category for constructing disaster resilient houses for about 17,000 Phailin affected families by relocating them to safer places. The 'Order-of-merit' Bronze was given to the OSDMA for its Early Warning Dissemination System for different hydro-meteorological disasters across the coastline of Odisha which will benefit 1,205 villages in 22 blocks of six coastal districts.
3. Which scheme of the West Bengal government has won the 2019 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) award in Capacity Building category?
The 'Utkarsh Bangla' scheme of the West Bengal government has won the prestigious 2019 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) award of the United Nations. The scheme aims to create a pool of skilled candidates industry ready. Out of 1062 nominations in 18 categories from all over the world, Utkarsh Bangla emerged No 1 in the Capacity Building category to win this prestigious award of WSIS. Earlier, in 2017, the West Bengal government had received another UN award for its 'Kanyashree' project, a targeted conditional cash transfer scheme aimed at promoting education among girls. WSIS Prizes is an international contest to create an effective mechanism to evaluate and recognise individuals, governments and private bodies for outstanding success in implementing development oriented strategies that leverage the power of ICTs as an enabler of the development.
4. For which state the government will set a multi-disciplinary terror monitoring group against terror financing and terror-related activities?
A multi-disciplinary terror monitoring group (MDTMG) has been set up by the Government to ensure synergized and collective action against terror financing and terror-related activities in Jammu and Kashmir. his group will have representatives from the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Intelligence Bureau, CBI, NIA, and Income Tax Department. Also, It will take action against hardcore sympathizers among government employees, including teachers, who are providing support to terror activities and investigate the network of various channels being used to fund terror and terror-related activities and take coordinated action to stop the flow of such funds.
5. AIIB approved USD 455 Million loan for this state Road Project.
A loan agreement of USD 455 million was signed between the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Government of India for financing the Andhra Pradesh Rural Roads Project, which will connect 3,300 habitations with a population of more than 250, and benefit around 2 million people in New Delhi. The objective of the Project is to improve road transport connectivity in previously unserved communities by providing all weather rural roads in all 13 Districts of Andhra Pradesh. It is the third project in Andhra Pradesh signed by the AIIB after two projects in Power Sector and Water Sector.
6. Which state has been identified as the most vulnerable to climate change according to the study by various IITs and IIS Bengaluru?
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) decided to commission a study to assess the climate risks faced by States in India, following an assessment of the global warming risks faced by 12 Himalayan States, discussed at last year's U.N. climate change conference in Poland, that found States such as Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand vulnerable to climate change. On a scale ranging 0-1, 1 indicating the highest possible level of vulnerability, at the top of the scale were Assam with a score of 0.72 and Mizoram at 0.71, whereas Sikkim, with an index score of 0.42 was relatively less vulnerable.The scores of other states are Jammu & Kashmir (0.6B), Manipur (0.59), Meghalaya and West Bengal (both 0.58), Nagaland (0.57), Himachal Pradesh and Tripura (0.51 both), Arunachal Pradesh (0.47) and Uttarakhand (0.45).
7. West Bengal celebrated Bengali New Year on 15th April. It is known as;
Bengali New Year also known as Pahela Baishakh was celebrated in West Bengal and among Bengali communities in Assam, Tripura and also in Bangladesh. The festival usually falls on 14 April every year which marks the first day of the initial month of Baishakh of the Bengali solar calendar. The 7th century King Shashanka of ancient Bengal started this Bengali era which was estimated to be in 594 AD in Gregorian calendar and it was later modified by Mughal emperor Akbar for the purpose of tax collection. On this day, the Bengali business community opens new books of accounts known as Halkhata to mark the beginning of the new accounting year. In 2016, UNESCO declared this festival as "cultural heritage of humanity".
8. Which team won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Indore?
Karnataka defeated Maharashtra to win their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. With the win, Karnataka set a record of most number of wins in a row by an Indian domestic team as they won 14 T20 matches to lift the coveted T20 trophy.
9. The Supreme Court has refused to regularise the pay of contractual teachers belonging to which state?
The Supreme Court has set aside the order of the Patna High Court, in which it had ruled that contract teachers in the state are entitled to a salary that is at par with the regular permanent teachers. The 3.5 lakh contractual teachers had demanded that they should also be given the same salary and benefits as the regular teachers as they were doing the same work and had the same educational qualification.
10. Where did India's first natural Ice Cafe located?
India's first natural Ice Cafe has started at a height of 14,000 feet in Leh, Ladakh at J&K. The ice cafe is located on the Manali-Leh Highway. It is created by natural process by the Border Road Organisation (BRO) officials, with the help of some locals during winters. It is built in the shape of a mound with the purpose of saving water in winter and using it later for irrigation purposes when the ice melts in spring. The cafe utilises the same concept as used by Sonam Wangchuk for his ice stupa project in Ladakh and has been attracting a large number of tourists.