04.11.17 Himachal Pradesh (HPPCS) Current Affairs

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HIMACHAL PRADESH

 

  • With e-ballots, Himachal Pradesh may see jump in soldiers voting

 

  • Serving armed forces personnel from Himachal Pradesh are expected to cast their vote in large numbers in the upcoming assembly election in the hill state with the Election Commission implementing the electronically transmitted postal ballot system (ETPBS) here. The system was first implemented in the Goa assembly election in which 831 soldiers had cast their vote.

 

  • The Himachal Pradesh chief electoral officer (CEO) has already issued ballots to around 37,000 members of armed forces posted across the country. Officials say they are expecting 70% to 80% of the postal ballots to return from the soldiers. Earlier, barely 20% used to be returned.

 

  • The personnel can download the password-protected blank post ballot sent to them electronically, mark their preference and post the filled-up ballot back to their respective returning officers. With this, there would be no delay in receiving the postal ballots back, as the voters have already received the ballot papers and can send it back well before the counting.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

·       Air New Zealand wins Airline Excellence Award for the 5th time

 

  • Air New Zealand has been crowned “2018 Airline of the Year” by leading international aviation.

 

  • The award marks the 5thconsecutive year Air New Zealand has received the top honour in its Airline Excellence Awards.

 

  • It is followed by Qantas Airways, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Australia and Virgin Atlantic.

 

  • Meanwhile, Etihad Airways, All Nippon Airways, Korean Air, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines are also featured on the list.

 

  • Kenneth Juster Confirmed as the Next US Ambassador to India

  • The US Senate confirmed by a voice vote the nomination of Kenneth Juster as the next US Ambassador to India.
  • Juster, 62, has played a key role in the landmark Indo-US civil nuclear deal.
  • He will replace Richard Vermaas the top American diplomat to India.

 

  • Juster is soon expected to be headed to India for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad.

 

  • The annual summit is being co-hosted by India and the United States.

 

 

  • Kazakhstan to change its name by 2025

 

  • The central Asian country of Kazakhstan is changing its name to Qazaqstan in a challenge to Russian influence over the country.
  • The former Soviet state announced that it will appoint a national committee to oversee the country’s transition from Russian Cyrillic to a Latin-based alphabet by 2025.
  • As a result, the name of the country will be changed to the Latin equivalent ‘Qazaqstan.’

 

NATIONAL 

 

·       Tamil Nadu’s Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple wins UNESCO award

 

  • The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category.
  • It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body.

 

·       Indira Gandhi International Airport at Delhi will get 55 additional counters by January 2018

 

  • The Home Ministry approved the addition of 55 counters at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport and 1,800 more personnel will be deployed by January 2018 to deal with rising passenger traffic.
  • The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba.
  • The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) will provide space for at least 10 more immigration counters at departure area byNovember 15while additional space will be provided for another 10 immigration counters to be functional by January 2018.

·       BRO Builds World’s Highest Motorable Road in Ladakh

 

  • The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) built the world’s highest motorable road at a height of over 19,300 feet.
  • The road has been constructed in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The 86-kilometre long strategic road has been constructedunder ‘Project Himank’ of the BRO.

 

  • It connects Chisumle and Demchok villages.

 

  • The road passes through Umlingla Top at a height of over 19,300 feet.

 

 

  • Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana launched to promote philately

 

  • Minister of Communications Shri Manoj Sinha launched a Pan India scholarship program for school children called Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana to increase the reach of Philately.
  • Under the scheme of SPARSH (Scholarship for Promotion of Aptitude & Research in Stamps as a Hobby), it is proposed to award annual scholarships to children of Standard VI to IX having good academic record and also pursuing Philately as a hobby through a competitive selection process in all postal circles.
  • Briefing the media after the launch of the scheme, Shri Sinha said that under the scheme, it is proposed to award 920 scholarships to students pursuing Philately as a hobby.
  • Every Postal Circle will select a maximum of 40 scholarships representing 10 students each from Standard VI, VII, VIII & IX.
  • The amount of Scholarship will be Rs. 6000/- per annum @ Rs. 500/- per month.

 

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