National
Commemorative Postal Stamp on completion of 50 years of Pandit Jasraj’s Music Festival
⇒ Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah released a commemorative Postal Stamp, to mark 50 years of Pandit Jasraj’s music festival – ‘Pandit Motiram Pandit Maniram Sangeet Samaroha’, in New Delhi on 27 December 2023.
- The commemorative stamp has been brought out by the Department of Post, Ministry of Communications, Government of India.
Key Points:
- This music festival was started by Pandit Jasraj ji in 1972.
- It was started to musically express love to the only memory he had of his Father, Sangeet Ratna Pandit Motiram ji, who passed away when Pt Jasraj was only 4 years old and his elder brother and later his Guru, Sangeet Mahamopadhyay Pandit Maniram ji.
- Besides being one of the greatest all time Indian Classical Vocalist, Pandit Jasraj ji made an unprecedented contribution in the field of culture and music to India by carefully introducing young musicians to audiences of Hyderabad, who have now grown to become legends in their own right.
- During his lifetime, for 47 years, without a single break, Pandit Jasraj ji hosted this annual Sangeet Samaroh himself. It is the oldest festival of Hyderabad, and this legacy is carried forward by Pandit Jasraj Cultural Foundation. For this unique contribution he was called “Son of Hyderabad”.
Karmayogi Bharat and NITI Aayog launch 6 SAMARTH Curated Programs
⇒ Karmayogi Bharat, in association with NITI Aayog, has launched 6 SAMARTH Curated Training Programs on the iGOT Karmayogi Platform for State Government officials.
The programs are-
- SAMARTH Blocks: Tailored for citizen-facing officials and local administrators, SAMARTH Blocks, having 14 courses, focuses on building foundational skills crucial for effective local governance.
- SAMARTH Zila: Aimed at district-level officials, SAMARTH Zila, comprising 14 courses, is designed to equip learners with the knowledge and tools required to address district-level challenges and drive effective service delivery.
- SAMARTH Rajya: Targeting state-level officials, the 14 courses of SAMARTH Rajya seek to equip learners with advanced skills required for steering governance at the state level.
- SAMARTH Rajya Sachiva: Tailored for senior officials and state secretaries, this program consisting of 14 courses, focuses on empowering learners with the expertise needed to navigate complex policy landscapes and drive transformative change.
- SAMARTH Policy: The 5 courses of SAMARTH Policy delve into the intricacies of policy formulation, policy writing, insights, data analysis, and evaluation.
- SAMARTH Procurement: Catering to officials involved in procurement processes, SAMARTH Procurement, having 9 courses, provides specialized training in procurement guidelines, rules, strategies, and considerations.
Aim:
These programs aim to elevate the skills and competencies of government officials, ensuring they are well-equipped to meet the evolving needs of governance.
About iGOT:
- iGOT Karmayogi is a comprehensive online learning platform to guide government officials in their capacity-building journey.
- The portal combines six functional hubs for online learning, competency management, career management, discussions, events, and networking.
Ministry of Home Affairs declares ‘Muslim League Jammu Kashmir (Masarat Alam faction)’/MLJK-MA as 'Unlawful Association'
⇒ The Government of India has declared ‘Muslim League Jammu Kashmir (Masarat Alam faction)’/MLJK-MA as an ‘Unlawful Association’ under Section 3(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) 1967.
Key Points:
- Muslim League Jammu Kashmir (Masarat Alam faction)’/MLJK-MA has been involved in anti-national activities and its members have been indulging in secessionist activities in the Jammu and Kashmir and supporting terrorist activities in India.
- The members of this organization, by inciting the people, wants to establish Islamic rule in Jammu and Kashmir, which is prejudicial to the sovereignty, security and integrity of India.
- Many criminal cases have been registered against this organization under various sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967, IPC 1860, The Arms Act 1959 and Ranbir Penal Code 1932.
» Following the policy of zero tolerance against terrorism under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and guidance of Home Minister Shri Amit Shah; the Ministry of Home Affairs has declared- 4 organizations as ‘Terrorist Organizations’, 6 individuals as ‘Terrorist’ and 2 organizations as ‘Unlawful Association’ in 2023.
7th 250 Men Ferrycraft, ‘MANJULA’ (YARD 786)
⇒ Seventh Ferrycraft, ‘Manjula’ (Yard 786) has been delivered to Indian Navy on 29 December 2023.
Key Points:
- Contract for construction and delivery of 07 x 250 Men Ferry Craft was concluded with M/s Shalimar Works Ltd, Kolkata, in consonance with “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiatives of the Government of India.
- Six out of Seven Ferrycraft have already been delivered to IN.
- With all major and auxiliary equipment/ systems sourced from indigenous manufacturers, these Ferrycraft are proud flag bearers of “Make in India” initiatives of Ministry of Defence.
- With a capacity to ferry 250 Men, Induction of ‘Manjula’ (Yard 786) would provide impetus to Operational Commitments of IN by facilitating Transportation of both Men and Material between Indian Naval Ports and Ships/Submarines at anchorage.
Important Day
Veer Bal Diwas
⇒ The Government of India had decided to celebrate 26 December every year as “Veer Bal Diwas”.
- Veer Baal Diwas pays homage to the great valour and supreme sacrifice of Sahibzada Zorawar Singh Ji and Sahibzada Fateh Singh Ji, the younger sons of the tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh ji.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi participated in the programme marking ‘Veer Baal Diwas’ on 26th December, 2023 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. On the occasion, the Prime Minister also flagged off a march-past by youth in Delhi.
Background:
- On the day of the Prakash Purab of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, on 9th January 2022, the Prime Minister announced that 26th December will be observed as ‘Veer Bal Diwas’.
- Veer Baal Diwas is commemorated to honor the martyrdom of Baba Fateh Singh and Zorawar Singh on 26th December, 1704, Sahibzade (sons) of 10th Guru Govind Singh Ji after being executed in the court of Wazir Khan, the Mughal Governor of Sirhind.