Home » Current Affairs Date: 31 October 2021

Current Affairs Date: 31 October 2021

National

Puducherry Technological University, & Solar Power Plant at Pondicherry University

⇒ The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the Puducherry Technological University, in Puducherry on 13 September 2021.

The Puducherry Technological University (PTU) is the first state university of the Union Territory of Puducherry which has been constituted by upgrading Pondicherry Engineering College established in 1986.

Solar Power Plant at Pondicherry University:

The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu also inaugurated a 2.4-Megawatt capacity solar power plant at Pondicherry University in the Union Territory of Puducherry, he expressed his concern over climate change and its impact.

The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu called upon states to promote the setting up of manufacturing plants for solar PV cells and modules to accelerate their production in India.

Chief Minister of Gujarat

⇒ First-time legislator Shri Bhupendra Patel took oath as the 17th chief minister of Gujarat on 13 September 2021.

Governor Acharya Devvrat administered the oath to Shri Patel at a function held at the Raj Bhavan.

National Meet on SVAMITVA Scheme

⇒ The Union Minister of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Shri Giriraj Singh inaugurated the National Meet on SVAMITVA Scheme: A Stepping-Stone Towards Upliftment of Rural Economy on 14th September, 2021.

The conference provided a cross-learning platform for the States in respect of processes of SVAMITVA Scheme.

About SVAMITVA Scheme:

The SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages And Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) Scheme was launched by the Prime Minister on National Panchayati Raj Day, 24th April 2020.

It was launched with a resolve to enable economic progress of Rural India by providing ‘Record of Rights’ to every rural household owner.

Aiming to demarcate inhabited (Abadi) land in rural areas through the latest surveying drone-technology, SVAMITVA Scheme is a collaborative effort of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Revenue Departments, State Panchayati Raj Departments and Survey of India.

Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh State University

⇒ The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, laid the foundation stone of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh State University in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, on 14 September, 2021.

About Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh State University:

The University is being established by the State Government in the memory and honour of the great freedom fighter, educationist and social reformer, Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh ji.

The University is being set up in a total area of over 92 acres at village Lodha and village Musepur Kareem Jarouli of Aligarh’s Kol tehsil. It will provide affiliation to 395 colleges of the Aligarh Division.

International

India–Africa Defence Dialogue

⇒ India has proposed to institutionalise the India–Africa Defence Dialogue as a regular event to be held along with the biennial DefExpo Military Exhibition.

Institutionalisation of the India Africa Defence Dialogue will help building on the existing partnerships between African countries & India and to explore new areas of convergence for mutual engagements including areas like capacity building, training, cyber security, maritime security and counter terrorism.

India–Africa Defence Relations:

The foundation of India–Africa defence relations are based on the two guiding principles namely ‘SAGAR’, Security and Growth for All in the Region’ and ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, The World is One Family.

First India-Africa Defence Ministers Conclave:

The first-ever India Africa Defence Ministers Conclave (IADMC) was held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in conjunction with DefExpo, on February 06, 2020. It was co-organised by Ministry of Defence and Ministry of External Affairs.

Next India – Africa Defence Dialogue:

Knowledge Partner:

    • Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses shall be the knowledge partner of India Africa Defence Dialogue. It will assist in providing necessary support for enhanced defence cooperation between India and Africa.

Host:

    • Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will host the Defence Ministers of African Nations in the next India-Africa Defence Dialogue on the sidelines of the DefExpo 2022.

Scheduled:

    • The next India-Africa Defence Dialogue is scheduled to be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat in March 2022.

Theme:

    • The broad theme of the India Africa Defence Dialogue 2022 will be ‘India – Africa: Adopting Strategy for Synergizing and Strengthening Defence and Security Cooperation’.

Important Day

International Day of Democracy

⇒ The International Day of Democracy is celebrated around the world on 15 September each year.

Theme:

The theme for International Day of Democracy 2021 was “Strengthening democratic resilience in the face of future crises”.

About International Day of Democracy:

It was established through a resolution passed by the UN General Assembly in 2007, encouraging governments to strengthen and consolidate democracy. The first such celebration took place in 2008.

The International Day of Democracy provides an opportunity to review the state of democracy in the world.

Source: PIB & Other News Reports

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