Telangana Affairs
Santhi Kumari Appointed as First Woman Chief Secretary of Telangana
Senior Ias OfficerA Santhi Kumarihas been appointed as the newChief Secretary of . Santhi Kumari took charge as the first Women Chief Secretary of the State at the Secretariat in BRK Bhavan. Santhi Kumari will take charge over incumbent Somesh Kumar, who was relieved from the Telangana government by the Union Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
Santhi Kumari is thefirst woman Chief Secretaryof Telangana.
She was appointed a day after the formerCS Somesh Kumarwas relieved by the State Government.
After taking charge as the Chief Secretary of Telangana, she metChief Minister K Chandrashekhar Raoat Pragati Bhavan.
National and International Affairs
The Indian Army and theJapanese Ground Self-Defense Force(JGSDF ) are participating in the ongoing bilateral training exercise, Exercise Dharma Guardian-2023 scheduled at Camp Imazu in Shiga province, Japan. The contingent of theIndian Armyarrived in Japan and the opening ceremony of the fourth edition of Exercise Dharma Guardian was held atAibano Field Firing Range. Notably, this is the first time ever that the DG series of exercises is being organised in Japan.
The warriors, participating in the annual exercise, will share experiences gained during operations in order to enhance interoperability in planning and execution.
It will further enhance the level of DEFENCE co-operation between the Indian Army and Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces, enhancing the bilateral relations between the two nations.
Notably, Exercise Dharma Guardian-2023, which has been organised in line with several other military training exercises undertaken by India with various countries, is crucial and significant in terms of the security challenges faced by both nations against the backdrop of the current global situation. The Exercise Dharma Guardian-2023 is an annual exercise that takes place between the soldiers of both countries.
Aquifer mapping to end by March: Min
Aquifer mapping of the country would be completed by March this year, an exercise that will help various states gauge availability of ground water and its recharge potential.
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha recently, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu said out of the total geographical area of around 33 lakh sq km of the entire country, around 25 lakh sq km of mappable area has been identified.
The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has taken up the Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme since 2012 under the scheme of Ground Water Management and Regulation. The programme is aimed at delineating aquifer disposition and their characterisation for preparation of aquifer or area specific ground water management plans with community participation.
The management plans are shared with respective state governments for taking appropriate measures or implementation. Aquifer mapping is a scientific process, wherein different analyses are applied to characterise the quantity, quality and sustainability of groundwater in aquifers.
Ministry launches nationwide drive to end filariasis disease
The Union Health Ministry launched a nationwide mass drug administration (MDA) campaign aimed at ending filariasis disease transmission through door-to-door administration of anti-filarial drugs, especially in 10 affected states including Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.
The launch came a month after the programme received resounding support from Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to eliminate filariasis by 2027, three years ahead of the global target.
India has ramped up efforts to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF), a vector-borne disease caused by culex mosquitoes that leads to disabilities, well ahead of the global targets to safeguard communities from disabilities, as well as from social and economic insecurity.
The Centre has already unveiled a renewed five-pronged strategy for the elimination of LF, a statement from the Ministry said.
UIDAI Launched New AI Chatbot Aadhaar Mitra in India
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has recently launched a chatbot to help people get an answer to their queries related to the Aadhaar card. It is called Aadhaar Mitra. The /Machine Learning (AI/ML)-a based chatbot can answer queries related to Aadhaar enrolment number, PVC Card order status, and complaint status, among other things. It is available in both English and Hindi languages
Aadhaar Chatbot is well-trained to answer queries on Aadhaar-related topics, provide information about Locate Aadhaar Center, Check Aadhaar Enrolment/ Update status, Check PVC Card Order status, file a Complaint, Check Complaint status, Locate Enrolment Center, and Book an Appointment.
South Africa declares State of Disaster over electricity crisis
In order to speed up the governments reaction to an ongoing Energy Crisis, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa proclaimed a state of Disaster. He also promised to designate a minister in his office who will concentrate on increasing the supply of power.
Since 2008, the nation has struggled with electricity shortages that have reached historic heights, resulting in rolling blackouts every day of this year.