CLAT-2022 CURRENT AFFAIRS (23rd SEPTEMBER)

 

 

CONTENT

 

1. INDIAN ARMY TO ORGANISE CULTURAL FEST

2. 118 MAIN BATTLE TANKS ARJUN MK – 1A FOR INDIAN ARMY

3. SUPREME COURT REJECTS CENTRE’s PLEA TO ALLOW WOMEN IN NDA EXAM FROM 2022

4. PFRDA TO OBSERVE NPS DIWAS ON OCTOBER 1

5. TALIBAN ASK TO SPEAK AT UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN NEW YORK

 

 

 

INDIAN ARMY TO ORGANISE CULTURAL FEST

 

 

• The Indian Army will organise a festival from September 26-29 at Kolkata to showcase the cultural linkage between India and Bangladesh during the liberation war of 1971. 

 

• The festival named ‘Bijoya Sanskritik Mahotsav’ is being organised by the Eastern Command of the Indian Army. 

 

• Highlights of the event during the program include a Fusion band display of Army Pipe, Brass and Jazz Band, performances by renowned Bengali playback singers and a play on 1971 Indo-Pak war by RSR Group. 

 

• A display of vintage vehicles and equipment of Eastern Command and guided tours of Fort William Military Station has also been scheduled.

 

• The events will be organised at the Rabindra Sadan and Nandan Convention Centre, Kolkata. 

 

• The festival will showcase the tales of valour of Indian army and liberation war fighters of Bangladesh ‘Muktijodhas’ in the historical battles during the 1971 war of liberation. 

 

• The event is being organised as part of the Swarnim Vijay Varsha celebrations to commemorate the 50 years of liberation of Bangladesh and India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war.

 

• Lt. Gen. Manoj Pande, Army Commander, Eastern Command will inaugurate the event at Rabindra Sadan on 26 September. 

 

(SOURCE: NEWSONAIR)

 

 

 

118 MAIN BATTLE TANKS ARJUN MK – 1A FOR INDIAN ARMY

 

 

 

• Ministry of Defence (MoD) placed an order with Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF), Avadi, Chennai for supply of 118 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) Arjun Mk-1A for the Indian Army on September 23, 2021.

 

• The order, worth Rs 7,523 crore, will provide further boost to the ‘Make in India’ initiative in defence sector and is a big step towards achieving ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. 

 

• The state–of-the-art MBT Mk-1A is a new variant of Arjun Tank designed to enhance fire power, mobility and survivability.

 

• It has been designed and developed by Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) by incorporating numerous upgrades on Arjun MBT, the in-service main battle tank with the Indian Army.

 

• The MK-1A is equipped with accurate & superior firepower, and all-terrain mobility. This tank is particularly configured and designed for Indian conditions.

 

• This production order to HVF, Avadi opens up a large avenue in defence manufacturing for over 200 Indian vendors including MSMEs, with employment opportunities to around 8,000 people.

 

• The MBT Arjun Mk-1A has been designed & developed by Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE), along with other laboratories of DRDO within two years (2010-12). 

 

(SOURCE: PIB)

 

 

 

 

SUPREME COURT REJECTS CENTRE’s PLEA TO ALLOW WOMEN IN NDA EXAM FROM 2022

 

 

 

• The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to accede to the government’s request to allow women candidates to sit for the National Defence Academy entrance exam only in May 2022. 

 

• Entrance exams to the NDA are held twice a year. In an affidavit filed in the court, the Defence Ministry had asked for time until May 2022 to issue the notification allowing women to sit for the NDA exams.

 

• So that the Academy — which until now enrolled only men — would have enough time to make changes, including in infrastructure and curriculum, to accommodate the women cadets.

 

• A two-judge bench headed by Justice S K Kaul did not accede to the government’s request for more time, stating that the court had, in its interim order in August, allowed women candidate to take this year’s exams in November and did not want to belie their hopes.

 

• The court was hearing a plea by Advocate Kush Kalra seeking its intervention to allow eligible women candidates to appear for the NDA exam.

 

• Initially, the government had termed the decision to restrict NDA to only male candidates as a matter of policy, but the court refused to accept this and said the policy “is based on gender discrimination”. 

 

• Appearing for the petitioner, Senior Advocate Chinmoy Pradip said allowing women to take the May 2022 exams would mean they will be admitted only by 2023.

 

(SOURCE: INDIAN EXPRESS)

 

 

 

PFRDA TO OBSERVE NPS DIWAS ON OCTOBER 1

 

 

• The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) have kickstarted a campaign under ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. 

 

• The Pension Regulator will be observing 1st October 2021 as the National Pension System Diwas (NPS Diwas) to promote pension and retirement planning for a carefree ‘azad’ retirement.

About PFRDA: 

• Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority is the regulatory body under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India for overall supervision and regulation of pension in India.

 

• The Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority Act was passed on 19 September 2013 and the same was notified on 1 February 2014. 

 

• PFRDA is regulating NPS, subscribed by employees of Govt. of India, State Governments and by employees of private institutions/organizations & unorganized sectors.

 

• The PFRDA is ensuring the orderly growth and development of the pension market.

 

(SOURCE: PIB)

 

TALIBAN ASK TO SPEAK AT UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN NEW YORK

 

 

 

• The Taliban have asked to address world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly this week in New York City. 

 

• The Taliban also nominated their Doha-based spokesperson, Suhail Shaheen, as Afghanistan’s UN ambassador.

 

• The group, which seized control of Afghanistan last month, said the envoy for the ousted government no longer represented the country.

 

• The request to participate in the high-level debate is being considered by a credentials committee, whose nine members include the US, China and Russia. 

 

• Under UN rules, Ghulam Isaczai will remain Afghanistan’s ambassador to the global body.

 

• No government has formally recognised the Taliban as Afghanistan’s new government and for the UN to agree to its nominee for ambassador would be an important step towards international acceptance.

 

• When the Taliban last controlled Afghanistan, between 1996 and 2001, the ambassador of the government they overthrew stayed on as a UN representative.

• At the UN meeting on Tuesday, Qatar urged world leaders to stay engaged with the Taliban.

 

• Qatar has become a key broker in Afghanistan. It hosted talks between the Taliban and US which culminated in a 2020 agreement to withdraw US-led Nato forces. 

 

(SOURCE: BBC)

CG 

ARJUN MK 1A