Current Affairs Sep 2017 - Places in NEWS

News 1 - Ahmedabad declared India's first "World Heritage City" by UNESCO

The World Heritage Committee (WHC) of UNESCO has announced Ahmedabad as India’s first World Heritage City, recognising heritage value of the city’s unique heritage.

The city also became third in Asia to have received the status. India now has a total of 36 World Heritage Inscriptions -- 28 cultural, 7 natural and 1 mixed site.

The Walled City of Ahmedabad is more than 600 years old and it was founded by Ahmed Shah. It has 28 Archaeological Survey of India's centrally protected monuments.

News 2 - North East Calling festival organized in New Delhi

The two-day festival ‘North East Calling’ was organized by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) in New Delhi under its Destination North East series for this year.

The purpose of the event was to promote the art, culture, heritage, cuisine, handicrafts, business and tourism of North East India.

The two-day event included showcase of rich culture of North East, including Music Festival for bands of North-East, Cultural Night for Dances of North-East. The B2B conferences were also organised at the event.

News 3 - Uninhabited Lakshadweep island Parali I vanishes

One of the uninhabited islands in the Lakshadweep, Parali I, has vanished due to coastal erosion. The island was a part of Bangaram atoll. It had an area of 0.032 sq.km in 1968. It is assumed that the island has been subjected to complete erosion during 1968-2003 period.

Other four such territories in the sea are shrinking fast. Apart from Parali I, net erosion was higher in Parali II (80%), followed by Thinnakara (14.38%), Parali III (11.42%) and Bangaram (9.968%).

News 4 - India’s first advanced Homoeopathy Virology lab inaugurated in Kolkata

The Union Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent Charge) Shri Shripad Yesso Naik inaugurated India’s first State of art virology laboratory at Dr. Anjali Chatterjee Regional Research Institute for Homoeopathy in Kolkata.

The laboratory has been established to develop new drugs and technologies in Homoeopathy to combat emerging challenges of viral diseases.

The laboratory, established at a cost of Rs. 8 crore is the only one in India for conducting basic and fundamental research in Homoeopathy for viral diseases like influenza, Japanese encephalitis, dengue, chickunguniya and swine flu.

News 5 - Anti-terrorist operation Sajak held in Kanyakumari by Coast Guard

In Tamil Nadu, anti-terrorist operation Sajak was held in Kannyakumari by Coast Guard. As part of Operation Sajak the preparedness of marine security officials to prevent intrusion by terrorists through sea routes were tested.

The patrol ships of Coast Guard started from Chinna Muttom fishing harbour in Kannya Kumari. They covered the 68 kilometre sea coast upto Neerodi in Kerala border. Fishermen in the area were also advised to alert marine police and local authorities about suspected sighting of boats in sea and the coast.

News 6 - Second State Startup Conference in New Delhi

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Government of India organized the Second State Startup Conference in New Delhi.

The discussions were conducted around four key themes:

Governance reforms to be undertaken by States for Startups.
Incubation facilities in India and role of State Governments in developing these facilities.
Role of State Governments in setting up funds for Startups.
Making regulations easier for Startups

News 7 - First Regional Vocational Training Institute to set up in Hyderabad

Vice President Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu laid the foundation stone for Regional Vocational Training Institute in Hyderabad which is the first of its kind for the State of Telangana boosting skill development opportunities among women ready to contribute to the country’s workforce.

Skill development will not only empower country and its industries but also contribute to economies across the world. There is a huge demand for skilled workforce world over and it is the right that India reap demographic dividend and bridge this demand supply gap.

News 8 - India's First Centre for Animal Law Set up at Hyderabad

NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad, Telangana to have India's first Centre for Animal Law. Union Minister for Women and Child Development announced N G Jayasimha as the honorary director of the Centre.

The Centre will be dedicated for study of animal issues in India and elsewhere. A curriculum on animal welfare laws, including developing topics for research will be followed by Center.

Centre will also conduct workshops on animal laws and animal welfare issues with judicial magistrates, animal welfare advocates, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders in the government.

News 9 - PM attends Sahkar Sammelan on the occasion of birth centenary of Laxmanrao Inamdar

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi attended a Sahkar Sammelan in New Delhi, on the occasion of the birth centenary celebrations of Shri Laxmanrao Inamdar.

The Prime Minister spoke of the goals such doubling farmers’ income by 2022, and balanced development in rural and urban areas.

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of preserving the “spirit” in the cooperative movement. The Prime Minister released two books: one on Shri Laxmanrao Inamdar, and one titled “Nine Gems of Indian Cooperative Movement.

News 10 - Chennai to host India International Science Festival 2017

The 3^rd edition of India International Science Festival (IISF) 2017 will be held in Chennai during 13-16 October, 2017 at various venues which include Anna University, Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Structural Engineering Research Centre (SERC), National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) and IIT-Madras.

The Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Earth Sciences and Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA) have come together to organize the IISF every year, since 2015. India has declared 2010-20 as the ‘Decade of Innovation’.