1.National Affairs
Kushinagar Airport gets international airport status
Union Cabinet has granted International Airport status to Kushinagar Airport
The airport is located in north-eastern Uttar Pradesh, in an important Buddhist pilgrimage site
The international status will:
- Boost tourism in the area
- Increase economic development
It is a strategically important area with access to international borderQuick
Fact: It is believed that Gautam Buddha attained Parinirvana after his death in Kushinagar
2.National Affairs
Himachal Pradesh wins e-Panchayat Puraskar 2020
The e-Panchayat Puruskar 2020 has been won by the Himachal Pradesh state panchayati raj department
The prize has been given for providing internet services to all the 3,226 panchayats of the state
This will help make registration processes of birth, marriage and death easily accessible to all villages
Quick Fact: Narendra Singh Tomar is the Union Minister of Panchayati Raj
3.Science and Technology
Union Cabinet approves formation of IN-SPACe
IN-SPACe stands for Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre
The centre will help:
- participation of private sector in space activities
- spur innovation and increase India’s global standing in space technology
IN-SPACe will be a facilitator and regulator and act as an interface between ISRO and private companies
4.Science and Technology
Russia company plans to take first tourist on space walk in 2023
Russian Company, RSC Energia, has signed a deal with US space tourism company Space Adventures
As per the agreement, two tourists will be sent to the International Space Station, out of whom one will do a spacewalk with a Russian cosmonaut
Till now there have been eight space tourists, but none have done a spacewalk
Quick Fact: A US businessman Dennis Tito became the World’s First Private Space Explorer in 2001
5.National Affairs
Annual TB Report 2020: Gujarat, Nagaland and Tripura best performing
As per the report:
- In larger state category, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh are best performers
- In the smaller state category, Nagaland and Tripura are best performers
- Among UTs, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu are best performers
- Almost every rural area has been covered through more than 4.5 lakh DOT Centres.
