Today current affairs 15 August 2022
Current affairs:- Here we are providing latest current affairs of 15 August 2022. For preparation of competitive exams eg. UPSC, IAS, IPS Banking, Railway and Teaching and other states civil services / government job recruitment examinations of India. Lets start:-
(I) Shashi Tharoor honored with Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur, France’s highest honor
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor was awarded the “Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur”, the highest civilian award of the French government. He gave a speech in French in 2021, so he is being given this honor. Shashi Tharoor was also given a similar honor “Encomienda de la Real Order Espaola de Carlos III” by the Spanish government in 2010.
He was also a diplomat in the United Nations for 23 years. He is also a renowned author with several fiction and non-fiction books. France has given him this honor because of his writings and speeches. Those who read Tharoor would know that he is known as a wordsmith.
About Honor – Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur
- The badge bears the inscription “Republique Française”, which means the Republic of France. It has a tricolor inscription on its back, along with its motto “Honoor et Petri” meaning “honor and country”.
- The Legion of Honor is a French Order of Merit.
- Napoleon Bonaparte established this honor in 1802.
- This honor is given for outstanding civil or military conduct.
- The award is given to individuals with a civilian achievement of 20 years in peacetime or exceptional military bravery in time of war.
(II) SMILE – 75 INITIATIVE
SMILE-75 INITIATIVES
SMILE stands for “Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise”.
- Under the Smile-75 initiative, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has identified 75 municipal corporations for comprehensive rehabilitation of beggars. This initiative has been started under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
- As a part of the initiative, the identified Municipal Corporations will incorporate a number of comprehensive welfare measures in collaboration with NGOs and other stakeholders for the persons engaged in begging.
- They will focus on economic linkages with rehabilitation, counselling, education, awareness, provision of medical facilities, skill development and other government welfare initiatives.
- This initiative has been started with the objective of making the cities and municipal areas beggar free and to strategize the rehabilitation process.
- The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has allocated Rs 100 crore to implement this scheme by the year 2025-26.
- According to the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, BPBA (1959) begging is a criminal act in India in cities like Delhi and Mumbai. Under this act, officers of the Social Welfare Department with the help of the police conduct raids and apprehend beggars. Later, they are tried in special courts called ‘Bhikhari Adalats’.
(III)11 new Indian wetland sites take Ramsar list to 75
India has added 11 more wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites, taking the total number to 75.
4 wetlands were added in Tamil Nadu, 3 in Odisha, 2 in Jammu and Kashmir and 1 each in MP and Maharashtra.
Tamil Nadu: 1. Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary 2. Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex 3. Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary 4. Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary
Odisha: 1. Tampara Lake 2. Hirakund Reservoir 3. Ansupa Lake
Jammu and Kashmir: 1. Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve 2. Shalbug Wetland Conservation Reserve
Madhya Pradesh: 1. Yashwant Sagar
Maharashtra: 1. Thane Creek
Tamil Nadu has the maximum number of Ramsar sites (14), followed by Uttar Pradesh (10). The 75 Ramsar sites in the country cover an area of 13,26,677 hectares. India is one of the contracting parties to the Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. New Delhi signed it on February 1, 1982.
Quick links:-
Complete List of RAMSAR Sites in India free PDF – Ritu’s Academy