Daily Current Affairs – 11-02-2025

Tamil Nadu

Kuwait honours PM Modi

® PM Narendra Modi has been conferred the ‘Mubarak Al-Kabeer Order’ , the highest civilian honour of Kuwait. ® The honour was bestowed by Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah , the Amir of Kuwait.

Sahitya Akademi Awards 2024 announced

® The Sahitya Akademi has announced its annual awards for 2024 in 21 languages under eight categories. ® The award consists of an engraved copper plaque , a shawl, and a cash prize of ₹1 lakh .

Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2024

® The Sahitya Akademi announced 24 winners of the Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2024 . ® Nandini Sengupta and Devender Kumar are among the winners. ® The award includes 7 novels, 6 poetry books, 5 short stories, 4 stories, 1 play, and 1 historical fiction. ® Winners receive a casket containing an engraved copper plaque and a cheque of ₹50,000 .

National Child Awards presented

® President Droupadi Murmu has conferred the PM Rashtriya Bal Puraskar to 17 children (7 boys and 10 girls) from 14 states and union territories . ® The award is given in recognition of exceptional achievements in 7 categories.

Entrepreneurship Conclave in Pune

® Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh has inaugurated the ‘ Entrepreneurship Development Conclave ’ in Pune, Maharashtra . ® The event, organised by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) , was held under the theme “ Empowering Entrepreneurs: Transforming Livestock Economies ”. ® He launched 40 projects worth ₹545.04 crore. He also launched: ® Two compendiums of success stories of AHIDF and NLM beneficiaries ® The NLM – Entrepreneurship Development Programme ( NLM-EDP ) Dashboard ® The updated NLM Operational Guidelines 2.0 ® A compilation of success stories ® Top performing states and banks were awarded during the event including: ® Top performing states under the AHIDF: Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu ® The DAHD also declared January 14 to February 13 as ‘ Animal Husbandry and Animal Welfare Month ’

AEC reconstituted

® The central government has reconstituted the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) . ® The new members include TV Somanathan, Manoj Govil, Ajit Doval (National Security Adviser), and Vikram Misri (Foreign Secretary). ® The Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy will be the Chairman of the AEC . ® AEC formulates policies for the Department of Atomic Energy.

New launch pad for ISRO

® The Union Cabinet has approved the construction of a new launchpad (TLP) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) of the ISRO in Sriharikota. ® The project, estimated to cost ₹3,984.86 crore , is set to be completed in 4 years. ® The new launchpad will support Next Generation Launch Vehicles (NGLV) and Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM3) vehicles. ® It will enhance India’s space capabilities , enabling the launch of heavier spacecraft ( 30,000 tonnes to low Earth orbit against the current 8,000 tonnes).

New observatory in West Bengal

® The Department of Science & Technology has inaugurated India’s sixth astronomical observatory . ® This is the first such observatory in Eastern India. ® The observatory is located at Panchet Hill in Purulia, West Bengal.