Current Affairs August 2015 Smart Practice Part 7

Places in News

Conakry (Guinea)

• The United Nations Organisation for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) announced on July 21, 2015 that Conakry, the capital of Guinea in West Africa will be the World Book Capital for 2017.
• With this selection Conakry become the 17th city in the World to be designated as World Book Capital.
• World Book Capital is a title bestowed by UNESCO to a city in recognition of the quality of its programs to promote books and reading and the dedication of all players in the book industry.
• The designation runs from UNESCO’s World Book and Copyright Day (April 23) of one year until April 22 of the following year.

Puri (Odisha)

• The annual Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra (chariot festival) in Odisha has begun at Puri district on July 18, 2015. It is first Nabakalebara Rath Yatra of this century as all the three deities of Puri Jagannath Temple will get new incarnation after nineteen years.
• The Festival is 9 day-long event. Here devotees are gathered from India and abroad. It is celebrated annually to mark the annual visit of Deities Lord Jagannath, brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra who are taken in their respective chariots to the Gundicha temple.
• Nabakalebara Rath Yatra occurs once in 12 or 19 years depending whichever year has two Ashadha months. Nabakalebara i.e. periodical renewal of wooden images adds significance to Rath . Yatra as the chariots carry the new idols.

Nashik-Trimbakeshwar (Maharashtra)

• The Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2015 began on July 14, 2015. Thousands of devotees and seers took a holy dip in the river at Ramkund and Kushavart Teerth.
• The main features of the festival are the three ‘Shahi Snans’ that are scheduled on August 26, September 13 and September 18 this year.
• Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh attended the flag hoisting ceremony in Nashik and Trimbakeshwar as the flag hoisting ceremony marked the start of the festival. The festival will take place over two months this time.
• The festival is held every 12 years in Nashik on the banks of the Godavari. Other than its ritual significance, the festival is known worldwide for its elaborate logistics. The last edition of the festival in 2003 was marred by a stampede.

Read Also – State Level Current Affairs for September 2015 (Part 1).

Puducherry (India)

• The Union Territory of Puducherry has nominated its capital city for inclusion in the 100 Smart Cities Mission launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 25, 2015 and has emerged as the first city to send its nomination to the Centre.
• In this regard, Chief Secretary of Puducherry has forwarded the nomination along with all the forms and documents including the details of evaluation of all the five Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) includes Puducherry, Oulgaret, Kariakal, Mahe and Yanam as required in the Stage-1 of’City Challenge’ competition.
• The High Powered Steering Committee (HPSC) constituted as per the Mission Guidelines and headed by Chief Secretary has overseen the process of first stage intra-State competition and sent its recommendations to the Urban Development Ministry of the government of India.

Books & Authors

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