Current Affairs – August, 2016

Union Government and Amar Chitra Katha signs MoU to publish and distribute comic book on Swachh Bharat Mission

The Union Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Amar Chitra Katha to publish and distribute comic book on Swachh Bharat Mission

The MoU was signed between Amar Chitra Katha and the Union Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) to focus on Swachh Bharat Mission.

Key Facts

• Under this MoU, Amar Chitra Katha will publish 32-pages comic book carrying messages pertaining to sanitation and solid waste components of Swachh Bharat Mission.
• It will comprise a series of inspirational stories from the Swachh Bharat mission, cleanliness rankings of cities, public figures, environmental impact and ambassadors.
• It will also contain stories of individuals and organizations that can inspire children to the concept of Swachhata.
• Besides, it will also have an interactive workbook of tips and tricks to assist children to clean their own areas.
• The comic book will be made available in both English and Hindi. It will also include a section about how to organize community cleanliness drives.

About Amar Chitra Katha

• Amar Chitra Katha publishes more than 400 comics in 20 languages. It was founded in 1967.
• Its comic books mainly highlight Indian stories including epics, mythology, history, literature and folktales. So far, Amar Chitra Katha has sold over 100 million copies

Swachh Bharat Mission: It is a pet project of NDA Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was launched in October 2014 with the aim to make India clean and open defecation-free in 2020.

Defence Ministry sanctioned construction of National War Memorial, War Museum in New Delhi

The Union Defence Ministry has sanctioned the construction of a National War Memorial and National War Museum in New Delhi.

The National War Memorial will honour the memory of all soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the nation.

Key Facts

• The National War Museum will combine architectural aesthetics and public sentiment. It will serve as a place for people to show their respect for soldiers, for their extraordinary efforts.
• The selected site of the memorial is located in the heart of New Delhi, within the C-Hexagon that lies in the close vicinity of India Gate and Chattri.
• It will be an institution to collect, preserve, interpret and display military artifacts. Besides, it will portray significant events of our nation’s wars and related objects of historical importance for education and promoting patriotism.