Table of Contents:
1. Desert Cyclone - The Joint Military Exercise between India and UAE  
2. The First Union Territory to Implement PM Vishwakarma Yojana – Jammu and Kashmir 
3. The Airports of India which are Included in the Top Five among Global Airports in Operational Performance – Hyderabad and Bengaluru 
4. M S Swaminathan Award 2023 is Awarded to - Prof B R Kamboj 

Desert Cyclone - The Joint Military Exercise between India and UAE  

Desert Cyclone 2024 is the joint military exercise between India and UAE. The UAE Land Forces contingent comprising 45 personnel arrived in India to participate in the first edition of this. The Exercise is scheduled to be conducted in Mahajan, Rajasthan.  

The UAE contingent is being represented by troops from the Zayed First Brigade.  The Indian Army contingent comprising 45 personnel is being represented mainly by a Battalion from the Mechanised Infantry Regiment. 

The aim of the Exercise is to enhance interoperability in Sub-conventional Operations including Fighting in Built-Up Area (FIBUA) in desert/ semi desert terrain under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter on Peace Keeping Operations. 

• President of UAE - Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan 

• Prime Minister of UAE - Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum 

The First Union Territory to Implement PM Vishwakarma Yojana – Jammu and Kashmir 

Jammu and Kashmir has become the first Union Territory (UT) to implement the PM Vishwakarma Yojana (PMVY), an initiative that aims to empower and enhance the skills of the craftsman community. 

PM Vishwakarma Yojana 

The initiative, launched by the Central government in September 2023, aims to uplift and recognize the crucial role these skilled individuals play in preserving and enriching India’s cultural heritage. 

Objectives 

• To enable the recognition of artisans and craftspeople as Vishwakarma, making them eligible to avail all the benefits under the Scheme. 

•  To provide skill upgradation to hone their skills and make relevant and suitable training opportunities available to them. 

• To provide support for better and modern tools to enhance their capability, productivity, and quality of products and services. 

• To provide the beneficiaries easy access to collateral free credit and reduce the cost of credit by providing interest subvention. 

• To provide incentives for digital transactions to encourage digital empowerment of Vishwakarmas. 

• To provide a platform for brand promotion and market linkages to help them access new opportunities for growth. 

The Airports of India which are Included in the Top Five among Global Airports in Operational Performance – Hyderabad and Bengaluru 

The airports at Hyderabad and Bengaluru have been ranked second and third among the top ten global airports in terms of operational performance and punctuality, according to a report released on Tuesday. 

With a One Time Performance Report of 84.42 per cent, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad is at the second spot in the global airports as well as large airports categories. Kempegowda International Airport is in the third position in both the segments with an OTP of 84.08 per cent. 

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in the US has topped both the lists with an OTP of 84.44 per cent. 

M S Swaminathan Award 2023 is Awarded to - Prof B R Kamboj 

Prof. B R Kamboj, Vice Chancellor of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, has been awarded the M.S. Swaminathan Award for his work as a scientist and extension specialist in agronomy. 

The Trust for the Advancement of Agricultural Sciences has established the "Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Award for Leadership in Agriculture" to honour Dr. M.S. Swaminathan. 

The award is highly regarded and was created in 2004 to recognize the lifelong contributions of distinguished individuals who have had a global impact on agriculture, including food security and sustainability in India. 

The first Nobel Laureate for Peace award was presented to Dr Norman E. Borlaug.