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NATIONAL “SAGAR VANI” INFORMATION DISSEMINATION SYSTEM LAUNCHED
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Minister of Science & Technology Dr. Harshvardhan launched an app ―Sagar Vani‖ on the occasion of Foundation Day of Ministry of Earth Sciences in New Delhi. ESSO-Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) under Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) provides ocean information services for the benefit of various user communities in the country. The services are more fruitfully utilized when the advisories reaches the end user in timely manner and in user readable format. Now-a-days ICT facilities in the country are accessible to large population of the country and that plays a major role in effective dissemination of information to the end user. ESSO-INCOIS has adopted the state-of-the-art technologies and tools available in the country for the timely dissemination of Ocean Information and Advisory Services that includes Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) advisories, Ocean State Forecast (OSF), High Wave Alerts and Tsunami early warnings. There are 3288 marine fishing villages and 1511 marine fish landing centres with marine fisher folk population of 3,999,214. About 37.8% (1,511,703) of marine fisher folk are engaged in active fishing. About 927,120 fishermen were involved in actual fishing either full or part time. ESSO-INCOIS is serving about 3.17 lakhs of users directly through in-house efforts as well as through the partnering organizations including NGO‘s and there is yet to cover. Hence, it is necessary to target the reach of information to the 9.27 lakh involved in actual fishing either full or part time. Presently, the advisories are being disseminated to the stakeholders from different service sections and through various stakeholders and partners, which might cause delay in dissemination of the services. In order to effectively and timely disseminate the advisories, directly from the lab to the end user, an Integrated Information Dissemination System (IDS) named as ―SAGAR VANI‖ has been developed by ESSO-INCOIS through the Industry M/s. Gaian Solutions Pvt. Ltd. The ‗Sagar Vani‘ is a software platform where various dissemination modes will be integrated on a single central server. The ‗Sagar Vani‘ includes Multi Lingual SMS, Voice Call / Audio Advisory, Mobile Apps (User / Admin modules), Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), Email, GTS, Fax, Digital Display Boards, Radio / Television broadcast units, IVRS, Cloud Channels, etc. The system also has facility to provide access to various stakeholders (NGOs, State Fishery Departments, Disaster Management Authorities, etc.) so that they too will be able to further disseminate these ocean information and alerts to the user community. This ‗Sagar Vani‘ system compares with the most advanced countries‘ services in terms of speed of delivery, omni channel capabilities and diverseness of services. With this system, the services will be disseminated in local languages using advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities. For the first time in India, we are also using the power of television and cable network mediums for topical and alert dissemination services. The ‗Sagar Vani‘ will now serve the coastal community, especially the fishermen community with the advisories and alerts towards their livelihood as well as their safety at Sea.
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The index of mineral production of mining and quarrying sector for the month of May (new Series 2011-12=100) 2017 at 100.5, was 0.9% lower as compared to the level in the month of May 2016. The total value of mineral production (excluding atomic & minor minerals) in the country during May 2017 was Rs. 19944 crore. The contribution of Coal was the highest at Rs. 7171 crore (36%). Next in the order of importance were: Petroleum (crude) Rs. 5634 crore, Iron ore Rs. 2551 crore, Natural gas (utilized) Rs. 2235 crore, Limestone Rs. 602 crore and Lignite Rs. 470 crore. These six minerals together contributed about 94% of the total value of mineral production in May 2017. Production level of important minerals in May 2017 were: Coal 505 lakh tonnes, Lignite 30 lakh tonnes, Natural gas (utilized) 2701 million cu. m., Petroleum (crude) 31 lakh tonnes, Bauxite 1973 thousand tonnes, Chromite 254 thousand tonnes, Copper conc. 11 thousand tonnes, Gold 117 kg., Iron ore 160 lakh tonnes, Lead conc. 26 thousand tonnes, Manganese ore 237 thousand tonnes, Zinc conc. 123 thousand tonnes, Apatite & Phosphorite 50 thousand tonnes, Limestone 282 lakh tonnes, Magnesite 20 thousand tonnes and Diamond 1648 carat. The production of important minerals showing positive growth during May 2017 over May 2016 include: ‗Zinc conc.‘ (96.9%), ‗Copper conc.‘ (52.0%), ‗Lead conc.‘ (47.4%), ‗Gold‘ (25.8%), ‗Manganese ore‘ (19.6%), ‗Limestone‘ (5.6%), ‗Natural gas (utilized)‘ (5.2%), ‗Petroleum (crude)‘ (0.7%) and ‗Chromite‘ (0.6%). The production of other important minerals showing negative growth are: ‗Diamond‘ [(-) 47.4%], ‗Magnesite‘ [(-) 31.8%], ‗Bauxite‘ [(-) 22.4%], ‗Apatite & Phosphorite‘ [(-) 10.4%], ‗Lignite‘ [(-) 6.3%], ‗Iron ore‘ [(-) 4.5%] and ‗Coal‘ [(-) 3.2%].
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MINERAL PRODUCTION IN INDIA IN 2017
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BestCurrentAffairs.com INDUSTRIAL CORRIDORS IN INDIA: LATEST STATUS REPORT
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An industrial corridor is a package of infrastructure spending allocated to a specific geographical area, with the intent to stimulate industrial development. An industrial corridor aims to create an area with a cluster of manufacturing or other industry. Such corridors are often created in areas that have preexisting infrastructure, such as ports, highways and railroads. These modalities are arranged such that an ―arterial‖ modality, such as a highway or railroad, receives ―feeder‖ roads or railways. Concerns when creating corridors including correctly assessing demand and viability, transport options for goods and workers, land values, and economic incentives for companies. Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC): Construction of trunk infrastructure at four nodes/ industrial regions namely, Dholera Special Investment Region (Gujarat), Shendra Bidkin Industrial Area (Maharashtra), Integrated Industrial Township ‗Vikram Udyogpuri‘ near Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) and Integrated Industrial Township Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) is under progress and probable timelines for completion are September, 2019, March, 2019, June, 2019 and June, 2019 respectively. Chennai Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC): Perspective plan for the overall corridor has been completed and three nodes have been identified for development namely, Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh; Tumakuru in Karnataka; and Ponneri in Tamil Nadu. Bengaluru Mumbai Industrial Corridor (BMIC): The Perspective Plan has been completed for BMIC Region and approved by the respective State Governments. Dharwad node in Karnataka has been identified as the priority node for further implementation. State Government of Maharashtra has given in principle approval for the development of Sangli/Solapur Node. Amritsar Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC): The Perspective Plan for overall AKIC Region has been completed. The respective State Governments have identified sites (one each) for developing Integrated Manufacturing Clusters (IMC) along the AKIC. The concept Master Plan for the identified IMCs has been prepared and approved by the States. Vizag- Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC): Government of India gave its concurrence for engaging Asian Development Bank (ADB) for carrying out feasibility study and preparing the Concept Development Plan (CDP) for East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC) in a phased manner in May, 2014. In the first phase, VCIC segment of ECEC was taken up. Government of Andhra Pradesh (GoAP) is implementing the project. In September 2016, ADB approved US$ 631 million (loans & grants) for VCIC. GoAP is to provide counterpart funding of US$215 million. GoAP has prioritised two nodes namely Vishakhapatnam & Srikalhasti-Thottambedu for master planning.
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GUJARAT TOPS IN MARINE FISH PRODUCTION IN INDIA
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Gujarat tops in marine fish production in India in year 2016. Andhra Pradesh is the second largest producer in 2016. State wise details of seafood production in the country during the last three year, year-wise and State-wise is as below: Marine Fish Production by States/Union Territories (in Thousand Tonnes) Sl. No. State/UT 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 1. Gujarat 698.45 697.33 723.83 2. Andhra Pradesh 475.40 520.27 538.60 3. Goa 114.70 107.07 111.65 4. Karnataka 399.82 411.74 427.24 5. Kerala 524.47 516.75 538.38 6. Maharashtra 463.59 434.12 452.28 7. Odisha 133.21 144.76 150.16 8. Tamil Nadu 457.45 466.60 485.00 9. West Bengal 178.85 178.20 185.50 10. Andman and Nicobar 36.98 37.13 38.63 Islands 11. Daman and Diu 31.54 22.55 23.52 12. Lakshadweep 13.19 15.94 14.05 13. Puducherry 41.83 47.25 97.48 All India 3569.48 3599.71 3786.32 Source:- Department of Animal Husbandry Dairying & Fisheries
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The Government through Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) is extending technical and financial assistance in the capture fisheries sector to develop the infrastructure facilities for the fishing, processing, value addition and export of seafood products. MPEDA is also supporting the Aquaculture sector to increase the production of export oriented aquaculture through various technical/financial assistance schemes, research & development and extension activities Details of top 5 countries for year 2016 to which maximum marine food products were exported, are given below:-
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BestCurrentAffairs.com Value Tons 188617 318171 69039 53004 100468 1134948
Rs.Crore 11482.16 8776.35 2621.37 1545.26 1483.52 37870.90
„SOCIO ECONOMIC AND CASTE CENSUS‟ COST REVISED
USD(Mln) 1731.81 1323.28 394.50 233.00 223.53 5777.61
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Qty Country Name USA VIETNAM JAPAN SPAIN BELGIUM Total export to the World
Background: Before the availability of SECC -21011 data, Below Poverty Line (BPL) list prepared in 2002, by States/UTs was being used for identifying beneficiaries of development programmes and schemes including Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G)) and National Social Assistance Programme(NSAP). The 2002 BPL list attracted claims of biases. It was decided by the Government on 19.05.2011 to launch a Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 in order to get data for ranking of households for receiving benefits from the Government. To avoid exclusion and inclusion errors, the SECC 2011 elicited information on identified parameters from each household for identification of deprivation and multi-dimensionality of poverty. The Ministry of Rural Development provided financial and technical support to the States/UTs for conducting Socio Economic and Caste Census-2011 (SECC-2011) to generate a large number of socio and economic indicators for ranking of each rural household across the country. The project could not be completed in scheduled time as the States/UTs needed more time to deal with enumeration and claims and objections. Cost increased from Rs.4000 crore approved by the Government to Rs.4893.60 crore. SECC allows ranking of households based on their socio economic status. SECC-2011 provides the government the names and number of families in each Panchayat and details their status on seven deprivation parameters. The advantage of SECC is that it provides for programme specific customized priority list to suit programme objective and budget space to address specific deprivation. Ministry of Rural Development has generated customized priority list for Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojna-Gramin(PMAY-G) and Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) from SECC following due selection process approved by the Government.
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Major Impact: The Government of India has been spending a large sum of money on poverty alleviation and welfare programmes in rural and urban areas of the country to assist the poor and the marginalized section of the society. The SECC has paved the way for better targeting of the poor and evidence based targeted intervention for ameliorating conditions of the poor households. Before the availability of SECC data, correct identification of eligible beneficiaries was a major challenge. Accusation of bias in the BPL list affected coverage of poorest of the poor. SECC data is based on information furnished by households. In addition, households were given opportunity to raise claims and objections on SECC enumerated and published data. Thus, SECC database provides an authentic list of information disclosed by the households for identifying and prioritising beneficiaries under various schemes run by Ministry of Rural Development and other Departments in the Government. Ranking of Households is made through a three-step process involving thirteen Exclusion parameters for identifying not-poor households, five Automatic Inclusion parameters for identifying poorest of the poor households and seven Deprivation Criteria for identifying poor households. Government of India has advised States to use this process, SECC data and its TIN number of households for identification of poor under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana (DAY), Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin(PMAYG), etc. Use of SECC-2011 has brought transparency in selection of beneficiary and its structured incidence with DBT having maximal impact on governance and accountability.
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The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, headed by PM Modi has approved the proposal of Department of Rural Development for revision of cost of Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011). It provides for: (a) Revising the cost of SECC 2011 to Rs. 4893.60 crore from the approved estimated expenditure of Rs.3,543.29 crore within the indicative cost of Rs.4,000 crore as approved by the Government. (b) Approval of time and cost overrun and consequential revision in the upper limit of cost per record to the consortium of Central Public Sector Undertakings. The SECC -2011 project has been concluded on 31.3.2016. The cost has already been committed and the project has met all its milestones.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com MONETARY POLICY COMMITTEE MEMBERS REMUNERATION
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According to the latest norms issued by RBI, government appointed members in Monetary Policy Committee will be paid Rs. 1.5 lakh per meeting along with air travel and other reimbursements. MPC is required to hold meetings at least four times in a year. The six-member MPC, constituted in September 2016, has three persons appointed by the central government while the rest, including the Governor, are from the RBI. Now MOC members will need to observe a ―silent period‖ seven days before and after the rate decision for ―utmost confidentiality―. Chetan Ghate, professor at the Indian Statistical Institute, Pami Dua, director at the Delhi School of Economics and Ravindra H Dholakia, professor at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad are the three governmentappointed members. Their appointment is for a period of four years. Apart from RBI Governor Urjit Patel, Deputy Governor Viral V Acharya and Executive Director M D Patra are also part of the committee. According to new regulations, the schedule of the MPC meetings for the entire fiscal year needs to be announced in advance. At least 15 days of notice is required for convening a meeting ordinarily, but an emergency meeting can be called with 24 hours notice for each member and technology-enabled arrangements need to be made for even shorter notice period meetings. All members need to disclose their assets and liabilities and update this information once every year.
RADIO BROADCASTING COMPLETES 90 YEARS IN INDIA
Radio broadcast completes 90 years in India on July 23, 2017. The first ever radio broadcast in the country went on the air from the Bombay Station on July 23, 1927 under a private company, the Indian Broadcasting Company. On 8th of June, 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting Service became All India Radio. All India Radio (AIR) has been serving to inform, educate and entertain the masses since it‘s inception, truly living up to its motto – Bahujan Hitaya Bahujan Sukhaya. All India Radio, now under Prasar Bharati, has the distinction of being one of the major broadcasting organizations in the world. The News Services Division of All India Radio disseminates news and comments to listeners in India and abroad.
SCHEME OF DEFENCE INNOVATION FUND
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The Government has approved a Scheme of Defence Innovation Fund (DIF), aimed at creating an eco-system to foster innovation and technology development in defence by engaging R&D institutes, academia, industry including MSMEs, start-ups and even individual innovators and provide them award based grant/ funding to carry out innovative development, which has good potential for future commercialization. The Scheme is proposed to be implemented through a ‗not for profit‘ company under section 8 of the Companies Act, namely Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO). DIO has been registered with Bengaluru as its headquarter. The DIO would be funded by two Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), namely Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). The maximum corpus fund raised by HAL and BEL for DIO shall be Rs. 100 crore, Rs. 50 crore each from HAL and BEL. To start with, HAL and BEL will contribute Rs. 5 crore each. Subsequently, public or private entities, which are ‗not for profit‘ organisations and are ready to promote and fund innovation programmes of this nature, would be invited to join the organisation.
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PRICES OF LED BULBS UNDER UJALA SCHEME The prices of energy efficient appliances distributed under the UJALA scheme have been revised according to GST rules. LED bulbs of 9 Watts are priced at Rs. 70 while LED tube lights of 20 Watts have a retail price of Rs. 220. Five-star rated fans will be available at Rs. 1,200.
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NATIONAL ANTI-PROFITEERING AUTHORITY OF INDIA
The Union Finance Ministry will soon set up a National Anti-Profiteering Authority in order to to curb any unwarranted price hikes by dealers/traders. According to the GST rules, the Authority will have a three-tier structure, including a Standing Committee on Antiprofiteering, State-level Screening Committees, and a National Anti-Profiteering Authority.
Constitution of the Authority: The Authority shall consist of – 1. The Chairman, who holds or has held a post equivalent in rank to a Secretary to the Government of India; & 2. Four – Technical Members who are or have been Commissioners of State tax or central tax or have held an equivalent post, to be nominated by the Council.
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Secretary to the Authority: The Additional Director General of Safeguards under the Board shall be the Secretary to the Authority.
Appointment and other terms & conditions: The Chairman & Members shall be appointed by the Central Government on the recommendations of a Selection Committee. The Chairman shall hold office for a term of 02 years from the date appointment or he attains the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier & eligible for reappointment. A person shall not be selected as the Chairman if he has attained the age of 62 years.
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Committees: 1. The Council may constitute a Standing Committee on Anti-profiteering which consists of such officers of the State Government and Central Government as required. 2. A State level Screening Committee shall be constituted in each State by the State Governments which shall consist ofa. One officer of the State Government, to be nominated by the Commissioner, & b. One officer of the Central Government, to be nominated by the Chief Commissioner.
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Duties of the Authority 1. To determine whether any reduction in rate of tax on any supply of goods or services or the benefit of the ITC has been passed on to the recipient; 2. To identify the registered person who has not passed on the benefit of reduction in rate of tax on supply of goods or services 3. To order – a) Reduction in prices; b) Return of the amount equivalent to the amount not passed to the recipient with interest @ rate of 18% & c) Recovery of the amount not returned in case the eligible person & deposit same in the Consumer Welfare Fund d) Imposition of penalty as prescribed under the Act; & e) Cancellation of registration The National Anti-Profiteering Authority is empowered to make a company lower its prices and refund money to consumers or deposit it in the Consumer Welfare Fund. It can also impose a penalty and cancel the registration of the company. A search-cum-selection committee led by Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha is expected to shortlist candidates. The GST Council will also vet appointments to the five-member panel. Monitoring of prices of essential items has been one of the major tasks of the government since the rollout of GST on July 1. GLOBAL CENTRE FOR NUCLEAR ENERGY PARTNERSHIP
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Project for setting up of the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP) in India was sanctioned during September, 2010 with a proposal for construction in phases. The construction activities of Phase-I buildings have been completed and the construction activities for the next phase is being taken up. The facility is operational in the buildings completed in Phase-I. Setting up of the facility is being done indigenously by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership is World‘s first nuclear energy partnership centre at Bahadurgarh, Haryana India. This center will facilitate deliberation and discussions of international experts on various issues including innovation in nuclear reactors and the nuclear fuel cycle, development of proliferation-resistant reactors, security technologies and the effects of radiation exposure.
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RAM NATH KOVIND BECOMES 14TH PRESIDENT OF INDIA
Ram Nath Kovind was declared elected as India‘s 14th President polling 65.6% of the vote defeating the Opposition‘s joint candidate, former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, who secured 34% of the vote. The presidential election was held in India on 17 July 2017 with the votes counted and the results announced on 20 July. President Pranab Mukherjee, whose term of office was due to expire on 24 July 2017 declined to seek re-election. Governor of Bihar Ram Nath Kovind of the Bharatiya Janata Party had the backing of the governing National Democratic Alliance coalition, and went up against opposition candidate Meira Kumar of the Indian National Congress in the vote. Kovind secured roughly two thirds of the votes from the electoral college of elected members of federal, state and union territory legislatures and was elected to a five-year term as President. Kovind‘s term of office will begin on 25 July 2017.
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The President of India is indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of the elected members of both houses of parliament, the elected members of the Legislative assemblies of the 29 states and the elected members of the legislative assemblies of the Union Territories of Delhi and Puducherry. The returning officer for the election was Anoop Mishra, a BJP member of the Lok Sabha. Born on October 1, 1945 in Uttar Pradesh‘s Kanpur Dehat, Ram Nath Kovind was a lawyer by profession. He practised as an advocate for the Central Government at Delhi High Court from 1977 to 1979. He was a permanent advocate for the Centre at the Supreme Court between 1980 and 1993. The BJP-led Centre had appointed Ram Nath Kovind, 76, as Bihar Governor in August 2015 with a view to wooing the Dalits in the state Assembly elections held in December that year. Ram Nath Kovind was a Rajya Sabha member between 1994 and 2006 from Uttar Pradesh. Mr. Kovind is the second Dalit President of India after late President K.R. Narayanan. Also he is the first from Uttar Pradesh and the first person from the BJP to hold the office of President since Independence. The total number of MPs and MLAs who cast their votes was 4851, bearing a combined value of 1090300. However, with 77 votes being declared invalid — 21 from Parliament alone — the total number of valid votes was 4774, bearing a combined value of 1069358. Mr. Kovind polled 2930 of these votes — bearing a value of 702044 — and Ms. Kumar 1844 votes — with a value of 367314. The value of each vote of an MP was 708. Among the States, each vote in Uttar Pradesh had the highest value of 208, while each vote from Sikkim had the lowest value of seven. Mr. Kovind got the highest number of votes – 335 – from U.P. and the lowest – just 1 – from Kerala. Ms. Kumar secured the highest number of votes – 273 – from West Bengal and drew a blank in Andhra Pradesh. The polling was marked by cross-voting in various States where many Opposition members favoured Mr. Kovind. Cross-voting took place in Gujarat, Tripura, Goa, Delhi and Maharashtra in favour of Mr. Kovind. As many as 11 Congress MLAs appeared to have voted for Mr. Kovind in Gujarat, a State which is to go for Assembly polls at the end of the year.
NEW EXCHANGE TRADED FUND IN NEWS i.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has authorized the Alternative Mechanism on the following: To take decision for divestment through Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) out of all the listed CPSEs including CPSEs listed subsequently subject to GoI retaining 51% in these CPSEs; To take decision on the divestment in respect of Public Sector Banks, other listed Public Sector Financial Institutions and Public Sector Insurance Companies (when listed) through ETF or other methods subject to GoI retaining 52%; and To take decision on matters related to divestment through ETF like constitution of ETF portfolio; the price/net asset value at which share of listed companies forming the ETF basket will be placed by the Govt. for divestment at the disposal of the ETF provider (AMC); the incentive structure for investors – upfront discount, loyalty bonus etc.; and any other aspect of pricing and the mode of disinvestment as required to be taken by the Government.
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INDIAN COMMUNITY WELFARE FUND NEW GUIDELINES
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The Union Cabinet has approved revision of the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) guidelines. ICWF, set up in 2009, is aimed at assisting Overseas Indian nationals in times of distress and emergency in the most deserving cases on a means tested basis. The revised guidelines being made broad-based seek to expand the scope of welfare measures that can be extended through the Fund. The guidelines would cover three key areas namely Assisting Overseas Indian nationals in distress situations, Community Welfare activities and Improvement in Consular services. They are expected to provide Indian Missions and Posts abroad greater flexibility in swiftly addressing to requests for assistance by Overseas Indian nationals. Apart from assisting Indian nationals in distress abroad, ICWF has been a critical support in emergency evacuation of Indian nationals in conflict zones in Libya, Iraq, Yemen, South Sudan and other challenging situations like assistance extended to undocumented Indian workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the Nitaqat drive in 2013 and the ongoing Amnesty drive in 2017. The scale and speed of these evacuations and assistance rendered through the Fund has been universally appreciated. It has also created a sense of confidence among the migrant workers going overseas about the support they can expect from India during critical times. ICWF stands extended to all Indian Missions and Posts abroad and is primarily funded by levying service charge on various consular services rendered by Indian Missions and Posts abroad.
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LATEST REVISION IN DEFINITION OF BLINDNESS
National Programmme for Control of Blindness (NPCB) has been re-designated recently as National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCB&VI).
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Further, the definition of blindness under the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCB&VI) has been modified in line with the definition used under the World Health Organization (WHO), i.e., ‗presenting distance visual acuity less than 3/60 (20/400) in the better eye or limitation of field of vision to be less than 10 degree from centre of fixation‘. The uniformity in the definition of blindness across various regions of the world is a pre-requisite for facilitating collection of population based data on prevalence of visual impairment in a uniform and comparable manner for estimating the global burden of blindness.
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RBI SET UP ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has informed that they have set up an Enforcement Department (EFD). EFD would serve as a centralised department to speed up regulatory compliance. EFD has been set up to separate those who oversee the possible rule breaches and those who decide on punitive actions so that enforcement process operates fairly and is evidence based. The EFD has become functional with effect from April 03, 2017. The EFD has been entrusted with the responsibility of enforcement action on commercial banks.
India is the second largest global producer of footwear after China, accounting for 9.57% of global footwear production of 23.00 billion pairs. India produces 2200 million pairs of different categories of footwear, out of which, 95% is being sold in the domestic market. The major production centers in India are: Chennai, Ranipet and Ambur in Tamil Nadu, Udyong Nagar, Mangolpuri and Narela in New Delhi, Kanpur, Agra, Noida and Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Jalandhar and Ludhiana in Punjab, Karnal, Sonepat, Faridabad, Gurgaon and Bahadurgarh in Haryana, Pune and Mumbai in Maharashtra, Kolkata in West Bengal, Jaipur in Rajashtan, Calicut and Ernakulam in Kerala. About 1.10 million workers are engaged in the footwear manufacturing industry. Footwear exported from India are: Dress Shoes, Casuals, Moccasins, Sport Shoes, Horrachies, Sandals, Ballerinas, Boots, Sandals and Chappals made of rubber, plastic, P.V.C. and other materials like PU and EVA.
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INDIA SECOND LARGEST PRODUCER OF FOOTWEAR
STEP TAKEN TO INCREASE PRODUCTION OF LYCHEE
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Several steps taken by the Government to increase the Country‘s production of fruits and vegetables including lychee are as under: Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme is being implemented during XII Plan w.e.f. 2014-15, for holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering all the horticulture crops including fruits and vegetables. The Mission envisages production and productivity improvement of horticulture crops including fruit and vegetable crops through increased coverage of area with improved cultivars, rejuvenation of senile orchards, protected cultivation, creation of water resources, adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), organic farming, including insitu generation of organic inputs. Capacity buildings of farmers and technicians is also provided for adopting improved technologies. Details of related research and new schemes implemented by the Government are as under: The Government of India, Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers welfare has established National Research Centre on Lychee at Muzaffarpur in 2001 which is taking care of research needs for improving production and productivity of litchi in the Country along with monitoring and management of pests and diseases and development of protocol to reduce the post-harvest loss in lychee fruits. The Centre in collaboration with AICRP-Fruits, is monitoring the location specific research on litchi in six states which are Sabour in Bihar, Mohanpur in West Bengal, Ranchi in Jharkhand and Firojpur in Punjab, Kodugu in Karnataka along with central monitoring of research activities from ICAR-NRC on Litchi, Muzaffarpur wherein the Director of the Centre is functioning as Crop Coordinator for Lychee. Additionally, the Govt. has also opened/in process of opening voluntary Centres of lychee research in Ambikapur (Chhattisgarh), Medjifema (Nagaland), Araku (Andhra Pradesh), Kangra (Himachal Pradesh). For improvement in production, the ICAR-NRC on Litchi has developed protocol for Good Agricultural Practices and also imparting training and developing skills to various stakeholders for development of quality plant material and adopting Good Agricultural Practices. The Centre is operating network project on management of fruit borers, National Training Programme on rejuvenation of litchi orchard, AICRP on Honey Bee for improvement in pollination, collaborative programme with BARC to enhance shelf life of litchi fruits and area expansion scheme in non-traditional and tribal regions which in turn will improve the production of litchi in different parts of the Country.
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NATIONAL BOARD FOR PROMOTION OF YOGA AND NATUROPATHY
The Ministry of AYUSH has constituted a National Board for Promotion and Development of Yoga & Naturopathy (NBPDYN) for regulation of education & practice of Yoga & Naturopathy.
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a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h)
The Ministry of AYUSH constituted a Task Force to promote AYUSH system in the country. In its recommendations, it suggested to constitute a National Board for Promotion & Development of Yoga and Naturopathy under the Chairmanship of Secretary (AYUSH) with the following aims & objectives :To enhance the quality of Yoga & Naturopathy education, training, therapy and research; To develop human resource in Yoga & Naturopathy ; To develop standards for Yoga & Naturopathy training and practices for voluntary adoption; To promote accreditation frame work relating to Yoga and Naturopathy for voluntary implementation by institution including drafting of curriculum and syllabus for various degrees, diploma and programmes; To promote & propagate Yoga & Naturopathy at International level; To institute national awards for outstanding for outstanding contribution to Yoga & Naturopathy; To develop methods of competence, and evaluation of Yoga & Naturopathy practitioners; Any other item relating to development & promotion of Yoga & Naturopathy.
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CAPF DOCTORS RETIREMENT AGE INCREASED TO 65
Benefits from ISARC: The Centre will help in utilizing the rich biodiversity of India to develop special rice varieties. This will help India to achieve higher per hectare yields and improved nutritional contents. India‘s food and nutritional security issues will also be addressed. The Centre will support in adopting value chain based production system in the country. This will reduce wastage, add value and generate higher income for the farmers. The farmers in Eastern India will benefit in particular, besides those in South Asian and African countries. Management of ISARC: ISARC will operate under the governance of the IRRI Board of Trustees who will appoint an appropriate IRRI staff member as Director. A Coordination Committee will be headed by Director General, IRRI as Chair and Secretary, Government of India, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (DACFW) as Co-Chair. The other members of Coordination Committee are Deputy Director General (Crop Sciences), ICAR; Director, NSRTC; IRRI representative in India, representative of Government of UP and representatives of Governments of Nepal & Bangladesh and Private Sector. For setting up of the Centre, A Memorandum of Agreement, will be signed between DAC&FW and IRRI, Philippines. The Department of DAC&FW will provide physical space for laboratories, offices, training classes, etc. with associated infrastructure and land at NSRTC, Varanasi. The Centre will be commissioned within six months.
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The Union Cabinet chaired PM Modi has approved the establishment of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), South Asia Regional Center (ISARC) at campus of National Seed Research and Training Center (NSRTC) in Varanasi. Under the proposal, a Centre of Excellence in Rice Value Addition (CERVA) will be set up in Varanasi. This will include a modern and sophisticated laboratory with capacity to determine quality and status of heavy metals in grain and straw. The Centre will also undertake capacity building exercises for stakeholders across the rice value chain. This Center will be the first international Center in the eastern India and it will play a major role in harnessing and sustaining rice production in the region. It is expected to be a boon for food production and skill development in the eastern India and similar ecologies in other South Asian and African countries.
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INTERNATIONAL RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE IN INDIA
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The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for enhancement of the age of superannuation in respect of: (i) General Duty Medical Officers of Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles from 60 to 65 years and (ii) Specialist Medical Officers of Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles of the Ministry of Home Affairs from 60 to 65 years. It would help in retention of officers in Specialist and General Duty Medical Cadre and thereby help in better patient care, proper academic activities in Medical colleges as also in effective implementation of National Health Programmes for delivery of health care services.
RAILTEL AND GOOGLE BRINGS RAILWIRE WI-FI SERVICE
Wi-Fi services to passengers are being provided under ‗Railwire‘, the retail Broadband distribution model of RailTel. Designed to offer users the best Internet experience, Railwire Wi-Fi will be available to any user who has a working mobile connection on a smartphone.
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Railway stations are the places where the cross section of the society is available. This initiative is part of bridging the digital divide & providing high speed access network to all rail users with financial inclusion of Local Cable Operators. Once implemented this shall be one of the largest public Wi-Fi project in the World. The Railwire wi-fi service in association with Google is currently available at 127 stations across the country. Around 6 million users per month across the stations. This year government has planned to extend the service at 200 stations. RailTel Corporation a ―Mini Ratna (Category-I)‖ PSU is one of the largest neutral telecom services providers in the country owning a Pan-India optic fiber network covering all important towns & cities of the country and several rural areas covering 70% of India‘s population. RailTel is in the forefront in providing nationwide Broadband Telecom & Multimedia Network in all parts of the country in addition to modernization of Train operations and administration network systems for Indian Railways. With its Pan India high capacity network, RailTel is working towards creating a knowledge society at various fronts and has been selected for implementation of various mission-mode Govt. of India projects in the telecom field.
INDIA‟S FIRST TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION SUPPORT CENTER
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Services offered by TISCs include: Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications; Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information; Training in database search; On-demand searches (novelty, state-of-the-art and infringement); Monitoring technology and competitors; Basic information on industrial property laws, management and strategy, and technology commercialization and marketing. The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal Point for the TISC national network. As the national focal point, CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions, assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC program. CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network. Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions an access to the global network. In upcoming years, CIPAM is planning to establish TISCs in Universities, State Science Councils, R&D institutions etc. TISC will give an impetus to knowledge sharing, sharing of best practices among the TISCs, capacity building, generation and commercialization of IPs.
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The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, signed an Institutional agreement with the Punjab State Council of Science and Technology in New Delhi to establish India‘s first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) at Patent Information Centre, Punjab, under the World Intellectual Property Organization‘s (WIPO) TISC program. The objective of the TISC is to stimulate a dynamic, vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) system in India to foster creativity and innovation, thereby promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social, economic and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India. WIPO‘s Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based, high quality technology information and related services, helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create, protect, and manage their Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs).
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GOVT MEASURES ON INCREASED IN CAESAREAN SURGERIES The Government has taken several steps to ensure that the unwarranted increase in C-Section surgeries can be kept in check. The Minister of Women and Child Development Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, had expressed concern to the Union Health Minister in February 2017 about the unusual increase in recent years in C-Section surgeries reported from different States. While the recommendation of WHO suggests that deliveries through C-Section should normally be in the range of 10-15% of the total deliveries, some States are reporting extremely high percentages. Tamil Nadu reported this to be 34% and Telangana 54%. It is worrisome that the percentage was even higher for the private nursing homes across the States. In response to the letter of WCD Minister, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Mr. J.P. Nadda has stated that the concerns expressed are well founded and the Health Ministry is taking a series of measures to control this increasing trend.
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C – Section Surgeries: Caesarean section, also known as C-section or caesarean delivery, is the use of surgery to deliver one or more babies. A caesarean section is often performed when a vaginal delivery would put the baby or mother at risk. This may include obstructed labour, twin pregnancy, high blood pressure in the mother, breech birth, problems with the placenta, umbilical cord or shape of the pelvis, and previous C-section.
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Steps Taken by Indian Government: As a first step, all the private hospitals empanelled under CGHS have been directed by the Health Ministry to prominently display the data of deliveries through C-Section vis-à-vis normal deliveries in the hospital, at the reception area. A report titled ―Deciphering the Determination and Impacts of Rising Rate of C-Sections and offering Potential Solutions‖ has been disseminated to all State Governments and UT Administrations to effectively get them to provide C-Sections only to those women who actually require it. Federation of Obstetric and Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI) has also been sounded off about the harmful effects of unwarranted C-Sections. In addition, the States have been directed to conduct periodical prescription audit of the health facilities specifically on this issue. It is hoped that these measures would help in bringing out the rate of C-Section deliveries back to the realistic levels.
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A trial of vaginal birth in some of these situations, including after C-section, may be possible. Some C-sections are also performed upon request. The World Health Organization recommends that they should be done based on medical need and in many cases they are lifesaving for the mother and baby. C-section typically takes 45 minutes to an hour. It may be done with a spinal block such that the woman is awake or under general anesthesia. A urinary catheter is used to drain the bladder and the skin of the abdomen is then cleaned with an antiseptic. An incision of about 15 cm (6 inches) is then typically made through the mother‘s lower abdomen. The uterus is then opened with a second incision and the baby delivered. The incisions are then stitched closed. A woman can typically begin breastfeeding as soon as she is awake and out of the operating room. Often a number of days are required in hospital to recover sufficiently to return home.
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MOU WITH SKILL DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY ON NAMAMI GANGE
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Union Ministry for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation signed an MoU with Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship for the success of Namami Gange programme in New Delhi. The MoU intends to develop skilled manpower for laying sewerage pipeline, plumbing works, construction of toilets, civil masonry works, waste collection and its disposal activities. It will also develop skills for preparing products from pious waste materials like flowers, leaves, coconuts, hair and associate plastic bags and plastic bottles etc. and their proper packaging and promotion of such products. The MoU will also help in developing skills for operation and maintenance of pumps and STPs. As per the MoU the Ministry of Water Resource, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation shall develop the market for reuse/recycle of treated wastewater to be released from STP/ETPs for various non-potable purposes. It will also ensure necessary coordination and support from the state governments and state level implementing agencies for various activities to be undertaken by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship as part of Namami Gange programme. The Ministry will also mobilize resources for creation of Pradhan Mantri Namami Gange Kaushal Kendras in 60 districts covered under Namami Gange Mission. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship will take initiative and develop programme for capacity building and traditional activities such as packaging and promotion of industrial products. It will take initiative in developing skills for preparing products from waste material generated along that Ghats of Ganga like flowers, leaves, coconut, hair and associated plastic bags and plastic bottles etc. The Ministry will also take initiative in developing skills among potential work-force in the region on sewage pipe line laying works, plumbing works, construction of toilets, civil masonry works, waste collection and its disposal activities (in scientific manner) and training on other health and safety aspects during construction activities. It will also take initiative in conducting a survey in the region for identifying the possible skill development activities in addition to above in conjunction with National Mission for Clean Ganga. The MoU will remain in effect for a period of three years. Thereafter, it can be extended as mutually agreed by both the Ministries.
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WIDE RANGING REFORMS IN INDIAN CRUISE TOURISM
The Ministry of Shipping, in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism, has announced reforms to the regulatory processes governing the cruise tourism industry in the country. The objective is to revolutionize this industry which has a high employment generation potential, by simplifying the rules and procedures pertaining to various aspects of cruise port operations like security, immigration, and customs. The reforms are based on the recommendations of a global consultant engaged by the Ministry to draw up an Action Plan for providing a customer friendly and hassle free logistics process for the cruise tourism industry and develop an enabling ecosystem necessary to promote and sustain cruise shipping in India. Key recommendations given by the consultant which can be immediately implemented are:-
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(i) Single window system for all pre cruise requirements for cruise operators like entry of vehicles, personnel and guides electronically doing away with checking of registration, license papers of vehicle at each time. (ii) Create a separate dedicated approach road and entrance to the cruise terminals. (iii) A uniform and consistent security procedures by CISF at all ports. (iv) Providing adequate security and access to the port for passenger over-night and visiting local venues. (v) No face to face check after dis-embarking formalities. (vi) Security checks for embarking passengers would be done only once. (vii) Joint collaboration between the Bureau of Immigration and CISF and redesign the existing procedure to give a pleasant experience to the cruise tourists visiting India. (viii) Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) to be framed for training and education of the personnel carrying out the process for better handling of passengers. (ix) Use of technology for clearances, providing passenger manifest to CISF and doing away with manual time consuming process. (x) Implementation of green lane/red lane at existing terminals with random custom checking as is done in the airport. (xi) Declaration of only limited items of inventory of the cruise ships in place of the existing requirement of having the complete inventory for all the stocks in the ship. A committee has been set up to work out the modalities and requirements for implementing the above recommendations in a time bound manner The Consultants have also been asked to suggest five potential cruise circuits for international, domestic and river cruise, that can be immediately taken up for development and to prepare Techno-Economic Feasibility Report (TEFR) for these circuits. Specific ports/terminal would also be considered for development for international cruise tourism as per a suggested Model Terminal Design, and suitable policy/regulatory framework based on international best practices, strategies of cruise terminal operation. MOU ON OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH, INJURIES AND DISEASES
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Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ESIC and Directorate General Factory Advice Service & Labour Institutes (DGFASLI) has been signed for collaboration in the field of occupational health and prevention of occupational injuries and diseases. The MoU seeks to establish a mutual collaboration that will enhance Occupational Health of workers; reduce the occurrence of work related injuries and diseases. Special focus shall be paid to precarious working conditions in the formal and informal sectors. The main focus is occupational health by establishing ‗DGFASLI-ESIC Occupational Health Training, Research & Development Centre‘ (OHTRDC) at Regional Labour Institute, Faridabad followed by at other institutes located at Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Kanpur. The collaboration aims at improving the quality of life through joint scientific research following other activities:a) Assessment of OSH challenges in all the spheres of economic activity. b) Special activities for prevention and control of Asbestosis, Silicosis and other occupational diseases. c) Development of training modules for different target groups. This Memorandum will remain in force for a time period of three (03) years. Ministry is committed to providing social security for the workers across the country. The MoU will help in spreading awareness for healthy working conditions, reduce the danger of diseases or injuries and provide good quality life for workers. INDIA NOW FREE FROM H5N1 AND H5N8
India had reported outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza at various epicenters in Delhi, Gwalior (MP), Rajpura (Punjab), Hissar (Haryana), Bellary (Karnataka), Allappuzha and Kottayam (Kerala), Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Daman (Daman) and Khordha and Angul (Odisha during October, 2016 to February, 2017. All the outbreaks of Avian Influenza (HPAI) mentioned above were notified to OIE and the control and containment operations were carried out as per the Action Plan on Preparedness, Control and Containment of Avian Influenza. Surveillance was carried out throughout the country and around the areas of the outbreaks since completion of the operation (including culling, disinfection and clean-up) and surveillance in the states showed no evidence of presence of Avian Influenza Virus. In view of these initiatives, India has declared itself free from Avian Influenza (H5N8 and H5N1) from 6thJune, 2017 and notified the same to OIE.
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MOU ON DEFENCE PROJECTS 75, 15B AND 17A
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), a Miniratna Schedule ‗A‘ DPSU under the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the financial year 2017-18 with the Ministry. The MoU outlines the targets and various performance parameters for the company. The revenue from operations has been targeted at 4500 crore.
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Significant milestones to be achieved under Project 75 (Scorpene Submarines) and shipbuilding projects of 15B (destroyers) and 17A (frigates) also form part of the MoU.
REDEVELOPMENT OF INDIAN RAILWAY STATIONS
Background: Earlier in October 2016, the MoU was entered into between Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Urban Development for mutual cooperation between the two Ministries for integrated planning of redevelopment of railway stations in the cities included in the ‗SMART Cities‘ and AMRUT schemes. The proposal was to plan the redevelopment of stations in partnership with the smart city SPVs and Urban Local Bodies so that the planning and redevelopment of the station and the city areas near the station is done in an integrated manner. This MoU between Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Urban Development provided for formation of a JV company between NBCC and RLDA to take up the station redevelopment projects as NBCC has very wide and varied business experience in and expertise in the field of construction & real estate development and RLDA has expertise in monetization of Railway land by way of long term leasing of land.
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An MoU was signed between Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA), an institution under Ministry of Railways and National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC), a PSU of Ministry of Urban Development for implementation of station redevelopment projects for 10 identified stations in partnership with respective Smart Cities. 10 Selected railway stations are: Delhi Sarai Rohilla, Lucknow, Gomtinagar, Kota, Tirupati, Nellore, Ernakulam, Puducherry, Madgaon and Thane New Stations. Indian Railways has taken up this ambitious program of station redevelopment in a big way and have adopted multi pronged strategy to accomplish this mammoth task. It has chosen PPP model and are roping in varied agencies to execute the project namely Railways‘ own PSUs. Once the stations are redeveloped, the passengers will get facilities of world standard. As per the MoU, a Special Purpose Vehicle will be formed at the national level as a Joint Venture between RLDA and NBCC on 50 : 50 share holding basis. The SPV in turn will enter into City Support Agreements with respective cities. The redevelopment of stations and commercial development on Railway land will be done in alignment with the Smart City Plans of respective cities. RLDA will lease out the land to the SPV at a nominal token cost for development for a fixed lease period of up to 45 years and NBCC will execute the project work on behalf of the SPV as Project Management Consultant. Earnings from the commercial development of land parcels at stations will be utilized to redevelop the stations for creating better passenger amenities and necessary infrastructure and the surplus earnings will go to RLDA which would in turn would be remitted to Zonal railways. NBCC shall use its expertise in preparing DPR of the Project and business model. RLDA shall extend necessary help to NBCC in arranging all requisite data pertaining to the stations and get the vacant land entrusted from Ministry of Railway as per approved master plan of the station. The JV of NBCC and RLDA shall also enter into city support agreement with the respective Smart City Authorities and local bodies to obtain support relating to development of approach infrastructure and favorable Development Control Norms for the project.
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ECONOMY NPCI GETS APPROVAL FOR BHARAT BILL PAYMENT SYSTEM
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National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has RBI aaproval to function as the Bharat Bill Payment Central Unit (BBPCU) and operate the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS). The Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) is an RBI conceptualised system driven by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). It is a one-stop payment platform for all bills, providing an interoperable and accessible ―Anytime Anywhere‖ bill payment service to customers across the country with certainty, reliability and safety of transactions. The total number of Bharat Bill Payment Operating Units (BBPOU) certified by NPCI now stands at 24. The certified units include three public sector banks (Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India and Indian Overseas Bank), 10 private banks, five cooperative banks and six non-bank biller aggregators. Currently, 42 large billers in five utility sectors have been on-boarded. At present the bulk of transactions on BBPS are towards payment of electricity bills. The power sector potentially contributes to about 18 crore bills each month, of which only 10 per cent is digital.
INDIA‟S EDIBLE OIL IMPORTS TURNS NEGATIVE
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India‘s edible oil imports has turned negative for the first time in six years. It is due to the increased local production of oilseeds in the country. Edible oils are most often plant-based oils, which are similar, if not the same as those produced by the industrial biotech industry for use as biofuels such as biodiesel, for use in cosmetics, and in other everyday biotech products. India is expected to import 14.3 million tonnes of edible oils in the year to end-October 2017, down 300,000 tonnes or 2 per cent from the previous year. India is likely to raise import duty on refined and crude vegetable oils, like palm and soy oil, as local oilseed prices slumped below the government support levels. Farmers in India are now shifting to more lucrative crops like cotton, soybean, sunflower etc. India‘s edible oil purchases – mainly palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia and soybean oil from Argentina and Brazil – have increased each year but this year there is chance they it may decrease. India, the world‘s biggest palm and soybean oil importer, now relies on imports for 70 per cent of its edible oils.
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LIST OF LIABILITIES OF STATE GOVERNMENTS IN INDIA
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The Government is committed to the policy of fiscal rectitude. The fiscal deficit of the Centre as percentage of GDP has declined consistently from 4.5 per cent in 2013-14 to 4.1 per cent, 3.9 per cent and 3.5 per cent respectively in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 (provisional actual) and is further budgeted to come down to 3.2 per cent in 2017-18. As per the information from the Reserve Bank of India‘s ―State Finances: A Study of Budgets of 2016-17‖, the fiscal deficit of the States as per cent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) was 2.6 per cent in 2014-15, which increased to 2.9 per cent (without the UDAY liabilities) in 2015-16 (Revised estimates) and then declined to 2.7 per cent (without the UDAY liabilities) in 2016-17 (revised estimates, based on information from 25 States). The fiscal deficit-GSDP ratio is budgeted to decline to 2.6 per cent in 2017-18 (based on information from 25 States). The total outstanding liabilities of the State Governments as percentage of corresponding GSDP during 2014-15 to 2016-17 (BE) is given in the table below. Total Outstanding Liabilities – As percentage of GSDP State 2016-17 (BE) State 2016-17 (BE) Andhra Pradesh 23.0 Maharashtra 17.6 Arunachal Pradesh 23.9 Meghalaya 29.1 Assam 18.8 Mizoram 48.5 Bihar 28.0 Nagaland 34.6 Chhattisgarh 15.8 Odisha 17.9 Goa 36.2 Punjab 32.6 Gujarat 22.5 Rajasthan 30.4 Haryana 26.3 Sikkim 25.0 Himachal Pradesh 34.4 Tamil Nadu 19.1 Jammu and Kashmir 48.8 Telangana 17.2 Jharkhand 23.7 Tripura 29.0 Karnataka 16.9 Uttar Pradesh 35.5 Kerala 27.7 Uttarakhand 21.8 Madhya Pradesh 23.1 West Bengal 33.8 Manipur 38.2
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As recommended by the Fourteenth Finance Commission (FFC) for its award period (2015-20), the Union Government approved the fiscal deficit target for States of 3 per cent of respective States‘ Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). The Union Government also approved year-to-year flexibility for additional fiscal deficit to States for the period 2016-17 to 2019-20 to a maximum of 0.5 per cent over and above the normal limit of 3 per cent in any given year subject to the States maintaining the debt-GSDP ratio within 25 per cent and interest payments-revenue receipts ratio within 10 per cent in the previous year. However, the flexibility in availing the additional fiscal deficit will be available to a State if there is no revenue deficit in the year in which borrowing limits are to be fixed and in the immediate preceding year. As per the recommendation of the FFC, the Union Government decided to increase the share of States in the Central divisible pool of taxes from 32 per cent to 42 per cent, thereby allowing States greater autonomy in financing and designing schemes as per their needs. Besides, post-devolution revenue deficit grant has been provided to eleven States where devolution alone could not cover the assessed gap.
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„SOVEREIGN GOLD BONDS SCHEME‟ REVISED
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Indian government has given approval for revision of guidelines of Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGB) Scheme with a view to achieve its intended objectives. Two sets of changes have been made in the scheme: (i) Specific changes have been made in the attributes of the scheme to make it more attractive, mobilise finances as per the target and reduce the economic strains caused by imports of gold and reduce the Current Account Deficit (CAD). (ii) Flexibility has been given to Ministry of Finance to design and introduce variants of SGBs with different interest rates and risk protection / pay-offs that would offer investment alternatives to different category of investors. Ministry of Finance (the issuer) has been delegated this power to amend / add to the features of the Scheme with approval of the Finance Minister to reduce the time lag between finalizing the attributes of a particular tranche and its notification. Such flexibility will be effective in addressing the elements of competition with new products of investment, to deal with very dynamic and sometimes volatile market, macro-economic and other conditions such as gold price.
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Background: Sovereign Gold Bond (SGB) Scheme was notified by the Government of India on November 05, 2015 after due approval of the Cabinet. The main objective of the scheme was to develop a financial asset as an alternative to purchasing metal gold. The target was to shift part of the estimated 300 tons of physical bars and coins purchased every year for Investment into ‗demat‘ gold bonds. The target mobilisation under the scheme at Rs. 15,000 crore in 2015-16 and at Rs.10,000 crore in 2016-17. The amount so far credited in Government account is Rs. 4,769 crore. In view of less than expected response of the investors to the scheme, and considering its bearing on CAD and consequently on overall macro-economic health of the country, it was felt necessary to make changes in this scheme to make it a success.
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Following specific changes in the scheme have been approved: (i) The investment limit per fiscal year has been increased to 4 kg for individuals, 4 Kg for Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) and 20 Kg for Trusts and similar entities notified by the Government from time to time. (ii) The ceiling will be counted on Financial year basis and will include the SGBs purchased during the trading in the secondary market. (iii) The ceiling on investment will not include the holdings as collateral by Banks and Financial institutions. (iv) SGBs will be available ‗on tap‘. Based on the consultation with NSE, BSE, Banks and Department of Post, features of product to emulate ‗On Tap‘ sale would be finalised by Ministry of Finance. (v) To improve liquidity and tradability of SGBs, appropriate market making initiatives will be devised. Market makers, could be commercial banks or any other public sector entity, such as MMTC or any other entity as decided by Gol. (vi) The Government may, if so felt necessary, allow higher commission to agents.
SALE OF INDIAN FLOATING RATE BONDS 2024
The Government of India has announced the Sale (re-issue) of (i) ―Government of India Floating Rate Bonds 2024‖ for a notified amount of Rs. 3000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (ii) ―6.79 per cent Government Stock, 2027‖ for a notified amount of ` 8,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (iii) ―7.73 per cent Government Stock 2034‖ for a notified amount of Rs. 2,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (iv) ―7.06 per cent Government Stock, 2046‖ for a notified amount of Rs. 2,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction. The auctions will be conducted using multiple price method. The auctions will be conducted by the Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai Office, Fort, Mumbai on July 28, 2017. Up to 5% of the notified amount of the sale of the stocks will be allotted to eligible individuals and Institutions as per the Scheme for Non-Competitive Bidding Facility in the Auction of Government Securities.
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Both competitive and non-competitive bids for the auction should be submitted in electronic format on the Reserve Bank of India Core Banking Solution (E-Kuber) system on July 28, 2017. The result of the auctions will be announced on July 28, 2017 and payment by successful bidders will be on July 31, 2017. The Stocks will be eligible for ―When Issued‖ trading in accordance with the guidelines on ‗When Issued transactions in Central Government Securities‘ issued by the Reserve Bank of India vide circular No. RBI/200607/178 dated November 16, 2006 as amended from time to time.
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MSCI WORLD INDEX IN NEWS
The MSCI World is a stock market index of 1,650 ‗world‘ stocks. It is maintained by MSCI Inc., formerly Morgan Stanley Capital International, and is used as a common benchmark for ‗world‘ or ‗global‘ stock funds. The index includes a collection of stocks of all the developed markets in the world, as defined by MSCI. The index includes securities from 23 countries but excludes stocks from emerging and frontier economies making it less worldwide than the name suggests. A related index, the MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI), incorporated both developed and emerging countries. MSCI also produces a Frontier Markets index, including another 31 markets. The MSCI World Index has been calculated since 1969, in various forms: without dividends (Price Index), with net or with gross dividends reinvested (Net and Gross Index), in US dollars, Euro and local currencies.
TOTAL SOWN AREA OF KHARIF CROPS IN 2017
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The total sown area as on 21st July 2017, as per reports received from States, stands at 685.31 lakh hectare as compared to 673.41 lakh hectare at this time last year. Kharif crops or monsoon crops are domesticated plants that are cultivated and harvested in South Asia during the rainy season, which lasts from April to October depending on the area. It is reported that rice has been sown/transplanted in 177.04 lakh ha, pulses in 93.36 lakh ha, coarse cereals in 130.90 lakh ha, oilseeds in 123.55 lakh ha and cotton in 104.29 lakh ha. The details of the area covered so far and that covered during this time last year are given below: Lakh hectares Crop Area sown in 2017-18 Area sown in 2016-17 Rice 177.04 169.23 Pulses 93.36 90.33 Coarse Cereals 130.90 129.41 Oilseeds 123.55 144.82 Sugarcane 49.15 45.22 Jute & Mesta 7.02 7.54 Cotton 104.29 86.86 Total 685.31 673.41
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PUBLIC CREDIT REGISTRY OF INDIA
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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is considering setting up a Public Credit Registry (PCR), which will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders. If put in place will help in credit assessment and pricing by banks; risk-based, dynamic and countercyclical provisioning at banks; supervision and early intervention by regulators; understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working, and if not, where are the bottlenecks; and, how to restructure stressed bank credits effectively. PCR is managed by a public authority like the RBI or the banking supervisor, and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders and/or borrowers is mandated by law. The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions, but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower, in particular, the borrower‘s entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes. Central repository, which, for instance, captures and certifies the details of collaterals, can enable the writing of contracts that prevent over-pledging of collateral by a borrower. In absence of the repository, the lender may not trust its first right on the collateral and either charge a high cost on the loan or ask for more collateral than necessary to prevent being diluted by other lenders. This leads to, what in economics, is termed as pecuniary externality – in this case, a spillover of one loan contract onto outcomes and terms of other loan contracts. Furthermore, in the absence of a public credit registry, the ‗good‘ borrowers are disadvantaged in not being able to distinguish themselves from the rest in opaque credit markets; they could potentially be subjected to a rent being extracted from their existing lenders who enjoy an information monopoly over them. The lenders may also end up picking up fresh clients who have a history of delinquency that is unknown to all lenders and this way face greater overall credit risk.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com EXTRA BUDGETARY RESOURCE OF RS. 660 CRORE
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The Union Cabinet has approved the Revalidation of permission to raise Extra Budgetary Resource (EBRs) of Rs. 660 crore as Government of India Bonds by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) in 2017-18. The proceeds from the bonds will be utilized by IWAI for development and maintenance of National Waterways (NWs) under National Waterways Act, 2016 (effective from 12.4.2016). Funds received through issue of bonds will be used exclusively for capital expenditure to improve infrastructure funding. The investment to be undertaken for development of NWs on identified projects in 2017-18 is estimated to be approximately Rs. 2412.50 crore. The World Bank has sanctioned a loan of USD 375 million for Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) on 12.04.2017. During 2017-18, out of estimated expenditure of Rs.1715 crore for JMVP, it is expected that the World Bank would remit a loan amount of Rs. 857.50 crore. Accordingly, the total requirement of funds in 2017-18 is Rs. 2412.50 crore. During the year 2016-17, IWAI was allocated a sum of Rs. 296.60 crore for creation of capital assets which has been reduced to Rs.228 crore in BE, 2017-18. Raising bonds is intended to bridge this gap. The principal and interest in respect of the EBRs worth Rs. 660 crore shall be financed by the Government of India by making suitable budgetary provisions in the Demand of the Ministry of Shipping to meet the bond servicing requirements as and when the need arises. The interest payment will be on semi-annual basis and the principal on maturity. The whole exercise would be undertaken by IWAI through appointment of lead managers and coordination with SEBI. Funds will be released in 02 tranches keeping the size to get attractive yield from the borrowers. Borrowing in the last quarter of the year 2017-18, especially during the last two months of the year 2017-18 would be avoided. Background: Gross budgetary support from the Government of India and external financial support for funding development and maintenance of 106 new National Waterways under National Waterway Act, 2016, is grossly inadequate. There is, therefore, dire need for revalidation of permission to raise EBRs of balance amount of Rs 660 crore (Rs. 1000 cr – Rs. 340 crore raised and utilized during 2016-17). In his budget speech, 2016-17, the Hon‘ble Finance Minister announced as under: To augment infrastructure funding further, Government will permit mobilization of additional finances to the extent of Rs. 31.300 crore by NHAI, RFC, REG, IREDA, NABARD and IWAI through raising bonds during 2016-17. In accordance with this announcement, IWAI was allowed to issue infrastructure bonds worth Rs.1000 crore for the first time during 2016-17. As it was their maiden effort, they could succeed to raise Rs.340 crore on 01.03.2017 through e-bidding for development of inland waterways and shipping infrastructure during 2016-17 at coupon rate of 7.9 per cent.
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The union government has modified the oreign Trade Policy (2015-20) and other export promotion schemes according to GST regime. Under the GST regime, no exemption from payment of Integrated GST (IGST) and compensation cess would be available for imports under Advance Authorisation. Importers would need to pay IGST and take input tax credit as applicable under GST. However, imports under Advance Authorisation would continue to be exempted from payment of basic customs duty, additional customs duty and education cess. Exemptions will also be provided wherever penal duties such as anti-dumping, safeguard and transition product specific safeguard duty are applicable. The EPCG scheme (Chapter 5 of the FTP), too, importers of capital goods would need to pay IGST and take input tax credit. Benefits under the Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS) and the Services Export from India Scheme (SEIS), which provides exporters with duty free scrips based on the value of their exports, have also been curtailed. Imports by Export Oriented Units (EOUs), which were allowed duty free imports of goods for their authorised operations, will now get exemption on only the customs duty. Such goods would attract integrated tax and compensation cess. The taxes so paid on imports will be neutralised by ITC (input tax credit).
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EXPORT PROMOTION SCHEMES AND GST
LATEST ON MUDRA LOANS SCHEME
Loans under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) Scheme have been extended by banks, Non Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) to small/micro business enterprises with the objective of ‗Funding the unfunded‘ through institutional finance by providing loans upto 10 lakh for manufacturing, processing, trading, services and activities allied to agriculture. Government has been receiving complaints with regard to implementation of PMMY from time to time including difficulties in obtaining loans. These are redressed in coordination with the respective Banks.
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Central Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) has received 8352 complaints against various banks in respect of the Scheme. Of these, 8194 complaints have been forwarded to respective Banks for redressal. The Government has taken various steps towards effective implementation of the scheme. These, inter alia, include intensive publicity campaigns, simplification of application form, Credit Guarantee Scheme, nomination of Mudra Nodal Officer etc.
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LIST OF TOP STEEL EXPORTING COUNTRIES
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Data on crude steel production by India during the last three years i.e. 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 and AprilMay 2017-18 is given below:Year Crude steel Annual Increase i.e. % production (mt) change over last year (%) 2014-15 88.98 8.9 2015-16 89.79 0.9 2016-17 97.44 8.5 April-May 2017 16.44 4.8 Data on finished steel production by India during the last three years i.e. 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 and AprilMay, 2017-18 is given below:Year Total Finished Steel Annual Increase i.e. % Production for sale (mt) change over last year(%) 2014-15 92.16 5.1 2015-16 90.98 -1.3 2016-17 100.74 10.7 April-May 2017 17.48 6.4 Consumption of finished steel grew by 2.6% in 2016-17 whereas production grew by 8.5% over previous financial year. India was net exporter of steel in 2016-17 and thus production of finished steel was sufficient to meet its present demand in the country and also for exports. Steel being a de-regulated sector, the role of Government is that of a facilitator only, which lays down the policy guidelines and establishes the institutional mechanism/structure for creating conducive environment for improving efficiency and performance of the steel sector. In this role, the Government has released the National Steel Policy 2017, which has laid down the broad roadmap for encouraging long-term growth for the Indian steel industry. Following is list of Top Steel Exporting Countries: EXPORT OF TOTAL FINISHED STEEL („000 tonnes) Country 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 April-May 2017 AUSTRALIA 49.29 29.38 35.65 5.59 BAHARIN 8.48 12.41 7.60 0.95 BANGLADESH 136.5 55.06 137.52 17.9 BELGIUM 198.39 287.42 1112.31 173.57 BRAZIL 42.95 11.98 42.93 11.35 CANADA 132.95 17.32 33.64 5.87 CHILE 9.51 18.35 11.8 0.56 CHINA 3.32 3.92 4.00 0.45 COLOMBIA 34.03 15.90 18.47 4.63 CONGO 3.83 3.25 1.39 0.1 DENMARK 9.69 8.90 5.63 1.08 DJIBOUTI 21.45 22.98 32.06 2.97 ECUADOR 31.99 16.78 42.77 5.49 EGYPT 9.82 17.30 11.93 20.67 ETHIOPIA 133.58 157.82 147.64 22.63 FINLAND 0.59 14.33 3.30 0.76 FRANCE 9.46 19.75 15.44 0.84 GERMANY 54.84 47.13 68.67 9.22 GHANA 39.25 41.24 47.52 6 GREECE 12.2 46.57 19.58 3.25 INDONESIA 83.87 118.33 233.77 54.34 IRAN 495.8 321.43 144.01 20.59 IRAQ 8.27 30.84 3.01 0.64 ISRAEL 5.47 6.66 7.31 1.27 ITALY 470.86 345.41 942.92 205.39 JAPAN 0.48 0.56 0.64 0.17 JORDAN 0.73 1.89 0.53 0.01 KENYA 61.28 45.65 30.55 3.74 KOREA 26.63 26.57 34.9 10.09
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BestCurrentAffairs.com 36.66 12.74 391.72 15.26 169.53 6.08 68.99 464.73 11.39 40.25 14.45 64.94 17.78 20.75 23.45 118.57 56.94 440.06 140.15 9.45 70.67 9.33 126.4 74.61 172.92 674.44 3.21 273.58 961.26 557.00 8245
2.24 0.56 37.6 1.56 37.69 0.22 10.67 59.16 4.46 6.5 0.88 39.34 4.74 5.61 5.64 35.29 5.2 103.08 27.25 7.71 18.27 1.32 40.38 26.12 22.5 106.71 0.66 76.15 31.25 79.12 1388
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28.16 15.91 46.31 9.17 52.66 2.52 18.49 310.54 39.37 71.16 7.20 39.19 9.03 27.24 20.56 60.50 19.60 155.44 100.51 3.16 12.90 25.75 69.80 44.66 39.34 315.93 1.05 295.63 38.11 453.97 4079
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12.83 11.81 96.55 4.32 45.29 1.44 29.48 236.35 30.36 44.33 6.08 34.56 11.55 27.69 27.85 248.86 36.89 180.41 138 4.48 129.46 41.18 188.13 49.66 64.56 606.05 10.89 501.29 163.12 516.03 5595
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KUWAIT MADAGASCAR MALAYASIA MALDIVES MEXICO MOROCCO MYANMAR NEPAL NIGERIA PERU PHILIPPINES POLAND QATAR ROMANIA RUSSIA SAUDI ARABIA SOUTH AFRICA SPAIN SRI LANKA SWEDEN TAIWAN TANZANIA THAILAND TURKEY U.K. UAE UKRAINE USA VIETNAM OTHERS TOTAL
Post demonetization, India has lost its fastest-growing major economy status in the fourth quarter of 2016-17. Indian GDP growth came at the rate of 6.1%. But at the same time China‘s growth rate was 6.9%. Data from the Ministry of Statistics shows that GDP grew 7.1% in the financial year 2016-17, slower than the 8% registered in 2015-16. Gross value added (GVA) growth was 6.6% for 2016-17 and 5.6% in the fourth quarter, compared with 7.9% in 2015-16 and 8.7% in Q4 of that year. The GDP numbers were based on the new 2011-12 base year recently adopted for data including the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) and Wholesale Price Index (WPI).
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CHINESE ECONOMY IS FASTEST GROWING NOW
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SECOND BI-MONTHLY MONETARY POLICY: HIGHLIGHTS
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On the basis of an assessment of the current and evolving macroeconomic situation at its meeting, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to keep the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at 6.25 per cent. Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF remains at 6.0 per cent, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate at 6.50 per cent. The decision of the MPC is consistent with a neutral stance of monetary policy in consonance with the objective of achieving the medium-term target for consumer price index (CPI) inflation of 4 per cent within a band of +/- 2 per cent, while supporting growth. Main Highlights: Repo rate unchanged at 6.25%, Reverse repo unchanged at 6% Statutory Liquidity Ratio cut by 0.5% to 20% Growth forecast for 2017—18 lowered to 7.3% from 7.4% Inflation projected at 2—3.5% for H1, 3.5—4.5% H2, FY18 GST roll out not to have material impact on inflation Farm loan waivers risk fiscal slippages and inflationary spillovers 7th Pay Commission allowances, geo political, financial risk pose upside risk to inflation Need to revive private investment, restore banking sector health, remove infrastructure bottleneck RBI to work with government to address stress in bank balance sheet Next meeting of Monetary Policy Committee on August 1 and 2
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BestCurrentAffairs.com CONCEPT OF PMI OR PURCHASING MANAGERS‟ INDEX
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PMI or a Purchasing Managers‘ Index (PMI) is an indicator of business activity — both in the manufacturing and services sectors. It is a survey-based measures that asks the respondents about changes in their perception of some key business variables from the month before. It is calculated separately for the manufacturing and services sectors and then a composite index is constructed. The Nikkei India Services PMI Business Activity Index rose to 52.2 in May from 50.2 in April, the fastest increase in output in the current four-month sequence of expansion. The PMI is usually released at the start of the month, much before most of the official data on industrial output, manufacturing and GDP growth becomes available. It is, therefore, considered a good leading indicator of economic activity. The PMI also gives an indication of corporate earnings and is closely watched by investors as well as the bond markets. It was first started in 1948 by the US-based Institute of Supply Management. The information to produce the PMI is gathered using monthly surveys sent to purchasing executives at approximately 300 companies. A PMI of more than 50 represents expansion of the manufacturing sector when compared to the previous month.
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NEW LEI CODE SYSTEM FOR BANKS
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The Reserve Bank of India will implement the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) system for all participants in the overthe-counter markets for rupee interest rate derivatives, foreign currency derivatives and credit derivatives in India, in a phased manner. The LEI code has been conceived as a key measure to improve the quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis. LEI is a 20-character unique identity code assigned to entities who are parties to a financial transaction. All current and future participants would be required to obtain the unique LEI code as per timelines indicated by the central bank. According to the schedule for implementation of LEI, entities regulated by various financial sector regulators and corporates with net worth above ₹1,000 crore have to obtain LEI by August 1, 2017; corporates with net worth between ₹200 crore and ₹1,000 crore, by October 1, 2017; corporates with net worth between ₹70 crore and ₹200 crore, by December 1, 2017; and corporates with net worth of up to ₹70 crore, March 31, 2018. The entities without an LEI code would not be eligible to participate in the OTC derivative markets after the date specified in the schedule. Entities can obtain LEI from any of the local operating units (LOUs) accredited by the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) — the entity tasked to support the implementation and use of the LEI. LEI code can be obtained from Legal Entity Identifier India (LEIL), which has been recognised by the Reserve Bank as an issuer of LEI under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 and is accredited by the GLEIF as an LOU in India for issuance and management of LEI.
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RETAIL INFLATION IN INDIA FALLS HISTORIC LOW
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India‘s retail inflation hit a historic low of 1.54 percent in June 2017. Retail inflation, measured by Consumer Price Index (CPI) remained low in May touching 2.18 percent and 5.77 percent in June last year, owing to a sustained dip in food prices. Low inflation levels can indicate poor demand and weak economic activity. The year-on-year CPI inflation eased sharply to a series-low 3.0 percent in April 2017, due to food inflation. Inflation numbers continued to plunge to lower levels through May and June. Consumer food price inflation was (-)2.12 percent in June as compared with 0.69 percent in May. The sharp fall in food inflation was brought about by a disinflation in the prices of pulses and vegetables.
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Vegetables prices fell further and witnessed a negative growth of (-)16.53 percent in June as compared with ()13.44 percent in May. Similarly, prices of pulses continued to fall at (-)21.92 percent, as compared with (-)19.45 in May. Housing inflation remained nearly flat, growing 4.70 percent in June from 4.84 percent in May. Fuel inflation was 4.84 percent in June, as compared with 5.46 percent in May.
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NATIONAL INVESTMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE FUND MEET
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The 3rd Meeting of the Governing Council of the ―National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF)‖ was under the Chairmanship of the Union Finance Minister. Finance Minister reviewed the performance of NIIF so far and action taken by it in order to attract investment from foreign Soverign Wealth Funds among others in the infrastructure sector in the country. It was informed that: Strong investment pipeline with investment opportunities is under consideration in the roads, ports, aviation and power sectors. NIIF is Considering investments in third party managed funds focused on clean energy(Green Growth Fund already committed), affordable housing and medium sized infrastructure companies The Governing Council expressed its desire for NIIF to function as a major platform in India, to leverage and attract overseas long-term investments in various infrastructure sectors in the Country. As far as the issue of the Fund raising is concerned, it was informed that: Master Contribution Agreement has been signed between Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India (As the ―Contributor‖) and National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Limited (NIIFL) ( As the ― Investment Manager‘). The Agreement has been executed to formalize the commitment of INR 20,000 crores by Government of India to National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF). Following this Agreement, steady progress on fund-raising efforts with several international institutional investors, following-up on MoUs signed by Govt of India has been made. A first close of NIIF is expected very soon. The NIIF Governance Structure has been developed with technical assistance from DFID, UK which has been further reviewed and confirmed by Stanford University‘s Global Project Centre under the MOU with the US Treasury. As far as the Operational Status of NIIF is concerned, it was informed that : A team of twelve staff, including the CEO, National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Limited is now in place. Further recruitments of high quality staff through a global search process is underway. Strong international response to hiring efforts and advertisements for recruitment of expert staff has been received. The establishment of NIIF‘s permanent Delhi office is complete and the establishment of its head office in Mumbai is currently under refurbishment. NIIF staff is already operating in a hired space.
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REVAMPED „RESIDEX‟ LAUNCHED
The revamped and expanded official online user friendly NHB RESIDEX that captures movements in the prices of residential real estate prices released revealed that prices during January-March, 2017 have increased over that of October-December, 2016, in about half of the cities covered under the survey while the other half have either registered a decline or remained the same. Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs released the new version of NHB RESIDEX on the occasion of the National Housing Bank entering its 30th year.
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NHB RESIDEX for January-March,2017 revealed that price indices for residential properties based on actual market prices for ongoing construction prices have increased over the previous quarter in 24 of the 47 cities covered in the Index including in Jaipur, Chennai, Lucknow, Guwahati, Howrah, Hyderabad, Bidhannagar etc. In Delhi, Faridabad, Chandigarh, Patna and Nashik etc, prices have come down. This component of RESIDEX, called Housing Price Index@Market Prices is based on actual market information. The other component of RESIDEX called as HPI@Assessment Prices based on the information furnished by banks and other lending agencies showed that prices have increased in 27 of the 50 cities surveyed. These include; Gurgaon, Mumbai, Vadodara, Raipur, Kanpur, Chandigarh, Bhubaneswar, Visakhapatnam and Coimbattore. Prices, however, have declined in Ranchi, Gandhinagar, Surat, Ludhiana, Kolkata etc. The RESIDEX has been computed for three categories of houses with carpet of below 60 sq.mtre, 61-110 sq.mtres and 111 sq.mtres and above. RESIDEX, the country‘s first official housing price index (HPI) was launched in 2007 covering 26 cities and was published till March, 2015 on a quarterly basis. The revamped RESIDEX has been expanded to 50 cities spread over 18 States and UTs. These include 38 smart cities, of which 18 are state capitals. Base year for the new RESIDEX has been moved from 2007 to 2012-13 to capture the changing structure of the economy besides capturing the latest information to accurately reflect the current economic situation, as per the internationally accepted practices. RESIDEX will soon cover 100 cities and also will be further widened to include Land Price Indices, Building Materials Price Indices and Housing Rental Index. NHB RESIDEX helps buyers and sellers to check and compare prices before entering a transaction. They can also analyse the price trends across different cities both at composite level and product category level. It helps lenders in credit evaluation. It provides promoters with a standardized tool to assess the housing demand. Government agencies can monitor trends in macro and micro markets and predict future behavior of the housing market.
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GOVERNMENT FLOATING RATE BONDS 2024 LAUNCHED
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Recently Government of India has announced the Sale of Floating Rate Bonds. Floating Rate Bonds refer to the changing interest rate bonds. The interest rate or coupon rate is higher than a Benchmark rate and usually linked to that benchmark rate. When the benchmark rate increases, the coupon rate also increases. Government of India has announced the Sale of: (i) ―Government of India Floating Rate Bonds 2024‖ for a notified amount of Rs. 3000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (ii) ―6.79 per cent Government Stock, 2027‖ for a notified amount of Rs. 9,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (iii) ―7.73 per cent Government Stock 2034‖ for a notified amount of Rs. 3,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (iv) ―7.06 per cent Government Stock, 2046‖ for a notified amount of Rs. 3,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction. The auctions will be conducted using multiple price method. The auctions will be conducted by the Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai Office, Fort, Mumbai on July 14, 2017 (Friday). Up to 5% of the notified amount of the sale of the stocks will be allotted to eligible individuals and Institutions as per the Scheme for Non-Competitive Bidding Facility in the Auction of Government Securities. Both competitive and non-competitive bids for the auction should be submitted in electronic format on the Reserve Bank of India Core Banking Solution (E-Kuber) system on July 14, 2017. The non-competitive bids should be submitted between 10.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. and the competitive bids should be submitted between 10.30 a.m. and 12.00 noon. The result of the auctions will be announced on July 14, 2017 (Friday) and payment by successful bidders will be on July 17, 2017 (Monday). The Stocks will be eligible for ―When Issued‖ trading in accordance with the guidelines on ‗When Issued transactions in Central Government Securities‘ issued by the Reserve Bank of India vide circular No. RBI/200607/178 dated November 16, 2006 as amended from time to time.
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FAO FOOD PRICE INDEX: LATEST MONTHLY DATA
Rising prices of cereals, meat and dairy products have pushed the global food price index up by 1.4 per cent compared to last month and 7.0 per cent compared to last year. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the rise in the Food Price Index – a measure of the monthly change in international prices of a basket of food commodities – was largely because of surging prices of high-protein wheat due to deteriorating crop conditions in the United States. The FAO Food Price Index is a measure of the monthly change in international prices of a basket of food commodities. It consists of the average of five commodity group price indices, weighted with the average export shares of each of the groups for 2002-2004.
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Background: The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) was introduced in 1996 as a public good to help in monitoring developments in the global agricultural commodity markets. The only major modification made to it – until now – was in 2009, when its base period was updated to 2002–2004. During the significant price hikes in 2008, the FFPI gained prominence as an indicator of potential food security concerns for vulnerable developing countries. Since then, with the exception of 2009 and 2010, prices of agricultural commodities have remained at relatively high levels compared with those prior to 2008. In order to determine whether there was a need to revise the base period again to reflect changes in trading patterns post 2007, the FFPI was recalculated based on different reference years. This provided an opportunity to review commodity coverage and price quotations. It also allowed to make comparisons with other price indices that may have more desirable properties than the Laspeyres form of the FFPI and to assess the relevance of the index as a possible indicator for food security concerns.
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Latest Monthly Data: The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) averaged 175.2 points in June 2017, up 2.5 points (1.4 percent) from May and 11 points (7 percent) above its level a year earlier. June marked the second successive month of increase in the value of the FFPI. The rise was driven by relatively large increases in dairy and cereal prices. Meat quotations also firmed, while those of sugar and vegetable oils dropped. The FAO Cereal Price Index averaged 154.3 points in June, 6.2 points (4.2 percent) above its May level and representing a one-year high. Wheat quotations increased the most, largely reflecting a surge in high-protein wheat values due to deteriorating crop conditions in the United States, while strong import demand exerted upward pressure on international rice prices. By contrast, record harvests in South America kept maize prices under downward pressure. The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index averaged 162.1 points in June, down 6.5 points (or 3.9 percent) from May, when prices experienced a short-lived rebound. The slide in the index mainly reflects falling palm and soy oil values. International palm oil quotations dropped by a full 7 percent (marking a 10-month low), primarily because of good production prospects in Southeast Asia. Soy oil values dropped as South American bumper harvests bolstered global availabilities, while forecasts point to a near-record global output in 2017/18. Rapeseed and sunflower oil values also dropped, contributing to the overall fall in the index. The FAO Dairy Price Index averaged 209 points in June, up 15.9 points (8.3 percent) from May. This increase pushed the Index close to the highs registered during the last three years, although it is still 24 percent below its peak reached in February 2014. Prices of all dairy products that constitute the index rose, but butter price increased the most, rising 51.2 points (14.1 percent) from May to an all-time high. Limited export availabilities of dairy products in all major producing countries caused the prices of butter, cheese and skim milk powder to rise significantly, contributing also to stronger whole milk powder prices. The FAO Meat Price Index averaged 175.2 points in June, up 3.2 points (1.8 percent) from May, marking the sixth consecutive month of moderate price increases. Limited export supplies in Oceania, coupled with strong buying interest, underpinned bovine and ovine meat prices in June, while solid import demand lent some support to pig meat prices. By contrast, poultry quotations continued to be affected by concerns over the spread of Avian Influenza in Europe, Asia and Africa. The FAO Sugar Price Index averaged 197.3 points in June, down nearly 31 points (13.4 percent) from May and marking a 16-month low. International sugar prices have fallen steadily since February, with the continued decline reflecting large export availabilities, in particular robust Brazilian supplies. Weak import demand has exerted further downward pressure on quotations, especially as purchases by the world‘s leading importer, China, have slowed following the imposition of high import tariffs. FAO Meat Price Index: The value of the Meat Price Index for the most recent months is derived from a mixture of projected and observed prices. This can, at times, require significant revisions in the final value of the FAO Meat Price Index which could in turn influence the value of the FAO Food Price Index.
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10% BASIC CUSTOMS DUTY IMPOSED ON MOBILES
The Government had constituted Inter Ministerial Committee comprising of officers from Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Department of Commerce (DoC), Department of Telecommunication (DoT) and Department of Revenue (DoR) to identify electronic / IT / telecom products, which are not Information Technology Agreement [ITA] – I bound, for customs duty enhancement on them. With effect from 01.07.2017, the Government has imposed 10% basic customs duty (BCD) on: a) Cellular mobile phones and specified parts of cellular mobile phones like charger, battery, wire headset, Microphone and Receiver, Key Pad, USB Cable etc. b) Certain other specified electronic goods. The present exemption from basic customs duty on specified parts of mobiles, namely, Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA), Camera Module, Connectors Display Assembly, Touch Panel / Cover Glass Assembly, Vibrator Motor / Ringer will continue. Further, inputs and raw material for manufacture of parts of above specified electronics goods including mobile phones will also continue to be exempt from BCD.
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Notification Nos. 56/2017-Customs, 57/2017-Customs and 58/2017-Customs, all dated 30.06.2017 have been issued in this regard.
GOODS AND SERVICES TAX IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
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The rules related to Registration and Composition Scheme have been notified on 19th June, 2017. These rules have been brought into effect from 22nd June, 2017. The intent of notifying these rules is to start the process of issue of registration certificate, called Goods and Services Tax Identification Number (GSTIN), to taxpayers who have already been issued provisional ID for registration (PID) as well as to the new taxpayers. Any person who has been granted PID and who opts for composition scheme, should submit an intimation of option in a prescribed form on GSTN on or before 21st July, 2017. Any persons who has PID may submit the required documents on GSTN for getting the certificate of registration. It is clarified that a period of three months is allowed to complete this procedure i.e. the formalities can be completed on or before 22nd September, 2017. In the interim, they can issue tax invoice using the PID already allotted to them. A person seeking fresh registration can apply for registration within thirty days from the date on which he becomes liable for registration. They can also opt for composition scheme at the time of filing of registration form. The applicant for grant of new registration can issue a bill of supply for supplying goods or services during the period from the date of liability to obtain registration till date of issuance of the registration certificate, if he has applied for registration within thirty days from the date he has become liable for registration. On grant of certificate of registration he can issue revised tax invoices for the supplies made during this period.
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At the 18th meeting of the GST Council, it was decided to reduce the GST rate of fertilizers from the existing 12% to 5%. This decision was primarily taken in the interests of the farmers. The Government has also taken up with the Industry to pass on the benefit to the Farmers. Farmers would benefit to the tune of Rs. 1261 crores under GST regime. Under the new GST rates announced by the Council, average weighted MRP will decrease to Rs. 5909/ Ton (or Rs. 295.47/ 50kg bag) as compared to the existing All India weighted Average of Rs 5923/ Ton (or Rs. 296.18/50 kg bag). Consequent to the ushering in of the GST regime, there will be a uniform MRP of Rs.295.47 per 50 kg bag across the country except couple of States where additional VAT is charged on the natural gas as Natural gas has not been brought within the ambit of GST. However, even in these States, MRP will reduce by Rs 3 per 50 kg bag. Similarly, MRP of P&K Fertilisers, for which the prices are not administered, are also expected to come down on an average basis as the incidence of tax will be lower than the existing tax on an average. The GST regime, apart from integrating the entire fertilizer market into a single market, will also deter inter-state smuggling of fertilizers which may be currently happening due to differing levels of taxes and consequently MRPs in different adjoining States.
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TAX RATE ON FERTILIZERS REDUCED TO 5%
GST: HOW IT COMES TO EXISTENCE?
Importance of GST: The biggest tax reform since independence – GST – will pave the way for realization of the goal of One Nation – One Tax – One Market. GST will benefit all the stakeholders namely industry, government and consumer. It will lower the cost of goods and services, give a boost to the economy and make the products and services globally competitive, giving a major boost to ‗Make in India‘ initiative. Under the GST regime, exports will be zero-rated in entirety unlike the present system where refund of some of the taxes does not take place due to fragmented nature of indirect taxes between the Centre and the States. GST will make India a common market with common tax rates & procedures and remove economic barriers. GST is largely technology driven and will reduce the human interface to a great extent. GST is expected to improve ease of doing business in India. In majority of supplies of goods, the tax incidence approved by the GST Council is much lower than the present combined indirect tax rates levied [on account of central excise duty rates / embedded central excise duty rates / service tax post-clearance embedding, VAT rates or weighted average VAT rates, cascading of VAT over excise duty and tax incidence on account of CST, Octroi, Entry Tax, etc.] by the Centre and State(s).
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Goods and Services Tax (GST), a historic tax reform has come into effect from 1st July, 2017. GST will completely transform the Indirect Taxation landscape in the country involving both the Central and State levies. In a departure from the normal practice, GST will be administered together by the Centre and States. To commemorate the historic occasion, a function was held in the Central Hall of Parliament on the mid-night of 30th June – 1st July, 2017. The occasion was graced by the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Speaker of Lok Sabha and Union Finance Minister among other dignitaries.
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The GST Council has decided the final structure of GST as follows: The threshold limit for exemption from levy of GST is Rs. 20 lakh for the States except for the Special Category, where it is Rs 10 Lakh. A four slab tax rate structure of 5%, 12%, 18% and 28% has been adopted for GST. A cess would be levied on certain goods such as luxury cars, aerated drinks, pan masala and tobacco products, over and above the GST rate of 28% for payment of compensation to the states. The threshold for availing the Composition scheme is Rs. 75 lakh except for special category States where it is Rs. 50 lakh and they are required to file quarterly returns only. Certain categories of manufacturers, service providers (except restaurants) are out of the Composition Scheme. Other Important Features of GST GST envisages all transactions and processes to be done only through electronic mode, to achieve non-intrusive administration. This will minimise tax payers physical interaction with the tax officials. GST provides for the facility of auto-populated monthly returns and annual return. It also facilitates the taxpayers by prescribing grant of refund within 60 days, and provisional release of 90% refund to exporters within 7 days. Further facilitation measures include interest payment if refund is not sanctioned in time, and refund to be directly credited to bank accounts. Comprehensive transitional provisions for ensuring smooth transition of existing taxpayers to GST regime, credit for available stocks, etc. Other provisions include system of GST Compliance Rating, etc. Anti-profiteering provisions for protection of consumer rights. Role of GST Network (GSTN) – IT backbone of GST GSTN has been created as a section 25 private limited company with Strategic Control with the Government, to function as a common Pass-through portal for taxpayers. On this common portal, taxpayers will submit their registration applications, file returns, make tax payments, claim refunds etc. GSTN has been provided with a robust IT platform and it will provide interface to 80 lakh taxpayers and thousands of tax officials. All filings under GST will be done electronically. While GSTN remains a front-end, at the back end, the IT systems of CBEC and different states interface with the GSTN IT network to provide a seamless end to end processing of tax returns for the taxpayers. 64,000 officials have been trained on the GST portal from February till June 2017. The GSTN IT systems have undergone load tests, performance tests, vulnerability tests, security and all other mandatory tests. Enrolment of existing taxpayers of the State tax administrations and the Central Board of Excise and Customs to the GST system commenced on 8thNovember, 2016. More than 66 lakh taxpayers have activated their account at the GST portal. GST Application on Payment has been operationalized. 25 banks have been integrated with the GST Common portal and will be providing e-payment and Over the counter payment facilities as well as payment through NeFT/RTGS and credit/debit card.
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Journey of GST after the Constitutional Amendment Act, 2016: After the assent of the President on 8th September, 2016, the 101th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2016 came into existence. The GST Council was constituted on 15.9.2016. Since its formation in September, 2016 the GST Council has held 18 meetings. The Finance Ministers of all the States or their representative along with State and Central govt officials have participated in these extensive meetings and formulated the law and procedure to implement this historic tax reform. It was a mammoth task involving 27000+ man hours of intensive work. More than 200 meetings of the officers of the Centre and States took place in different parts of the country to expedite the implementation of GST. While framing GST Acts and Rules, enhanced ‗Ease of doing business‘ for the taxpayers was a key consideration and accordingly the roles and responsibilities of the States and Central govt have been defined. In a short span of time, the GST council has cleared GST laws, GST Rules, Tax rate structure including Compensation Cess, Classification of goods and services into different rate slabs, exemptions, thresholds, structure for tax administration, etc. All the decisions of Council were taken with consensus. While formulating the Acts and Rules, extensive participatory consultations with trade and industry including other significant stakeholders were undertaken. Feedback was also obtained by posting draft Acts and Rules on the websites and inviting comments from the public. On 29th March, 2017, the Finance Minister of India tabled four Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bills for consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha namely The Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Bill, 2017, The Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) Bill, 2017, The Union Territories Goods and Services Tax (UTGST) Bill, 2017 and the GST (Compensation to States) Bill, 2017. They were passed by the Lok Sabha on 29th March, 2017 and by the Rajya Sabha on 6th April, 2017.
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RE-ORGANISATION OF CBEC Implementation of GST has necessitated reorganisation of the Central Board of Excise & Customs formations for administration of GST. The reorganisation involved bringing about structural changes and redeployment of human resources.
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TRAINING For a smooth roll out of GST, it was imperative to carry out adequate capacity-building exercise and awareness. National Academy of Customs Indirect Taxes and Narcotics (NACIN) have conducted extensive training programs.
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Redeployment has been done to ensure outreach to the remotest corner. The Directorates which have significant role under the GST have been adequately expanded and strengthened. The field formations have been restructured as 21 CGST & CX Zones, 107 CGST & CX Commissionerates, 12 Sub-Commissionerates, 768 CGST & CX Divisions, 3969 CGST & CX Ranges, 48 Audit Commissionerates and 49 Appeal Commissionerates.
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INTERNATIONAL HAMBANTOTA PORT DEAL IN NEWS
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The Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port (also known as the Port of Hambantota) is a maritime port in Hambantota, Sri Lanka. The first phase of the port was opened on 18 November 2010, with the first ceremonial berthing of the naval ship ―Jetliner‖ to use the port facilities. It is named after former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Sri Lanka has signed a 1.1 billion dollars deal with China for the control and development of the southern deepsea port of Hambantota. The deal had been delayed by several months over concerns that the port could be used by the Chinese military. The government has given assurances that China will run only commercial operations from the port, on the main shipping route between Asia and Europe. Sri Lanka‘s government said money from the deal will help repay foreign loans. Under the proposal, a state-run Chinese company will have a 99-year lease on the port and about 15,000 acres nearby for an industrial zone. Hambantota Port is built inland and operated by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. Total estimated construction cost of the Phase 1 of the project is US $361 million and out of which, 85% has been funded by the EXIM Bank of China. India has also voiced concerns that China could use the deep sea port in the Indian Ocean to dock military vessels. Sri Lanka has assured India that there are no security issues over the port, which it says will only be used for commercial purposes.
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Pakistan‘s Supreme Court five-Judge Bench has disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from office. This ruling comes after months of hearings in a case instigated by the ―Panama Papers‖ leaks, related to alleged corruption during his previous two terms in office. The five-Judge Bench ruled that: “It is hereby declared that having failed to disclose his un-withdrawn receivables constituting assets from Capital FZE Jebel Ali, UAE in his nomination papers filed for the General Elections held in 2013 in terms of Section 12(2)(f) of the Representation of the People Act, 1976 (ROPA), and having furnished a false declaration under solemn affirmation respondent No. 1 Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is not honest in terms of Section 99(f) of ROPA and Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 and therefore he is disqualified to be a Member of the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament),” the Bench ruled, directing the Election Commission of Pakistan to immediately issue a notification disqualifying Mr. Sharif from being a Member of the Majlis-e-Shoora(Parliament). Nawaz Sharif has stepped down from his post in accordance with the Supreme Court ruling. Sharif and three of his children have been referred to a National Accountability court, which has been ordered to register corruption cases against them within six weeks. The court also referred Ishaq Dar, the finance minister, who has served as Sharif‘s accountant in the past, to the corruption court, along with other associates of Sharif. In 2016, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists leaked 11.5 million documents from Panamabased law firm Mossack Fonseca, dubbed the Panama Papers. Several documents included in the leak showed three of Sharif‘s children – Hussain, Hasan and Maryam – owned at least three off-shore companies registered in the British Virgin Islands. The documents showed that these companies had engaged in deals worth $25m.
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PAKISTAN SUPREME COURT DISQUALIFIES PRIME MINISTER
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IRAN-IRAQ SIGN AGREEMENT TO BOOST MILITARY COOPERATION Iran and Iraq have signed an agreement to boost military cooperation and to battle against ―terrorism and extremism‖. The memorandum of understanding on defense and cooperation was signed between Iraqi Defense minister Major General Erfan al-Hiyali and his Iranian counterpart Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan. The expansion of cooperation and sharing experiences in the fields of fight against terrorism and extremism, border security, training, logistics, technical and military supports were included in the memorandum. The Iraqi defense minister thanked Iran for its help in fighting Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL). Al-Hiyali also stressed the crucial role of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) militia in the liberation of Mosul. Iran and Iraq fought a bloody 1980-88 war during the reign of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. But bilateral ties have improved after Hussein was ousted in 2003 and a government led by Shi‘ite Muslims took power in Baghdad. Iran is a predominately Shi‘ite nation.
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NEW WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS FINANCE INITIATIVE LAUNCHED
The World Bank has launched a public-private loan programme to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries.
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What would it finance? Given the need for both public and private sector interventions to address the constraints women entrepreneurs face, We-Fi will support complementary approaches through both the public and private sector. We-Fi will also enable innovation around new financial and non-financial services for women entrepreneurs in emerging markets. We-Fi would not only provide dedicated resources to foster innovation and new approaches to removing these constraints for women entrepreneurs, but also help to elevate the issue to spur action by governments and private sector.
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Initial funding of $325 million for the project includes large donations from Germany, the United States, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The United States and Germany invited the Bank Group to establish the facility. We-Fi is a collaboration among the governments of Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States. Women entrepreneurs play a critical role in economic development by boosting growth and creating jobs, particularly for the poorest 40 percent of the population. Yet, women face numerous challenges to financing, owning, and growing a business, including limited access to capital and technology, a lack of networks and knowledge resources, and legal and policy obstacles to business ownership and development. The Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) seeks to address barriers to financial access and to provide complementary services that address constraints at multiple levels from legal reforms to skills enhancements and market access for women-owned and women-led small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which are key sources of potential job growth in developing countries. This is the first major global fund or facility dedicated to a holistic public and private approach to eliminating barriers to women‘s economic empowerment. We-Fi will enable more than US$1 billion of financing to improve access to capital, provide technical assistance, and invest in other projects and programs that support women and women-led SMEs in World Bank Group client countries. We-Fi originally targeted $200 million in grants from donors, with an additional $800 million in IFI and commercial financing by working with financial intermediaries, funds, and other market actors.
How will it be governed? We-Fi will be established and managed as a Financial Intermediary Fund (FIF) at the World Bank, drawing on the World Bank‘s strong track record in designing and managing Funds to ensure best practice in terms of governance and efficiency. A Governing Committee would set the Facility‘s operational policies, eligibility and resource allocation criteria, approve allocations to Implementing Partners, provide regular monitoring, and review evaluations. Those who contribute above a threshold to be determined by the founding contributors, would occupy voting seats on the Committee.
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MAURITIUS SIGNS MULTILATERAL TAX CONVENTION
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Recently, Mauritius has signed the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (MLI). Mauritius has also reaffirmed that it will implement the minimum standards outlined in the OECD/ G20 BEPS plan by 2018. It has committed to modify its remaining tax treaties through bilateral negotiations. The MLI is a legal instrument designed to prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) by multinational enterprises. BEPS refers to tax avoidance strategies that exploit gaps and mismatches in tax rules to artificially shift profits to low or no-tax locations. The MLI allows jurisdictions to transpose results from the OECD/ G20 BEPS project, including minimum standards to implement in tax treaties, to prevent treaty abuse and ―treaty shopping‖, into their existing networks of bilateral tax treaties in a quick and efficient manner.
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NEW SANCTIONS IMPOSED ON IRAN BY USA
USA imposed new sanctions against entities and individuals with ties to Iran. USA has designated 18 entities and individuals under this latest round of sanctions for their support of Iran‘s military procurement for its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — a powerful government security agency tied to the country‘s hardliners. USA criticized Iran for continuing to develop its ballistic missile program, which the United States and other countries consider a violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
SWITZERLAND RATIFIES AEOI WITH 41 COUNTRIES
The Swiss Federal Council has introduced automatic exchange of financial account information (AEOI) with 41 more states and territories. The list of the countries is as follows: Andorra, Antigua e Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Curacao, Faroe Islands, Grenada, Greenland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Colombia, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Maurizio,
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Mexico, Monaco, Montserrat, New Zealand, Russia, Saint Kitts e Nevi, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent e Grenadine, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, South Africa, Turks e Caicos Islands, Uruguay, and United Arab Emirates. This follows the introduction earlier this year AEOI with 38 states and territories, including all EU member states. The implementation is considered appropriate and necessary to implement the international standards in taxation to boost the image and competitiveness of the Swiss financial market. In fact, with the extension, Switzerland‘s AEOI network now includes the majority of G20 and OECD states, as well as other important financial centres around the world. Hence a level playing field will be created among states and all major financial centres. The implementation is planned for 2018, and the first sets of data should be exchanged in 2019. Moreover, the AEOI will be activated with each individual state or territory by means of a specific federal decree within the framework of the dispatch. The Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement on the Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information (MCAA) will be the base for the exchange of information. The dispatch provides that before the first exchange of data, Switzerland will confirm that the states and territories concerned meet the requirements under the MCAA standard, especially those concerning confidentiality and data security.
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Aleksandar Vucic was sworn in as Serbia‘s president. Serbia is a parliamentary republic, with the government divided into legislative, executive and judiciary branches. The President is the head of state, is elected by popular vote to a five-year term and is limited by the Constitution to a maximum of two terms. In addition to being the commander in chief of the armed forces, the president has the procedural duty of appointing the prime minister with the consent of the parliament, and has some influence on foreign policy. The Government (Vlada) is composed of the prime minister and cabinet ministers. The Government is responsible for proposing legislation and a budget, executing the laws, and guiding the foreign and internal policies. The National Assembly (Narodna skupština) is a unicameral legislative body. The National Assembly has the power to enact laws, approve the budget, schedule presidential elections, select and dismiss the Prime Minister and other ministers, declare war, and ratify international treaties and agreements. It is composed of 250 proportionally elected members who serve four-year terms. Serbia is a landlocked country situated at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe in the southern Pannonian Plain and the central Balkans. It borders Hungary to the north; Romania and Bulgaria to the east; Macedonia to the south; Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro to the west and claims a border with Albania through the disputed territory of Kosovo. Serbia numbers around 7 million residents; its capital, Belgrade, ranks among the oldest and largest cities in Southeast Europe.
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SERBIA‟S NEW PRESIDENT
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China has imposed strict controls on the scale of sea reclamation. China‘s State Oceanic Administration (SOA) set eight indexes on sea development, including the rate of sea utilisation, rate of coastal utilisation, investment intensity and ratio of sea reclamation. Any application that does not conform to the requirement of the eight indexes will be sent back for re-examination. The restrictions are aimed to improve the efficiency of sea utilisation, achieve sustainable development with the minimum use of oceanic space and promote intensive exploitation of coastal resources. As the cost for sea utilisation is far lower than land utilisation, Chinese companies have developed a craze for investment on sea reclamation, driven by huge profits. Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, and also known as land fill, is the process of creating new land from ocean, riverbeds, or lake beds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ground or land fill. This issue has been in news when last year satellite imagery confirmed that China was constructing artificial islands in the South China Sea. According to Chian, there is no prohibition in international law about land reclamation. Artificial islands have a distinct meaning in international law. Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) sovereignty over artificial islands can only be exercised by a coastal state in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Article 56 states, ―In the exclusive economic zone, the coastal State has jurisdiction with regard to: (i) the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures…‖ Article 60 gives the coastal state ―exclusive right to construct artificial islands.‖ And Article 80 extends this provision to artificial islands on a coastal state‘s continental shelf. The issue of China‘s construction of artificial islands is being seen as an attempt to enforce its jurisdiction over twelve nautical miles of water surrounding these artificial islands. In this way China is trying to increase its legal control in South-China sea. Other issue is of concern is with similar efforts by Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines in South-China sea. Kindly Subscribe our Current Affairs to read in detail about more important issues.
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CHINA AND SOUTH-CHINA SEA RECLAMATION ISSUE
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BestCurrentAffairs.com PEOPLE‟S DISPLACEMENT IN KASAI REGION OF CONGO
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Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has alerted the humanitarian community about the violence and continued displacement of civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from the Kasai region where the estimated number of displaced people now exceeds 1.3 million. The Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is divided administratively into Kasai-Occidental and Kasai-Oriental. It shares its name with the Kasai River. After the independence of Congo, it seceded for a while under influence of Belgium and became an independent kingdom. After the assassination of Patrice Lumumba, Kasai came back to Congo. The conflict in the Kasai region, which started in late 2016 between a local traditional leader – the Kamuina Nsapu – and state authorities, continues to expand, with other armed groups springing up and committing severe human rights abuses against civilians. During recent missions to two provinces bordering the main conflict region, Kwilu and Lualaba, UNHCR‘s team met some extremely vulnerable new arrivals. The majority of those displaced are being accommodated by host communities, despite limited resources. UNHCR is strengthening its response on the ground, closely working with national partner organizations to distribute more than 267,000 hot meals daily in five provinces affected by the displacement, namely Kasai, Kasai Central, Kwango, Kwilu and Lualaba.
UNITED NATIONS POLITICAL MISSION IN IRAQ EXTENDED
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The UN Security Council has extended the mandate of the United Nations political mission in Iraq until 31 July 2018. It has also called the Iraq‘s Government to continue providing security and logistical support to the Organization‘s presence on the ground. UNSC also decided that the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and the Secretary-General‘s Special Representative would, at Iraq‘s request, continue to pursue their mandates, outlined at the time of the previous mandate extension in 2016. In so doing, the Council took into account a 14 June 2017 letter from Iraq‘s Foreign Minister to the SecretaryGeneral. The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) is a political mission established on 14 August 2003 by the UN Security Council Resolution 1500 at the request of the Government of Iraq. It has been on the ground ever since, with its role greatly expanded in 2007 with the passage of Resolution 1770. Since its inception in 2003, UNAMI has played a crucial role in providing significant support in the drafting of Iraq‘s 2005 Constitution, assisting in six elections, coordinating UN humanitarian efforts and the financial assistance of the donor community and providing advisory support to the Council of Representatives. UNAMI continues to assist in political dialogue towards a resolution of issues related to Kirkuk and other disputed internal territories of Iraq. After having successfully helped establish, train and advise Iraq‘s first High Electoral Commission, the Mission is currently assisting the Government establish an Independent High Commission for Human Rights to promote and protect the rights of all Iraq‘s people according to international standards. The Mission is administered by the UN‘s Department of Political Affairs and supported by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, as well as the Department of Field Support.
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According to Education Ministry of Saudi Arabia, Saudi public schools will begin offering physical education for girls in the coming academic year. Minister of Education Ahmad Al-Isa issued orders to this effect. Physical education for girls is controversial in Saudi Arabia, where conservatives consider it immodest. The program will be implemented in line with the Shariah regulations and in a phased manner depending on the available capabilities of each public school. Schools will arrange sports halls and hire qualified women physical education staff before introducing the program. The decision has been taken in line with the goals of the Kingdom‘s Vision 2030 to raise the percentage of those practicing sports and physical exercise by introducing more sports and recreational activities. A supervisory committee, headed by Dr. Haya Bint Abdulaziz Al-Awwad, undersecretary for girls‘ education at the ministry, will be constituted to implement the program. The committee will spell out the program‘s goals, performance indexes, and a phased plan. It will work in coordination with universities to train women specialists so as to qualify them to implement the program at girls‘ schools. The Saudi government has in recent years begun introducing gradual reforms to open new opportunities for women and expand their participation in the labour force. In 2015, the Shoura Council asked the Ministry of Education to consider adding in the curricula physical education programs that conform to Islamic regulations. Earlier this year, the The 150-member Shuora Council opened the door to licensing for women‘s gyms. The kingdom sent two female athletes to the Olympics for the first time in 2012, and four to the 2016 games.
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SAUDI ARABIA INTRODUCES PHYSICAL EDUCATION FOR GIRLS
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In June 2013, Saudi Arabia‘s first dedicated sports center for girls was formally opened, heralding more steps for women‘s empowerment in the country. The Shuora Council called for encouraging the private sector to establish fitness centers for women.
United States and Qatar have signed an agreement to combat ―terrorism financing‖. Qatar has become the first country to sign a such type agreement with US in Gulf region. According to agreement, together the United States and Qatar will do more to track down funding sources, will do more to collaborate and share information, and will do more to keep the region and their homelands safe. In early June, seven countries cut ties with Qatar, saying the country was supporting terrorist groups. Qatar denies that. Four of those countries — Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates — sent Qatar a list of demands it must meet to end the de facto blockade. Those demands include severing ties to terrorist organizations and ending any funding for those considered terrorists by surrounding countries. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates accuse Doha of funding terrorism which Qatar denies. The four countries cut ties with Qatar and imposed a land, air and sea blockade on the country. They said that the agreement between Qatar and the United States on combating terror funding is ―insufficient‖.
JAPAN DONATES TO WTO GLOBAL TRUST FUND
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The government of Japan is contributing JPY 27.5 million (just over CHF 230,000) to help developing countries and least-developed countries enhance their trade negotiating skills and participate more effectively in global trade negotiations. The donation to the WTO‘s Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund will finance training workshops for officials in Geneva and elsewhere to help them better understand and implement WTO agreements. Since the creation of the fund in 2001, over 2,500 workshops have been organized. This donation will help to provide important training for developing and least-developed countries to help them participate effectively in multilateral trade negotiations and thereby seize the opportunities that trade provides. Japan has donated almost CHF 11 million to WTO trust funds over the past 15 years. The Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund The Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund (DDAGTF) was established in 2002, in order to receive extra budgetary contributions from WTO Members to finance the implementation of the annual TA Plans. The total cost of the TA Plans is budgeted at some CHF19 Mio annually, of which some CHF14.5 Mio is covered from Trust Funds and some CHF4.5 Mio from WTO‘s regular budget. The Global Trust Fund is operated against periodic benchmarks and closely supervised by the Committee on Budget Finance and Administration and the Committee and Trade and Development. According to the rules established by Members, by December of the year preceding the fund‘s revolving annual target period, actual contributions amounting to 25 percent of the annual total should be recorded. By 31 March, another 50 percent should be in hand for an overall 75 percent of the total estimated expenditure of the year. By 30 June, 100 percent of the funds needed should be received. Where contribution receipt targets are manifestly not met, the General Council shall meet on an urgent basis to discuss the matter.
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USA-QATAR AGREEMENT ON COMBATING TERRORISM FUNDING
According to latest Japan government data, the number of births fell below 1 million last year in Japan. It is the fastest pace of decreasing population since 1968. As of on January 1, the number of Japanese people dropped a record 308,084 from a year earlier to 125,583,658. It was the eighth straight year of decline. The number of births stood at 981,202, while that of deaths hit a record-high 1,309,515. The ―natural population loss‖ — calculated by subtracting deaths from births — totaled 328,313.
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JAPAN‟S POPULATION IS DECREASING FAST
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Japan‘s population is declining, but that doesn‘t mean the death rate is increasing. In fact, Japanese people are living longer, healthier lives than ever before. While most of the cities in Japan witnessed decreasing population, Tokyo saw an increase of 77,400, or 0.60 percent. Hokkaido suffered the largest population decline — 33,593. In terms of the pace of decline, Akita Prefecture ranked first at 1.34 percent, followed by Aomori and Kochi prefectures. By age, people 65 old or older accounted for a record-high 27.17 percent of the country‘s population. The overall population of both Japanese and foreign residents dropped 159,125 from a year before, to 127,907,086.
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Main Reasons for Declining Birth Rate in Japan: Women are marrying later. Women have more options besides homemaking. Young professionals in Japan have been family-averse for the past 20 years. Unmarried women are less likely to have kids. Marriage is still the most socially acceptable way to have children. The biggest problem for Japan may be the rate at which its population is aging. The number of people age 65 or older in Japan has reached 33 million. Lower population means fewer people spending money, and a greater pressure on Japan‘s GDP and wages. There‘s also falling land prices and exchange rate appreciation. The government estimates the population will drop to 86.7 million by 2060, with people over 65 making up 40% of the country. Though the problem of falling birthrates and aging population is particularly acute in Japan, a similar problem is also brewing in Europe and the U.S.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com BATTULGA WINS MONGOLIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
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Khaltmaa Battulga has won Mongolia‘s presidential election. Battulga of the Democratic Party (DP) is a 54-yearold former martial arts star. Battulga won with 50.6 percent of the vote on a 60.9 percent turnout and defeated Miyeegombo Enkhbold of the ruling Mongolian People‘s Party. Mongolia is a landlocked unitary sovereign state in East Asia. It is located between China to the south and Russia to the north. While it does not share a border with Kazakhstan, Mongolia is separated from it by only 36.76 kilometers (22.84 mi). Mongolia is the 18th largest country in the world by land mass and has a population of around three million people. It is also the world‘s second-largest landlocked country behind Kazakhstan and the largest landlocked country that does not border a closed sea. The country contains very little arable land, as much of its area is covered by grassy steppe, with mountains to the north and west and the Gobi Desert to the south. Ulaanbaatar, the capital and largest city, is home to about 40%-45% of the country‘s population. Horse culture is still integral. The majority of its population are Buddhists. The non-religious population is the second largest group. Mongolia is a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, where the President is directly elected. The people also elect the deputies in the national assembly, the State Great Khural. The President appoints the Prime Minister, and nominates the Cabinet on the proposal of the prime minister. The constitution of Mongolia guarantees a number of freedoms, including full freedom of expression and religion. Mongolia has a number of political parties; the largest are the Mongolian People‘s Party and the Democratic Party.
Japan and European Union have signed an Economic Partnership Agreement that would affect about 30 percent of the world‘s gross domestic product. The negotiations of this deal was launched in 2013. This Economic Partnership Agreement will boost trade in goods and services as well as create opportunities for investment. The agreement will further improve the position of EU exporters and investors on Japan‘s large market, while including strong guarantees for the protection of EU standards and values. It will help cement Europe‘s leadership in setting global trade rules and send a powerful signal that cooperation, not protectionism, is the way to tackle global challenges. Following the breakthrough announced at the EU-Japan Summit held in Brussels on 6 July 2017, the negotiators will continue their work to address remaining technical points and achieve a final text of the agreement by the end of the year.
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EU-JAPAN SIGNS ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
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Details of Economic Partnership Agreement:
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Elimination of customs duties – tariffs on more than 90% of the EU‘s exports to Japan will be eliminated at entry into force of the economic partnership. Once the agreement is fully implemented, Japan will have scrapped customs duties on 97% of goods imported from the EU (in tariff lines), with the remaining tariff lines being subject to partial liberalisation through tariff rate quotas or tariff reductions. This, in turn, will save EU exporters around €1 billion in customs duties per year. Agriculture and food products – Japan is a highly valuable export market for European farmers and food producers. With annual exports worth over €5.7 billion, Japan is already the EU‘s fourth biggest market for agricultural exports. Over time around 85% of EU agri-food products (in tariff lines) will be allowed to enter Japan entirely duty-free. This corresponds to 87% of current agri-food exports by value. The agreement will eliminate or sharply reduce duties on agricultural products in which the EU has a major export interest, such as pork, the EU‘s main agricultural export to Japan, ensuring duty-free trade with processed pork meat and almost duty-free trade for fresh pork meat exports. Tariffs on beef will be cut from 38.5% to 9% over 15 years for a significant volume of beef products. EU wine exports to Japan are already worth around €1 billion and represent the EU‘s second biggest agricultural export to Japan by value. The tariffs on wine will be scrapped from day one, as will tariffs for other alcoholic drinks. As regards cheese exports, where the EU is already the main player on the Japanese market, high duties on many hard cheeses such as Gouda and Cheddar (which currently are at 29.8%) will be eliminated, and a duty-free quota will be established for fresh cheeses such as Mozzarella. The EU-Japan agreement will also scrap customs duties (with a transitional period) for processed agricultural products such as pasta, chocolates, cocoa powder, candies, confectionary, biscuits, starch derivatives, prepared tomatoes and tomato sauce. There will also be significant quotas for EU exports (duty-free or with reduced duty) of malt, potato starch, skimmed milk powder, butter and whey. Geographical Indications – the EU-Japan agreement recognises the special status and offers protection on the Japanese market to more than 200 European agricultural products from a specific European geographical origin, known as Geographical Indications (GIs) – for instance Roquefort, Aceto Balsamico di Modena, Prosecco, Jambon d‘Ardenne, Tiroler Speck, Polska Wódka, Queso Manchego, Lübecker Marzipan and Irish Whiskey. These products will be given the same level of protection in Japan as they experience in the EU.
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Industrial products – tariffs on industrial products will be fully abolished, for instance in sectors where the EU is very competitive, such as chemicals, plastics, cosmetics as well as textiles and clothing. For leather and shoes, the existing quota system that has been significantly hampering EU exports will be abolished at the agreement‘s entry into force. Tariffs on shoes will be cut from 30% to 21% at entry into force, with the rest of the duties being eliminated over 10 years. Tariffs on EU exports of leather products, such as handbags, will be eliminated over 10 years, as will be those on products that are traditionally highly protected by Japan, such as sports shoes and ski boots. Fisheries – import quotas will no longer be applied and all tariffs will be eliminated on both sides, meaning better prices for EU consumers and big export opportunities for EU industry. Forestry – tariffs on all wood products will be fully eliminated, with seven years staging for the most important priorities. Most tariffs on wood products will be dropped immediately, with some less important tariff lines being scrapped after 10 years. Whaling and illegal logging: The EU has banned all imports of whale products for more than 35 years, and this will not change with the Economic Partnership Agreement. The EU and its Member States are committed to the conservation and protection of whales and have consistently expressed strong reservations about whaling for scientific purposes. Whales receive special protection under EU law and the EU strictly enforces the ban on trade under the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The EU addresses whaling by all third countries, including Japan, both in bilateral relations and the international fora that are best suited to deal with this issue – for example, at the International Whaling Commission, where we work with like-minded partners to address whaling with Japan. When it comes to the agreement announced recently, it will include a chapter on sustainable development which will provide for an additional platform to foster dialogue and joint work between the EU and Japan on environmental issues of relevance in a trade context. The EU and Japan share a common commitment to combat illegal logging and related trade and this will be reflected in the text of the agreement. Trade in illegal timber is not an issue between the EU and Japan. The EU has a very clear legislation on illegal logging, just like Japan. Both partners have surveillance and certification systems in place to prevent the import of illegal timber. The two partners also work closely with third countries to support them in setting up efficient mechanisms to address the problem. Non-tariff barriers – the EU-Japan negotiations addressed many non-tariff measures that had constituted a concern for EU companies, as some Japanese technical requirements and certification procedures often make it difficult to export safe European products to Japan. The agreement will go a long way in facilitating the access of EU companies to the highly regulated Japanese market. Examples of such barriers that were successfully addressed include: Motor vehicles – the agreement ensures that both Japan and the EU will fully align themselves to the same international standards on product safety and the protection of the environment, meaning that European cars will be subject to the same requirements in the EU and Japan, and will not need to be tested and certified again when exported to Japan. With Japan now committing itself to international car standards, EU exports of cars to Japan will be significantly simplified. This also paves the way for even stronger cooperation between the EU and Japan in international standard setting fora. It includes an accelerated dispute settlement between the two sides specifically for motor vehicles, similar to the one agreed under the EU-South Korea trade agreement. It also includes a safeguard and a clause allowing the EU to reintroduce tariffs in the event that Japan would (re)introduce non-tariff barriers to EU exports of vehicles. The agreement will also mean that hydrogen-fuelled cars that are approved in the EU can be exported to Japan without further alterations. Medical devices – In November 2014, Japan adopted the international standard on quality management systems (QMS), on which the EU QMS system for medical devices is based. This reduces the costs of certification of European products exported to Japan considerably. Textiles labelling – In March 2015, Japan adopted the international textiles labelling system similar to the one used in the EU. Textiles labels therefore do no longer need to be changed on every single garment exported to Japan, as was the case before. ―Quasi drugs‖, medical devices and cosmetics – a complicated and duplicative notification system that hampered the marketing of many European pharmaceuticals, medical devices and cosmetics in Japan was finally abolished on 1 January 2016. Beer – From 2018 onwards, European beers can be exported as beers and not as ―alcoholic soft drinks‖. This will also lead to similar taxation, thus doing away with differences between different beers. In addition, the Economic Partnership Agreement also contains general rules on certain types of non-tariff barriers, which will help level the playing field for European products exported to Japan, and increase transparency and predictability: Technical barriers to trade – the agreement puts the focus on Japan and the EU‘s mutual commitment to ensure that their standards and technical regulations are based on international standards to the greatest possible extent. Combined with the provisions on non-tariff measures, this is good news for European exporters of electronics, pharmaceuticals, textiles and chemicals. For instance, reliance on international standards will be helpful for easier and less costly compliance of food products with Japanese labelling rules. Sanitary and phytosanitary measures – the agreement creates a more predictable regulatory environment for EU products exported to Japan. The EU and Japan have agreed to simplify approval and clearance processes and that import procedures are completed without undue delays, making sure that undue bureaucracy does not put a spanner in the works for exporters. The agreement will not lower safety standards or require parties to
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change their domestic policy choices on matters such as the use of hormones or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Trade in services – the EU exports some €28 billion of services to Japan each year. The agreement will make it easier for EU firms to provide services on the highly lucrative Japanese market. The agreement contains a number of provisions that apply horizontally to all trade in services, such as a provision to reaffirm the Parties‘ right to regulate. It maintains the right of EU Member States‘ authorities to keep public services public and it will not force governments to privatise or deregulate any public service at national or local level. Likewise, Member States‘ authorities retain the right to bring back to the public sector any privately provided services. Europeans will continue to decide for themselves how they want, for example, their healthcare, education and water delivered. Postal and courier services – the agreement includes provisions on universal service obligations, border procedures, licences and the independence of the regulators. The agreement will also ensure a level-playing field between EU suppliers of postal and courier services and their Japanese competitors, such as Japan Post. Telecommunications – the agreement includes provisions focused on establishing a level playing field for telecommunications services providers and on issues such as universal service obligations, number portability, mobile roaming and confidentiality of communications. International maritime transport services – the agreement contains obligations to maintain open and nondiscriminatory access to international maritime services (transport and related services) as well as access to ports and port services. Financial services – the agreement contains specific definitions, exceptions and disciplines on new financial services, self-regulating organisations, payment and clearing systems and transparency, and rules on insurance services provided by postal entities. Many of these are based on rules developed under the World Trade Organisation, while addressing specificities of the financial services sector. Temporary movement of company personnel – the agreement includes the most advanced provisions on movement of people for business purposes (otherwise known as ―mode 4‖) that the EU has negotiated so far. They cover all traditional categories such as intra-corporate transferees, business visitors for investment purposes, contractual service suppliers, and independent professionals, as well as newer categories such as short-term business visitors and investors. The EU and Japan have also agreed to allow spouses and children to accompany those who are either service suppliers or who work for a service supplier (covered by ―mode 4‖ provisions). This will, in turn, support investment in both directions. State owned enterprises – state-owned enterprises will not be allowed to treat EU companies, services or products differently to their Japanese counterparts when buying and selling on commercial markets. The aim is to ensure a level-playing field between public and private companies. Public procurement – EU companies will be able to participate on an equal footing with Japanese companies in bids for procurement tenders in the 48 so-called ‗core cities‘ of Japan with around 300.000 to 500.00 inhabitants. The agreement also removes existing obstacles to procurement in the railway sector. Investment: The agreement aims to promote investment between the EU and Japan and to create a more business-friendly climate. At the same time, the text explicitly reaffirms the right of each party to regulate to pursue legitimate policy objectives, highlighted in a non-exhaustive list. As regards investment protection specifically, during these negotiations, the EU has tabled to Japan its reformed proposal on the Investment Court System. For the EU, it is clear that there can be no return to the old-style Investor to State Dispute Settlement System (ISDS). Data protection: Data protection is a fundamental right in the European Union and is therefore not up for negotiation. Privacy is not a commodity to be traded. Since January 2017, the European Union and Japan are in a dialogue to facilitate the transfers of personal data for commercial exchanges, while ensuring the highest level of data protection. The aim is to bridge data protection laws through a so called ―mutual adequacy decision‖ which will guarantee high standards of data protection in both the EU and Japan. With the EU General Data Protection Regulation that entered into force last year and the new Japanese privacy law that entered into force in May, the EU and Japan have modernised and strengthened their respective data protection regimes. We thus already have very similar systems which guarantee a very high level of protection for personal data. Adequacy decisions can complement trade agreements and amplify their benefits. An adequacy decision is taken by the Commission establishing that a third country provides a comparable level of protection of personal data to that in the European Union, through its domestic laws or its international commitments. The plan is to conclude this dialogue by early 2018 (see also the latest statement on this). Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) – the agreement builds on and reinforces the commitments that both sides have taken in the World Trade Organization (WTO), in line with the EU‘s own rules. The agreement sets out provisions on protection of trade secrets, trademarks, copyright protection, patents, minimum common rules for regulatory test data protection for pharmaceuticals, and civil enforcement provisions. Sustainable development – the agreement includes all the key elements of the EU approach on sustainable development and is in line with other recent EU trade agreements. The EU and Japan commit themselves to implementing the core labour standards of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and international environmental agreements, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as the Paris climate agreement. The EU and Japan commit not to lower domestic labour and environmental laws to attract trade and investment. The parties also commit themselves to the conservation and sustainable management of natural resources, and to addressing biodiversity, forestry, and fisheries issues. The EU and Japan agree to promote Corporate Social Responsibility and other trade and investment practices supporting sustainable development. The agreement sets up mechanisms for giving civil society oversight over commitments taken in the
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United Nations conference adopted the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. It is the first multilateral legally-binding instrument for nuclear disarmament to have been negotiated in 20 years. The treaty – adopted by a vote of 122 in favour to one against (Netherlands), with one abstention (Singapore) – prohibits a full range of nuclear-weapon-related activities, such as undertaking to develop, test, produce, manufacture, acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, as well as the use or threat of use of these weapons. The prohibitions also include any undertaking to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. The treaty will be open for signature to all States at UN Headquarters in New York on 20 September 2017, and enter into force 90 days after it has been ratified by at least 50 countries. However, a number of countries stayed out of the negotiations, including the United States, Russia and other nuclear-weapon States, as well as many of their allies. North Korea (DPRK) did not join the talks either. In a joint press statement, the delegations of the United States, United Kingdom and France said they ―have not taken part in the negotiation of the treaty… and do not intend to sign, ratify or ever become party to it.‖ It was recalled that even when the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) was adopted decades ago, it also faced similar resistance and did not enjoy a large number of accessions in the starting. Opened for signature in 1968, the Treaty entered into force in 1970. Then in 1995, the Treaty was extended indefinitely. A total of 191 States have joined the Treaty, including the five nuclear-weapon States that are the permanent members of the UN Security Council – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
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field of Trade and Sustainable Development. The agreement will also have a dedicated, binding mechanism for resolving disputes in this area, which includes governmental consultations and recourse to an independent panel of experts. Corporate governance – for the first time in an EU trade agreement, there will be a specific chapter on corporate governance. It is based on the G20/OECD‘s Principles on Corporate Governance and reflects the EU‘s and Japan‘s best practices and rules in this area. The EU and Japan commit themselves to adhere to key principles and objectives, such as transparency and disclosure of information on publicly listed companies; accountability of the management towards shareholders; responsible decision-making based on an objective and independent standpoint; effective and fair exercise of shareholders‘ rights; and transparency and fairness in takeover transactions. Competition – the agreement contains important principles that ensure that both sides commit themselves to maintaining comprehensive competition rules and implementing these rules in a transparent and nondiscriminatory manner. State-to-State dispute settlement mechanism – the agreement ensures that rights and obligations under the agreement are fully observed. It provides an effective, efficient and transparent mechanism with a pre-established list of qualified and experienced panellists for avoiding and solving disputes between the EU and Japan. Anti-Fraud – on the basis of an EU proposal, the EU and Japan will include an anti-fraud clause in the economic partnership agreement. The anti-fraud clause is a condition for the EU to grant tariff preferences to any third country. It makes it possible for the EU to withdraw tariff preferences in cases of fraud and refusal to co-operate, while ensuring that legitimate traders are not adversely affected. The aim is to prevent abuse of preferential tariff treatment.
Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons:
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Article 1: Prohibitions 1. Each State Party undertakes never under any circumstances to: (a) Develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices; (b) Transfer to any recipient whatsoever nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices or control over such weapons or explosive devices directly or indirectly; (c) Receive the transfer of or control over nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices directly or indirectly; (d) Use or threaten to use nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices; (e) Assist, encourage or induce, in any way, anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Treaty; (f) Seek or receive any assistance, in any way, from anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Treaty; (g) Allow any stationing, installation or deployment of any nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices in its territory or at any place under its jurisdiction or control. Article 2: Declarations 1. Each State Party shall submit to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, not later than 30 days after this Treaty enters into force for that State Party, a declaration in which it shall:
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a) Declare whether it owned, possessed or controlled nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices and eliminated its nuclear-weapon programme, including the elimination or irreversible conversion of all nuclear-weapons-related facilities, prior to the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party; b) Notwithstanding Article 1 (a), declare whether it owns, possesses or controls any nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices; c) Notwithstanding Article 1 (g), declare whether there are any nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices in its territory or in any place under its jurisdiction or control that are owned, possessed or controlled by another State. 2. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall transmit all such declarations received to the States Parties. Article 3: Safeguards 1. Each State Party to which Article 4, paragraph 1 or 2, does not apply shall, at a minimum, maintain its International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards obligations in force at the time of entry into force of this Treaty, without prejudice to any additional relevant instruments that it may adopt in the future. 2. Each State Party to which Article 4, paragraph 1 or 2, does not apply that has not yet done so shall conclude with the International Atomic Energy Agency and bring into force a comprehensive safeguards agreement. Negotiation of such agreement shall commence within 180 days from the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party. The agreement shall enter into force no later than 18 months from the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party. Each State Party shall thereafter maintain such obligations, without prejudice to any additional relevant instruments that it may adopt in the future. Article 4: Towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons 1. Each State Party that after 7 July 2017 owned, possessed or controlled nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices and eliminated its nuclear-weapon programme, including the elimination or irreversible conversion of all nuclear-weapons-related facilities, prior to the entry into force of this Treaty for it, shall cooperate with the competent international authority designated pursuant to paragraph 6 of this Article for the purpose of verifying the irreversible elimination of its nuclear-weapon programme. The competent international authority shall report to the States Parties. Such a State Party shall conclude a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency sufficient to provide credible assurance of the non-diversion of declared nuclear material from peaceful nuclear activities and of the absence of undeclared nuclear material or activities in that State Party as a whole. Negotiation of such agreement shall commence within 180 days from the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party. The agreement shall enter into force no later than 18 months from the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party. That State Party shall thereafter, at a minimum, maintain these safeguards obligations, without prejudice to any additional relevant instruments that it may adopt in the future. 2. Notwithstanding Article 1 (a), each State Party that owns, possesses or controls nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices shall immediately remove them from operational status, and destroy them as soon as possible but not later than a deadline to be determined by the first meeting of States Parties, in accordance with a legally binding, time-bound plan for the verified and irreversible elimination of that State Party‘s nuclear-weapon programme, including the elimination or irreversible conversion of all nuclear-weapons-related facilities. The State Party, no later than 60 days after the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party, shall submit this plan to the States Parties or to a competent international authority designated by the States Parties. The plan shall then be negotiated with the competent international authority, which shall submit it to the subsequent meeting of States Parties or review conference, whichever comes first, for approval in accordance with its rules of procedure. 3. A State Party to which paragraph 2 above applies shall conclude a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency sufficient to provide credible assurance of the non-diversion of declared nuclear material from peaceful nuclear activities and of the absence of undeclared nuclear material or activities in the State as a whole. Negotiation of such agreement shall commence no later than the date upon which implementation of the plan referred to in paragraph 2 is completed. The agreement shall enter into force no later than 18 months after the date of initiation of negotiations. That State Party shall thereafter, at a minimum, maintain these safeguards obligations, without prejudice to any additional relevant instruments that it may adopt in the future. Following the entry into force of the agreement referred to in this paragraph, the State Party shall submit to the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations a final declaration that it has fulfilled its obligations under this Article. 4. Notwithstanding Article 1 (b) and (g), each State Party that has any nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices in its territory or in any place under its jurisdiction or control that are owned, possessed or controlled by another State shall ensure the prompt removal of such weapons, as soon as possible but not later than a deadline to be determined by the first meeting of States Parties. Upon the removal of such weapons or other explosive devices, that State Party shall submit to the Secretary-General of the United Nations a declaration that it has fulfilled its obligations under this Article. 5. Each State Party to which this Article applies shall submit a report to each meeting of States Parties and each review conference on the progress made towards the implementation of its obligations under this Article, until such time as they are fulfilled. 6. The States Parties shall designate a competent international authority or authorities to negotiate and verify the irreversible elimination of nuclear-weapons programmes, including the elimination or irreversible conversion of all nuclear-weapons-related facilities in accordance with paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of this Article. In the event that such a designation has not been made prior to the entry into force of this Treaty for a State Party to which paragraph 1 or 2 of this Article applies, the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall convene an extraordinary meeting of States Parties to take any decisions that may be required. Article 5: National implementation
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1. Each State Party shall adopt the necessary measures to implement its obligations under this Treaty. 2. Each State Party shall take all appropriate legal, administrative and other measures, including the imposition of penal sanctions, to prevent and suppress any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Treaty undertaken by persons or on territory under its jurisdiction or control. Article 6: Victim assistance and environmental remediation 1. Each State Party shall, with respect to individuals under its jurisdiction who are affected by the use or testing of nuclear weapons, in accordance with applicable international humanitarian and human rights law, adequately provide age- and gender-sensitive assistance, without discrimination, including medical care, rehabilitation and psychological support, as well as provide for their social and economic inclusion. 2. Each State Party, with respect to areas under its jurisdiction or control contaminated as a result of activities related to the testing or use of nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, shall take necessary and appropriate measures towards the environmental remediation of areas so contaminated. 3. The obligations under paragraphs 1 and 2 above shall be without prejudice to the duties and obligations of any other States under international law or bilateral agreements. STANDARDS AND TRADE DEVELOPMENT FACILITY IN NEWS
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The STDF is a global partnership established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the World Bank, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). The organization is administered by the WTO and aims to devote at least 40% of its project resources to LDCs and LICs. The Standards and Trade Development Facility seeks to assist developing countries in building their capacity to analyze and employ international standards, guidelines and recommendations and thus improve their ability to secure and retain access to markets. In order to achieve this, the STDF focusses efforts on two sets of activities: increase awareness, mobilize resources, strengthen collaboration and identify and disseminate good practice; Provide support and funding for the development and implementation of projects that promote compliance with international SPS requirements. The STDF provides project preparation grants of maximum 50,000 USD to overcome constraints faced by developing countries in enhancing their capacity to meet SPS standards. Project grant financing for a maximum of 1,000,000 USD in STDF funding is available for projects which address underlying issues of SPS capacity building through innovative, preventative and replicable approaches. The recently developed decision-support tool, based on Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), can help decision-makers prioritize and make choices between competing SPS investments. Beneficiaries from LDCs and other LICs should contribute at least 10% of the requested STDF contribution to the project. This contribution threshold is lower than the requirements for lower and upper Middle Income Countries. From 2004 to 2014, the STDF funded 70 projects, 31 of which in LDCs. 57 % of the project and project preparation grants went to LDCs, which accounts for 50 % of grant budget. In a survey organized by UNDESA to map challenges for LDCs when accessing ISMs, several barriers to access the STDF were put forward: some governments were not aware of the existence of the STDF and it was also stated that the modalities to access the fund could be made more simple and clear.
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Beijing Declaration on Education was adopted in the 5th Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Education in Beijing, China in July 2017. BRICS Ministers of Education during the the BRICS Summit had met to discuss education reforms, approaches to promoting equity in education and fostering quality education, strengthening BRICS collaboration in the field of education, and exchange of students and scholars and teaching faculty among BRICS Member States. They also recalled the Brasilia Declaration 2015, Moscow Declaration 2015 and New Delhi Declaration 2016. Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar represented India at the 5th BRICS education ministers meeting. Mr. Prakash Javadekar appreciated the creation of institutional mechanism in the form of BRICS Network University and BRICS Think Tank Council. BRICS Network University, where 12 universities from each of the 5 countries will engage with each other in education research and innovation, is another commendable initiative. Five areas of cooperation are prioritised which are Communication and IT, Economics, Climate Change, Water Resources and Pollution, and BRICS study. Before the meeting of Education Ministers, an international conference of Vice-Chancellors of the Universities participating in the BRICS Network University (BRICS-NU), meeting of International Governing Board (IGB) of BRICS-NU and meetings of International Thematic Group (ITGs) of BRICS-NU were held in Zhengzhou, China. During the meeting, the participating countries signed the Regulation for the IGB and the statutes for the ITGs, thus completing the structure of the BRICS-NU. According to the Beijing declaration on education, members states – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – are committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4)-Education 2030 which aims to ―Ensure
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BEIJING DECLARATION ON EDUCATION ADOPTED
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BRICS Ministers of Education, for ensuring coordinated and deeper cooperation among the Member States declared to; Reiterate support for the BRICS Network University (NU) to collaborate in the fields of education, research and innovation. Encourage universities to participate in the BRICS University League. Increase cultural cooperation through language education and multilingualism to promote mutual understanding of the history and culture of BRICS Member States. Undertake initiatives to promote professionalization of academics in higher education through the BRICS Network University as a focus of future education development. Encourage more teachers and educational administrators to learn from experience of other countries in improving teacher quality and performance, and promoting the development of education through international exchanges. Strengthen cooperation in the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), share ideas and experiences in the development of vocational educators, and develop projects that are of common interests to BRICS Member States. Recognize the importance of BRICS Think Tanks Council (BTTC), BRICS Network University as well as other BRICS initiatives, and encourage the streamlining of mechanisms for their closer cooperation to ensure the alignment of their work. Emphasize the importance of streamlining the cooperation among educational think tanks and education researchers, and welcome China‘s invitation to host a conference to explore possible cooperation among the various entities in BRICS Member States. Encourage the organization of ―youth winter/summer camps‖ to reinforce communication and cultural exchanges among the young generation from BRICS Member States. Encourage Member States to expand the number of scholarship opportunities to students across BRICS Member States. Share the experience and practices in achieving the SDG4-Education 2030 targets in order to foster a more favorable policy environment, adopt effective practices, and advocate for global educational policies that take into account the common concern and priorities of the BRICS Member States. Encourage the participation in the 3rd BRICS NU Annual Conference to be held in 2018, in Cape Town, South Africa and in the BRICS Global Business and Innovation Conference to be held in September 2017, in St. Petersburg, Russia.
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MARTIAL LAW IN SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES: SC APPROVES IT
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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law across the southern third of the country in May 2017 after deadly clashes between security forces and Islamic State group-linked militants in a major city. Duterte placed all of the southern region of Mindanao, which makes up roughly one third of the country and is home to 20 million people, under martial law. Philippines Supreme Court has now endorsed President Rodrigo Duterte‘s enforcement of martial law across the southern part of the country. An overwhelming majority of the justices dismissed the petition filed by the Opposition lawmakers to strike down President‘s martial rule. Meanwhile, militants continue to occupy parts of Marawi, the Islamic capital of the mainly Catholic country, despite a US-backed military offensive there that has claimed more than 460 lives and displaced nearly 400,000 people. Martial law is particularly sensitive in the Philippines because it was used by dictator Ferdinand Marcos to remain in power during his two-decade reign, which ended in 1986 with a ―People Power‖ revolution.
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UN SECURITY COUNCIL ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON LANDMINES
The United Nations Security Council adopted its first-ever resolution on mine action. UNSC noted that the serious and lasting threat posed by landmines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices, while also recognizing the positive contribution of mine action to sustaining peace and stability. UNSC Resolution 2365 ―calls on all parties to armed conflicts to end immediately and definitively any indiscriminate use of explosive devices in violation of international humanitarian law.‖ UNSC, the 15-member body unanimously adopted the resolution, noting the danger that they pose to civilians, including children, as well as refugees returning home, peacekeepers, aid workers, law enforcement, and other personnel. Given the positive contribution of mine action to efforts to sustain peace and stability, the new resolution stressed ―the importance of considering mine action during the earliest stages of planning and programming in peacekeeping operations and special political missions,‖ as well as in humanitarian responses. The Council encouraged the international community to provide assistance for the care, rehabilitation, and economic and social reintegration of victims and persons with disabilities maimed by mines.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com In addition, the Secretary-General has been requested to provide information on threats posed by landmines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices, and efforts to mitigate these threats, when reporting on peace operations and humanitarian responses.
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JUDICIARY SUPREME COURT RULING ON PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARIES
Background: Several states have created posts of ‗parliamentary secretary‘ or ‗chief parliamentary secretary‘ to ‗accommodate‘ MLAs who could not become ministers. The Assam Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointment, Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance, 2004, was promulgated on November 3, 2004, and on December 29, 2004, the Act was passed and published in Assam‘s official gazette. Thereafter, on May 30, 2005, eight parliamentary secretaries were appointed under the Act and they took oath of office, but were not assigned any ministry. These appointments were challenged on the ground that it would amount to a violation of the constitutionally prescribed upper limit of 15% on the total number of council of ministers.
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The Supreme Court Bench comprising Justice J. Chelameswar, Justice R.K. Agrawal and Justice A.M. Sapre has declared Assam Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointment, Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004 ass unconstitutional. On January 1, 2004, the Constitution 91st Amendment Bill, 2003 was passed by Parliament. This Assam Act was passed after the Union Parliament had amended Articles 75 and 164 thereby restricting the size of the Council of Ministers in the State to 15% of the total strength of the Assembly. It was alleged by the petitioners that the impugned Act was an attempt to over-reach the 15 per cent mandate brought about by amendment to the Constitution. Supreme Court held that the Legislature of Assam lacked the competence to create the post of Parliamentary Secretaries. ―We are of the opinion that the Legislature of Assam lacks the competence to make the impugned Act. In view of the above conclusion, we do not see it necessary to examine the various other issues identified by us earlier in this judgment.‖The writ petition is allowed. The impugned Act is declared unconstitutional,‖ the bench, also comprising justices R K Agrawal and A M Sapre, said. The question posed before the Court was whether Article 194(3) and Entry 39 of List II of the 7th Schedule authorized the State Legislature to make the impugned Act. Entry 39 indicates the field of legislation regarding the powers, privileges, and immunities of the house of legislatures. Article 194(3) authorizes the State legislature to prescribe by law, the powers, privileges and the immunities of the members and the committees of a House of such Legislature. The Court ruled that Article 194 does not expressly authorize the State Legislature to create offices such as the one in question. It then made reference to Article 187 which makes stipulations with reference to the secretarial staff of the Legislature. The Bench therefore observed that the Legislature of Assam lacked the competence to make the impugned Act, and declared it unconstitutional. The court said, ―Article 194 does not expressly authorise the state legislature to create offices such as the one in question.‖
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ENVIRONMENT CLIMATE CHANGE MEANS MORE NITROGEN RUNOFF
According to a new study, an intensifying water cycle will likely cause dramatic increases — nearing 20% by 2100 — in the amount of nitrogen runoff. Excessive nitrogen that mixes with rivers and estuaries can profoundly affect water systems; for example it can spur algal blooms, which have negative impacts on human health, aquatic ecosystems and the economy. Future changes in precipitation patterns, induced by climate change, could strongly influence the degree of future nitrogen runoff; however, most analyses have been limited to local regions and only rely on a small handful of climate models.
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NEW CONTINENT „ZEALANDIA‟ DISCOVERED
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Earth‘s surface is divided into two types of crust, continental and oceanic, and into 14 major tectonic plates. A new continent was discovered under New Zealand, mostly submerged unknown continent beneath the South Pacific has been named as Zealandia. Zealandia is a distinct geological entity and meets all the criteria applied to Earth‘s seven other continents – elevation above the surrounding area, distinctive geology, a well-defined area and a crust much thicker than that found on the ocean floor. Zealandia measured 1.9 million square miles and is 94% underwater. It had only three major landmasses, New Zealand‘s North and South Islands to the south, and New Caledonia to the north Zealandia. A 4.9 Mkm2 region of the southwest Pacific Ocean is made up of continental crust. The region has elevated bathymetry relative to surrounding oceanic crust, diverse and silica-rich rocks, and relatively thick and low-velocity crustal structure. Its isolation from Australia and large area support its definition as a continent—Zealandia. Zealandia was formerly part of Gondwana. Today it is 94% submerged, mainly as a result of widespread Late Cretaceous crustal thinning preceding supercontinent breakup and consequent isostatic balance. The identification of Zealandia as a geological continent, rather than a collection of continental islands, fragments, and slices, more correctly represents the geology of this part of Earth. Zealandia provides a fresh context in which to investigate processes of continental rifting, thinning, and breakup.
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Recently, Accreditation Master Agreement (AMA) has been signed between Green Climate Fund (GCF) and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). Several of the mitigation and adaptation targets, articulated in India‘s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), to meet the international climate obligations are aligned with the Fund‘s strategic impact areas – viz clean energy, energy efficiency, cities, transport, forestry, agriculture, water health and ecosystems. India‘s NDC is among the few that make specific reference to the GCF specifically with regard to its role as a source for low-cost finance for its 40% non-fossil fuel based power target. India, with numerous climate change and developmental challenges, needs to engage more purposefully and actively with GCF. The accredited entities need to proactively engage with GCF to take advantage of the available opportunities. The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is one of the operating entities under financial mechanism set up under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to provide support to developing countries in combating climate change, with resources to be generated from funding by developed country Parties and various other public and private sources. It supports both climate change adaptation and mitigation projects in developing countries. So far, one project from India on ―Installation of Ground Water Recharge System‖ in Odisha has recently been approved by the GCF for $34 million. Another proposal on coastal areas has already been submitted to the GCF Secretariat and several more projects are in the pipeline. India has nominated a total of five direct access entities for accreditation by the GCF. Two of these from the public sector and three from the private sector for accreditation by the GCF. The public sector entities are NABARD and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). The private sector entities nominated are YES Bank, IDFC Bank and IL&FS Environmental Services. So far, NABARD and SIDBI have been accredited by the GCF. NABARD is the first entity from India to be accredited as Direct Access Entity (DAE). The signing of AMA between GCF and NABARD is an essential first step for accessing the GCF resources to help safeguard the lives, property and livelihoods of millions of people against climate change impact.
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GREEN CLIMATE FUND AND INDIA: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
NATIONAL HIGHWAYS UNDER GREEN HIGHWAYS SCHEME
The National Highways Authority of India has initiated tree plantations along 1,513 km length of National Highways in ten states in 2016.
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This includes 390 Km of National Highways in Andhra Pradesh, 133 Km in Assam, 418 Km in Haryana, 100 Km in Jammu & Kashmir, 50 Km in Jharkhand , 82 Km in Madhya Pradesh , 87 Km in Maharashtra , 77 Km in Orissa , 26 Km in Rajasthan and 150 Km in Telengana –length. Under the Green Highways Scheme, tree plantations along National Highways are part of all highway development projects. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is actively promoting greening of highway corridors with the participation of the community, farmers, private sector, NGOs and government institutions/departments. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Government of India has promulgated Green Highways (Plantations, Transplantations, Beautification and Maintenance) Policy – 2015 to develop green corridors along National Highways for sustainable environment and inclusive growth. The policy envisions development of eco-friendly National Highways with participation of the communities, farmers, NGOs, private sector, institutions, government agencies and the Forest Departments for economic growth and development in a sustainable manner.
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GLOBAL SEA LEVEL RISE AND STEPS TAKEN BY INDIA
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According to the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that global mean sea level had risen by 0.19m over the period 1901-2010 with a rate of global averaged sea level rise of 1.7mm/year between 1901 and 2010 within which an accelerated rate of 3.2mm/year was noticed between 1993 and 2010. The estimates made for the period 1993-2010, using the remote sensing satellite data and in-situ measurements of tide gauges, are found to be 3.2±0.5mm/year and 2.8±0.8mm/year, respectively. Recent studies by Indian Scientists reveal that the trend of sea level rise in the north Indian Ocean is slightly higher than the global estimate of 3.2 mm per year. The possibility of sea level rise in the next ten years is about 3.2 cm in the north Indian Ocean, if the sea level acceleration remains similar to 3.2 mm per year. A number of studies have been undertaken using remote sensing techniques in the past for assessment of the shoreline changes; mapping and delineation of entire coastal wetlands including beach vegetation, bio-shields, sea grass, opening of lagoons in certain cases and small islands etc. including their regeneration/preservation. The Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management (ICMAM) Directorate of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has carried out mapping and demarcating of multi-hazard coastal vulnerability for the entire coast of India. The Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has been implementing an Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Plan for India instead of uniform Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) framework. Accordingly, the Central Government has issued CRZ-2011 notification with a view to ensure livelihood security to the fisher communities and other local communities, living in the coastal areas, to conserve and protect coastal stretches, its unique environment and its marine area and to promote development through sustainable manner based on scientific principles taking into account the dangers of natural hazards in the coastal areas, sea level rise due to global warming. As a part of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project, the MoEFCC has been implementing the four components, namely, (i) National Coastal Management Programme; (ii) ICZM-West Bengal; (iii) ICZM-Orissa; (iv) ICZM-Gujarat. The national component includes (a) Demarcation of hazard line for mapping the entire coastline of the mainland of the country; (b) establishment of a National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) in Chennai with its regional centres in each of the coastal States/Union territories to promote research and development in the area of coastal management including addressing issues of coastal communities. India‘s National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) outlines a strategy that aims to enable the country adapt to climate change and enhances the ecological sustainability of our development path. Appropriate protection measures arising out of the coastal erosion are addressed jointly by respective state governments and the Coastal Protection and Development Advisory Committee (CPDAC) of the Central Water Commission.
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STEPS TAKEN BY INDIA IN AREA OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Average Temperature during last ten years (2007 to 2016) was 26.10 0C. Rise in the average temperature was 0.510C during this period. Spatial pattern of trend in mean annual temperature anomalies, for the period 1902-2012, suggests significant positive (increasing) trend (0.50 C in general with few pockets of 1.00 C) over most parts of the country except some parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Bihar, where significant negative (decreasing) trend was observed. The latest Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report (2014) highlights that mean surface temperature of the globe has risen by 0.850C + 0.180C. However, all India mean temperature has risen around 0.640C over the last 110 years.
Following steps have been undertaken in the area of Climate Change: (i) Launched a high-priority Programme to address the Science issues of Global and Regional Climate Change (GRCC) with a well-equipped state-of-the-art Center for Climate Change Research (CCCR) at Indian Institute of
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Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune for interdisciplinary research and training in the area of science of climate change. Development of Earth System Model (ESM) has been taken up for generating future climate change scenarios. Currently, CCCR is leading ―Co-ordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX)‖ for the South Asian region under the aegis of the World Climate Research Program (WCRP) of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). The CORDEX program provides an important framework for a co-ordinated set of downscaled regional climate simulations for both the historical past and future decades. Training workshops are also conducted for end-users, stakeholders in the South Asian region. (ii) The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) released in 2008 by Government of India. Outlines eight missions in specific areas of Solar Energy, Enhanced Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Habitat, Water, Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem, Green India, Sustainable Agriculture and Strategic knowledge for Climate Change. Eight National Missions form the core of the National Action Plan, representing multipronged, long term and integrated strategies for achieving key goals in the context of climate change. AREA NEAR GANGA DECLARED “NO-DEVELOPMENT ZONE”
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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed Rs 50,000 fine on anyone found dumping the waste within 500 meters from the edge of River Ganga between Haridwar and Unnao. The National Green Tribunal passed a slew of directions to rejuvenate River Ganga, declaring as ‗NoDevelopment Zone‘ an area of 100 metres from the edge of the river between Haridwar and Unnao and prohibiting dumping of waste within 500 metres from the river. The NGT also directed the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments to formulate guidelines for religious activities on the ghats of Ganga or its tributaries. The tribunal also appointed a supervisory committee, headed by the secretary of the Water Resources Ministry and comprising IIT professors and officials from UP government to oversee implementation of the directions. It said that all industrial units falling in the catchment area of river Ganga should be stopped from indiscriminate extraction of groundwater. The NGT has divided the work of cleaning the river in different segments Gomukh to Haridwar (Phase-I), Haridwar to Unnao (termed as segment B of Phase-I), Unnao to border of Uttar Pradesh, border of Uttar Pradesh to border of Jharkhand and border of Jharkhand to Bay of Bengal.
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FRANCE LAUNCHES ITS CLIMATE CHANGE PLAN
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France‘s minister of the environment Nicolas Hulot has unveiled a detailed a plan that includes ending the sale of fossil fuel-powered cars by 2040. The effective ban will be achieved through a mix of financial incentives for alternative fuel vehicles, and increased taxes on older, internal combustion cars. France‘s environmental plan also includes instituting a carbon tax, and ending the issuance of new licenses for discovering new local sources of oil. France will also incentivize renewable energy creation which should help make sure that EVs are powered by a grid that itself is mostly stocked by green energy sources. With the aim of limiting global warming to below 2ºC, the Paris Agreement sets an ambitious target, and France through the Climate Plan is speeding up the operational implementation of the Paris Agreement and will exceed its initial targets through six areas of action: Making implementation of the Paris Agreement irreversible; Improving the daily lives of all French people; Doing away with fossil fuels and committing to carbon neutrality; Making France number one in the green economy; Bringing out the potential of ecosystems and agriculture; Stepping up international mobilization on climate diplomacy.
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CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION PROJECTS LAUNCHED
The Environment Ministry approved three projects for climate change adaptation in three states. The National Steering Committee on Climate Change (NSCCC), under the Chairmanship of Secretary MoEF&CC, Ajay Narayan Jha, approved the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) submitted by Governments of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Sikkim for funding under the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC). Current projects address a range of climate change vulnerabilities in the States which are not addressed under the ongoing schemes of the Central and State Governments. In Rajasthan, the project builds on work carried out under Phase I of the Mukhya Mantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan to enhance the adaptive capacity of villages by making them self-reliant in terms of water requirement. The project in Gujarat seeks to enhance the adaptive capacity of natural resource dependent communities to climate change in targeted villages of Kachchh district. In Sikkim, the project aims to address the issue of water security which are directly identified as climate resilience building interventions under the SAPCC.
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NAFCC is a flagship Scheme of Government of India, which provides 100 per cent grant to the State Governments for implementing climate change adaptation projects. The Scheme is designed to fulfill the objectives of National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and to operationalize the State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs). During the two year period, 21 projects were approved at a total cost of Rs. 435.72 crore. The projects address vulnerabilities in climate sensitive sectors like agriculture, animal husbandry, water, forests and coasts among others. The project outcomes are expected to increase resilience and adaptive capacity of vulnerable communities and ecosystems against climate change impacts. The Government of India is encouraging States to come up with innovative and scalable projects to develop resilience against climate change and mainstream it in the planning processes.
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SEISMIC ZONES IN INDIA
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Earthquake – prone areas of the country have been identified on the basis of scientific inputs relating to seismicity, earthquakes occurred in the past and tectonic setup of the region. Based on these inputs, Bureau of Indian Standards [IS 1893 (Part I):2002], has grouped the country into four seismic zones, viz. Zone II, III, IV and V. Of these, Zone V is seismically the most active region, while zone II is the least. Broadly, Zone – V comprises entire northeastern India, parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, part of North Bihar and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Zone – IV covers remaining parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, Sikkim, Northern Parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, parts of Gujarat and small portions of Maharashtra near the west coast and Rajasthan. Zone – III comprises Kerala, Goa, Lakshadweep islands, remaining parts of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and West Bengal, Parts of Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu and Karnataka. Zone – II covers remaining parts of country. A list of important cities falling in various seismic zones, has also been prepared by BIS and is given below:Town State/UT Zone Town State/UT Zone Agra Utter Pradesh III Chitradurga Karnataka II Ahmedabad Gujarat III Coimbatore Tamil nadu III Ajmer Rajasthan II Cuddalore Tamil Nadu III Allahabad Utter Pradesh II Cuttack Orissa III Almora Uttrakhand IV Darbhanga Bihar V Ambala Haryana IV Darjeeling West Bengal IV Amritsar Punjab IV Dharwad Karnataka III Asansol West Bengal III Dehradun Uttrakhand IV Aurangabad Maharastha II Dharmpuri Tamil Nadu III Baharich Utter Pradesh IV Delhi Delhi IV Bangalore Karnataka II Durgapur West Bengal III Barauni Bihar IV Gangtok Sikkim IV Bareilly Utter Pradesh III Guwahati Assam V Belgaum Karnataka III Goa Goa III Bhatinda Punjab III Gulbarga Karnataka II Bhilai Chattiagarh II Gaya Bihar III Bhopal Madhya Pradesh II Gorakhpur Utter Pradesh IV Bhubaneswar Orissa III Hyderabad Andhra Pradesh II Bhuj Gujarat V Imphal Manipur V Bijapur Karnataka III Jabalpur Madhya Pradesh III Bikaner Rajasthan III Jaipur Rajasthan II Bokaro Jharkhand III Jamshedpur Jharkhand II Bulandshahr Utter Pradesh IV Jhansi Utter Pradesh II Burdwan West Bengal III Jodhpur Rajasthan II Cailcut Kerala III Jorhat Assam V Chandigarh Chandigarh IV Kakrapara Gujarat III Chennai Tamil Nadu III Kalapakkam Tamil Nadu III Kanchipuram Tamil Nadu III Pondicherry Pondicherry II Kanpur Utter Pradesh III Pune Maharastha III Karwar Karnataka III Raipur Chattisgarh II Kohima Nagaland V Rajkot Gujarat III Kolkata West Bengal III Ranchi Chattisgarh II Kota Rajasthan II Roorkee Uttrakhand IV Kurnool Andhra Pradesh II Rourkela Orissa II Lucknow Utter Pradesh III Sadiya Assam V Ludhiyana Punjab IV Salem Tamil Nadu III
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Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has published criterion for construction of earthquake resistant structures. Buildings are now being made earthquake resistant. BIS has prepared guidelines for retrofitting in existing structures. A list of code books on construction practices of buildings and structures, to minimize the earthquake losses, is available. In addition to this, Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) & Building Materials & Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC) have also published guidelines and brochures for construction and retrofitting of buildings. These guidelines are in wide circulation amongst the public and the administrative authorities responsible for the design and construction of earthquake resistant structures in earthquake prone areas. Loss of life and damage of property due to earthquakes could be considerably reduced through proper planning and implementation of pre- and post-disaster preparedness and management strategies by respective State and Central Government agencies in a coordinated manner following the above mentioned guidelines. These studies involving preparation of geological, geomorphologic and land use maps followed by drilling, geological logging, standard penetration test and geophysical studies to demarcate the zones of least to most damage prone areas within the urban areas so as to helps the respective town and country planning agencies to formulate perspective planning within the overall earthquake impact minimization efforts. Based on the above steps it is mandatory for all infrastructure/building/ development agencies (Public and Private) to design appropriate earthquake resistant building plans based on the relevant BIS Codes and other guidelines of BMTPC, HUDCO and NDMA for across the country. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of Earth Sciences and other state Disaster Management Authorities, have also taken up various initiatives to educate and enhance awareness amongst general public and school children on the general aspects of earthquakes, their impacts and measures to mitigate losses caused by them. A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is also functional under the general superintendence, direction and control of the NDMA for the purpose of specialized response to natural and man-made disasters.
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„SOLAR COMET‟ LAUNCHED ON ENVIRONMENT DAY
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World Environment Day was observed on June 5. On this occasion, Greenpeace India flagged off a solar bus named as ‗Solar Comet‘ to raise awareness about solar energy and how it can easily power an entire household. The bus has solar panels installed on the roof that power energy-efficient LED bulbs, mobile charging points, a mixer-grinder, a refrigerator, an air cooler and an air-conditioner that have been fitted inside the bus.
NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL BANS CHINESE MANJHA
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a country-wide ban on ―Chinese manjha‖, a string used in kite flying. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar directed all state governments to prohibit the ―manufacture, sale, storage, purchase and use‖ of synthetic manja or nylon threads and all other synthetic threads used for flying kites. In a 113-page order, the NGT directed state governments to enforce the directive. ―There shall be a total ban on the manjha or thread for kite flying which is made of nylon or any synthetic material and or is coated with synthetic substance and is non-biodegradable,‖ said an NGT bench headed by chairperson justice Swatanter Kumar.
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The judgement described Chinese manjha as one that is made of synthetic material/yarn in place of cotton and has a coating of material that can cut the skin of animals and human beings. Such string is also a good conductor of electricity, resulting in many accidents from it getting snarled up in high-tension electricity lines. The bench noted that tradition of kite-flying is deep-rooted in India and has become a part of various festivals. But the use of Chinese manjha has not only resulted in injuries to birds, animals and human beings, but also caused fatal accidents. In December 2016, the NGT had imposed an interim nationwide ban on the use of glass-coated manjha.
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BIGGEST ICEBERGS IN ANTARCTICA BROKEN
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According to scientists of British Antarctic Survey, one of the biggest icebergs measuring 5,800 square km has broken away from Antarctica. Ice shelves are extensions of ice sheets, are fed by their glaciers and jut hundreds of kilometres out to sea. The iceberg weighing over one trillion tons has calved away from the Larsen C Ice Shelf. Split off from the ice sheet from the area is known as calving. The Larsen C ice shelf is more than 12% smaller in area than before the iceberg broke off – or ―calved‖ – an event that researchers say has changed the landscape of the Antarctic peninsula and left the Larsen C ice shelf at its lowest extent ever recorded. Following the collapse of the more northerly Larsen A ice shelf in 1995 and Larsen B in 2002, all eyes have turned to Larsen C. The ice shelf has now decreased in size by 10 per cent, leaving the ice front at its most retreated position ever recorded. If the glaciers held in check by the iceberg now split into the Antarctic Ocean, it could lift the global water mark by about 10 centimetres (4 inches). The iceberg, which is expected to be dubbed ‗A68‘, is predicted to be one of the 10 largest icebergs ever recorded. The Larsen Ice Shelf is a long, fringing ice shelf in the northwest part of the Weddell Sea, extending along the east coast of the Antarctic Peninsula from Cape Longing to the area just southward of Hearst Island. It is named for Captain Carl Anton Larsen, the master of the Norwegian whaling vessel Jason, who sailed along the ice front as far as 68°10′ South during December 1893. In finer detail, the Larsen Ice Shelf is a series of shelves that occupy (or occupied) distinct embayments along the coast. From north to south, the segments are called Larsen A (the smallest), Larsen B, and Larsen C (the largest) by researchers who work in the area. Further south, Larsen D and the much smaller Larsen E, F and G are also named. The breakup of the ice shelf since the mid 1990s has been widely reported, with the collapse of Larsen B in 2002 being particularly dramatic. Big icebergs break off Antarctica naturally. The ice, however, is a part of the Antarctic peninsula that has warmed fast in recent decades. Icebergs calving from Antarctica are a regular occurrence. But given its enormous size, the latest berg will be closely watched as it travels, for any potential risk to shipping traffic.
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FOREST FIRES IN PORTUGAL AND CANADA
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60 people have been killed in huge forest fires in central Portugal. Portugal‘s prime minister, António Costa, described these fires as ―the greatest tragedy‖. Three days of national mourning were declared in Portugal. Portugal, like most of southern Europe, is prone to forest fires in the dry summer months. The country was hit by a series of fires last year which devastated more than 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) of the mainland. The Canadian province of British Columbia has declared a state of emergency as wildfires sweep through the territory. More than 138 new wildfires broke out in this July 2017 alone. More than 1,800 firefighters were tackling the fires and a further 260 were coming to their aid from other parts of Canada. Saskatchewan was sending three air tankers and 30 firefighters.
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SCIENCE EXPRESS CLIMATE ACTION SPECIAL NINTH PHASE
The IX Phase of the prestigious Science Express exhibition train which is on a Nationwide tour since 17 February 2017 reached Madgaon in Goa on 11 July 2017. This phase of train is being referred as ‗Science Express Climate Action Special (SECAS)‘ highlighting the global challenge of climate change. SECAS is focusing on Climate Change and Science & Technology. The exhibition conveys message about Climate Change and is also a good opportunity to generate dialogue and discussion. Background: Science Express is a flagship programme of the Dept. of Science & Technology (DST), Govt. of India. It is an innovative mobile science exhibition mounted on a 16 coach AC train, traveling across India since October 2007. Since then, it has made eight tours of the country, traveling about 1,53,000 km and exhibiting at 495 locations.
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The broad theme covered in each exhibition coach is as follows: Coach 1: Understanding Climate Change – Insights in the climate as a system, the greenhouse gas effect and the underlying reasons for climate change with key message that the current change in the climate is due to human activities. Coach 2: Impact of Climate Change – How temperature rise, monsoon variations, sea level rise are predicted to affect vital sectors like water, agriculture, forests and biodiversity, and human health and ways to reduce these. Coach 3 & 4: Adaptation – Concepts of adaptation and examples from day to day life, adaptation strategies and stories from field. Adaptation options in urban and rural contexts and the adaptation actions India is taking. Coach 5 & 6: Mitigation – Concept and definition with examples, emphasis on restoring balance, enhancing sinks and reducing emission through Renewable Energy (RE) technologies. Various programmes implemented by India and low carbon strategies and ambitious goal to increase RE footprint. Coach 7: International Negotiations for Climate Change – Introduction to UNFCCC, IPCC and internationally agreed action & targets. Explaining concept of equity and common but differential responsibility, Kyoto protocol & other key outcomes of major COP, Paris Agreement, etc. Coach 8: Positive Actions – What can one do at school, on roads, at home and in offices and focus on concept of lifestyle choices with the key message ‗Increase your Handprint. Decrease your Footprint‘. Coach 9 & 10: Exhibition put up by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt of India, covering themes like Biotechnology for bioresources and nature conservation with emphasis on Tiger Conservation and Chemical Ecology and India‘s research and development initiatives in field of Biotechnology. Coach 11: Exhibition put up by the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) showcasing select innovations, demonstrating the ingenuity of common people and an innovative project which uses augmented reality techniques. Also, exhibition on themes like Innovations in S&T, Science Education, Technological solutions for societal development, etc. Coach 12: A Kids Zone is set up for children from Std. 5 and below to participate in fun-filled activities, games and puzzles in science, mathematics and environment. Coach 13: The Joy of Science (JOS) Hands-on Lab in this coach is a space where students from Std. 6-10 can perform experiments and activities to understand concepts in environment, science and mathematics in an interesting manner. A training facility is also set up for orientation of teachers here. Solar panels have been installed on the rooftop of Science Express coaches 11-13, as a collaborative effort of DST and CEL, for harnessing solar energy. At each halt of SECAS, activities are planned to engage visitors across different age groups to reinforce its message. An exciting and much sought-after Outreach Programme is also conducted in local schools/institutions along with activities on the railway platforms. In addition, informative take-away material is made available for wider distribution amongst schools and visitors. DST has entrusted Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC), Ahmedabad with the task of managing the SECAS across India. VASCSC‘s team of qualified, trained and highly motivated Science
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Over its 1712 exhibition days, Science Express received an overwhelming response and 1.64 crore visitors. Science Express has become the largest, the longest running and the most visited mobile science exhibition and has twelve entries in the Limca Book of Records. Science Express Phase I to IV showcased cutting-edge research in Science and Technology being carried out worldwide. Phase V to VII was based on the theme of biodiversity and as ‗Science Express Biodiversity Special (SEBS)‘, it showcased the rich biodiversity of India and its conservation measures. Phase VIII as ‗Science Express Climate Action Special (SECAS)‘ highlighted the global challenge of climate change. The current ninth phase of the Science Express as SECAS II was flagged off on 17 Feb 2017 from Delhi Safdarjung Railway Station by Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Railways. The current tour of SECAS is scheduled from 17 Feb to 8 Sept 2017, during which it will be exhibited at 68 stations across India, covering 19000 km. SECAS is focusing on Climate Change and Science & Technology. The exhibition conveys message about Climate Change and is also a good opportunity to generate dialogue and discussion. The SECAS II is a unique collaborative initiative of Dept. of Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC), Dept. of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Railways, Govt of India; Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC). The Paris Agreement entered into force on 4 Nov 2016. The Paris Agreement‘s central aim is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change and to strengthen the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change. Science Express, redesigned as SECAS, intends to contribute towards increasing understanding of the science of climate change, the observed and anticipated impacts, and different possible responses. The previous 3 phases of Science Express were rolled out as a joint initiative of DST and MoEFCC as Biodiversity Special and showcased the myriad biodiversity of India. Thus it was rational to shift the focus to the theme ‗Climate Change‘ as it will affect the biodiversity of not just India but the entire globe as well. Of the 16 coaches of SECAS, exhibition in 8 coaches put up by MoEFCC, is exclusively devoted to information, case studies and material related to various aspect of Climate change, the underlying science, impacts, adaptation activities, mitigation solutions and policy approaches in a manner that is easy to understand and interesting for not just school students but also the masses. In rest of the rake, there are exhibits and activities put up by DBT and DST.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com Communicators travelling with the train explain and interpret the exhibition, answers queries, facilitate the visitors and conduct complementary activities. VAN MAHOTSAV CELEBRATIONS
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Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan will lead a month-long drive to plant saplings to mark Van Mahotsav starting on July 5. Van Mahotsav began in 1950, with a tree plantation drive, in which national leaders participated. The festival of tree plantation was started by Dr. K.M. Munshi, the then Union Minister for Agriculture and Food to create enthusiasm among masses for forest conservation and planting trees. The festival was simultaneously celebrated in other states in India. Van Mahotsav is usually observed in the first week of July every year and is celebrated on different days in different parts of India. The objective behind celebrating Van Mahotsav is to keep local people involved in plantation drives and spread environmental awareness. Dr. Harsh Vardhan urged the people to become ‗Green ambassadors‘ and participate actively in plantation drives during the period of monsoon, in keeping with the spirit of Van Mahotsav. Programmes like screening of short films and documentaries, seminars and exhibition, painting and poster competitions are also organised to mark the occasion. Recollecting the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi‘s emphasis on ‗Van Dhan‘ to enhance the country‘s forestbased economy, while improving the biodiversity and living in harmony with nature has been a part of our culture for thousands of years, the Environment Minister requested all States and the people at large, to hold plantation drives during the monsoon season. Dr. Harsh Vardhan also referred to India‘s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDCs) to create additional Carbon Sink of 2.5 to 3 Billion Tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030, as has been submitted to UNFCCC under the able guidance of the Prime Minister.
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HIGH TEMPERATURES REDUCES DAKSHIN GANGOTRI
Highlights of the Report: Dakshin Gangotri glacier is located in the western part of Schirmacher Oasis. This Oasis is located at a distance of more than 2000km north of geographic South pole, at Princess Astrid coast of East Antarctica. In this Oasis, the second research base of India ―Maitri‖ is located. This station was commissioned in the year 1989. The Geological Survey of India has been monitoring Dakshin Gangotri glacier snout since the beginning of Indian Antarctic Expedition in 1982. Continuous data over the last two decades shows a phase of major recession in DG glacier snout every five years, and minor recession at every two to three year interval between 1996 and 2010. During 2014-15, the DG glacier snout receded by 1.31m as compared to the previous year. Similarly, the western wall receded by 2.37m from the previous year. The analysis found that the shrinking of the DG snout between 1996 and 2011 has cleared 4800 square metres (m2) area. This figure increases by about 10 times after including the vacated area by Western wall. The Russian Novolazarevskaya research station has estimated that since 1996, average surface air temperature varies between -9.2 degree Celsius and -11.1 degrees Celsius. The present calculation indicates the disappearance of ice from the snout of Dakshin Gangotri glacier, which is a part of East Antarctic Ice Sheet is related to the meteorological parameters such as increase in surface air temperature, ground temperature and wind speed. The observation shows that the decline in ice mass is more pronounced at the western wall that lies at a higher elevation and therefore receives more solar radiation. During the period 2001 to 2016, the recession of ice in the western wall saw two peaks – that of 10.96m in 20022003 and 10.45m in 2012-2013. At 1.31 metres, the decline in ice at the DG snout glacier was the highest in 2014-15 followed by 1.21m (2002-03), 1.10m (2007-08 and 2008-09) and 1.01m (1997-98). Antarctica and Greenland hold 90% of the total ice of the earth. The Antarctic environment also controls many ocean circulations which is essential to marine life, and is directly related to our existence.
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The Dakshin Gangotri Glacier is a small tongue of the polar continental ice sheet impinging on the Schirmacher Oasis of central Queen Maud Land, Antarctica. It was discovered by the Second Indian Expedition to Antarctica in 1983, and named for India‘s first Antarctic research station. Since then its snout, and the area around it, has been regularly monitored and it has become a valuable site for tracking the impact of global warming through changes in the movement of the Antarctic ice sheet. The site is protected under the Antarctic Treaty System as Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) No.163. According to latest paper in the first volume of Antarctic research by India published in the Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy, the Dakshin Gangotri (DG) glacier is fast melting away because of rise in global temperatures.
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COMMITTEES INDIAN TASK FORCE ON SHELL COMPANIES A ‗Task Force on Shell Companies‘ under the Joint Chairmanship of Revenue Secretary and Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs was constituted in February, 2017 for effectively tackling the malpractices by shell companies/ponzy companies/khoka companies in a comprehensive manner adopting whole of the government approach. Other members of the Task Force are from Department of Financial Services, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Central Board of Excise & Customs, Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate, Serious Fraud Investigation Office and Financial Intelligence Unit. The task Force has held five meetings so far. Decisions taken by the Task Force focusing upon most effective and expeditious actions against shell companies and associated persons by the agencies concerned have duly been taken forward. Brief highlights of actions taken against shell companies in recent past include the following: (i) With a view to have consolidated relevant information at one place and based upon inputs from all law enforcement agencies, the Serious Fraud Investigation Office under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has undertaken the exercise of preparing comprehensive digital database of shell companies and their associates that were identified by various law enforcement agencies. (ii) During last three financial years (2013-14 to 2015-16), investigations by the Income-tax Department have led to detection of more than 1155 shell companies/entities which were used as conduits by over 22,000 beneficiaries. The amount involved in non-genuine transactions of such beneficiaries was more than Rs 13,300 crore. Criminal Prosecution complaints have been filed by the Income-tax Department against 47 persons. Action against such companies, the beneficiaries of non-genuine transactions and other persons associated therewith under the Direct Taxes law is a continuous process and includes searches, surveys, enquiries, assessment of income, levy of taxes, penalties, etc. and filing of prosecution complaints in criminal courts, wherever applicable. (iii) Enforcement Directorate conducted nationwide searched in 16 states on 01.04.2017 in respect of shell companies and related professionals who were behind the creation and operation of these Companies. (iv) The CBI has registered 30 cases against 201 shell companies during the last 3 years viz. 2014, 2015, 2016 and the current year as on 28.2.2017. (v) FIU-India Out of these, charge-sheets have been filed in 17 cases. (vi) As on 12.07.2017, Ministry of Corporate Affairs has removed 1,62,618 Companies from the Register of Companies by following the due process under Section 248 of the Companies Act, 2013. Further, the exercise of identification of the directors of the companies defaulting in filing of Financial Statements or Annual Returns for continuous period of three financial years has been undertaken as part of the ongoing process for disqualification for reappointment as director in that company or in other company for a period of five years u/s 164(2) of the Companies Act, 2013. (vii) FIU-India has also alerted its Reporting Entities on shell companies for enhanced due diligence. Mechanism for sharing of information between various law enforcement agencies is already in place under the Regional Economic Intelligence Council (REIC) and Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB) forums. Further, with a view to streamline and strengthen the information sharing mechanism, a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on sharing of information between various law enforcement agencies has been agreed to under the aegis of the Task Force. Disclosure of information in respect of specific persons, however, is prohibited except as provided under section 138 of the Income-tax Act, 1961. The Government had requested the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for freezing of accounts of the defaulting companies who have long exceeded the stipulated time limit, for filing of Financials Statements and returns, under the Companies Act. The RBI has informed that, at present, it has no powers to freeze such accounts. Moreover, freezing orders issued by the Government as per the provisions of the relevant statutes such as Unlawful Activities Prevention Act or Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, are communicated by the RBI to the banks. Further, the Government has requested the RBI to circulate the details of defaulting companies to all the banks with the advice to exercise enhanced due diligence while dealing with these companies.
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SC SETUP COMMITTEE TO OVERSEE MEDICAL COUNCIL OF INDIA
The Supreme Court has agreed with the government‘s proposal of five eminent medical practitioners to oversee the functioning and decisions of the Medical Council of India. The list of names are Randeep Guleria, Director of AIIMS at Delhi; V.K. Paul, Professor and Head of Paediatrics at the AIIMS; Nikhil Tandon, Professor and Head of Endocrinology at the AIIMS; Jagat Ram, Director of PGIMER at Chandigarh, and B.N. Gangadharan, Director of NIMHANS at Bengaluru. The panel is clothed with the authority to oversee the functioning of the MCI. A new Oversight Committee had to be appointed as the tenure of the previous one led by former Chief Justice of India R.M. Lodha had expired.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com COMMITTEE SETUP TO STUDY COW DERIVATIVES
The union government has set up a 19-member committee to scientifically validate research on cow derivatives such as cow-urine and their benefits. This committee is headed by Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan. The committee will scientifically validate the benefits of panchgavya — the concoction of cow dung, cow urine, milk, curd and ghee. Also called as National Steering Committee, the panel includes secretaries of the departments of Science and Technology, Biotechnology, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, and scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi.
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MAJITHIA WAGE BOARDS IN NEWS
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The Union Minister for Labour and Employment held a meeting with the representatives of the State Governments to review the status of implementation of the recommendations of the Majithia Wage Board. The Central Government constituted wage boards for working journalists and non-journalists newspaper employees, as and when required, as per the provisions contained in section 9 and section 13C respectively of the Working Journalists Act, 1955. The last such Wage Boards, Viz. the Majithia Wage Boards were constituted by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on 24.5.2007. The Board submitted the recommendations to the Government on 31.12.2010. Ministry of Labour and Employment notified the recommendations of the Majithia Wage Boards, under section 12 of the said Act, on 11.11.2011 subject to the outcome of the W.P. (C) No. 246 of 2011. The Hon‘ble Supreme Court, in its judgment dated 07.02.2014 upheld the Majithia Wage Boards recommendations. As the said order was not complied by some newspaper establishments, contempt petitions were filed in the Hon‘ble Supreme Court. The Hon‘ble Supreme Court, in its judgement dated 19.7.2017held that the Majithia Wage Board Award has to be implemented in full. The Hon‘ble Court also clarified on four important issues like payment of wages as per Majithia Wage Board Awards, Clause 20(j), admissibility of Variable pay, applicability to Contractual employees and financial capacity of the newspaper establishments to pay arrears. As a sequel to the above judgment of the Hon‘ble Supreme Court, a meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Shri Bandaru Dattatreya to discuss the issues relating to implementation of the recommendations of the Majithia Wage Board Awards with the representative of the State Governments. As per the said Act, the implementation of the recommendations of the Wage Boards lies with the State Governments. During the meeting, the State Governments/UT Administrations were impressed upon to implement the Wage Board Awards in letter and spirit. Discussions were alsoheld to bring the journalists of electronic & digital media under the ambit of the Working Journalists Act, 1955. State Governments were requested to tender their considered opinion in this regard. As the last Wage Board was constituted in 2007, the issue regarding constitution of a new Wage Board was also discussed in the meeting.
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CENTRAL MONITORING COMMITTEE ON GST SETUP
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The Government of India has setup a Central Monitoring Committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary. Three meetings of the Central Monitoring Committee have been held on 2nd July, 11th July and 18th July. The reports include the details of feedback received from various Ministries and Departments regarding the following issues: Steps taken by department to disseminate knowledge about GST. Stakeholders still not registered. Position of Prices of Products pre-GST and post-GST. Queries received, solved by GST Cell in every department. Department wise FAQs made, disseminated among its stakeholders. Success stories which could be publicized. Sector Specific training on GST required by the Ministry. Shortages of products, if any. Further, the Government vide DoPT OM dated 4th July 2017 and 6th July 2017 has appointed 209 Joint/Additional Secretary Level Officers to monitor the implementation and effects of GST across the country through District Level Clusters and submit weekly reports. A Nodal Feedback Centre has been setup under the Ministry of Finance to collect, collate and analyze the feedback being received from the district level Nodal Officers. Further, GST Feedback and Action Room (FAR) was constituted by CBEC w.e.f.26 June, 2017 with the purpose of reviewing the information received from Ministries, State governments, field formations and social media, newspapers, news channels, e-mail, etc. and report it on Real Time basis to the Revenue Secretary, CBEC, GSTN and other concerned authorities. A team of officers monitor various media reports for any GST related news/issues and also take further necessary action. FAR has multi-line telephone numbers which are available in the control room and these numbers have been informed to the Central and State GST officers.
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The emails received from the Ministries, State Governments and field formations are forwarded to the respective sections for information and feedback purpose. The immediate and long term benefits of GST are as under: Transparency and accountability in business transactions Reduction in the cascading effect of taxation and increased input tax credit utilization Rationalization of tax rates Improvement in the ease of doing business
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RINA MITRA COMMITTEE ON MYANMAR BORDER
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Recently, the Union Home Ministry has constituted a committee headed by Rina Mitra to ―examine the present rules and regulations adopted by the border States for implementation of free movement regime.‖ India shares unfenced border with Myanmar. India‘s 1,643-km border with Myanmar touches four states — Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram. It is unique in many ways as it has a visa-free movement regime for people living within 16 kms on either side of the border. They can stay up to 72 hours with effective and valid permits issued by the designated authority on either side. Free movement regime is being misused by militants and trans-border criminals who smuggle weapons, contraband goods and fake Indian currency notes. Taking advantage of the free-movement regime, occasionally they enter India, commit crimes and escape to their relatively safer hideouts. Earlier also in 2015, a high-level committee report submitted by Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) chief R.N. Ravi suggested changing the ―misnomer‖ related to ―free border movement‖ and asked the government to replicate the model prevalent in villages and areas along the Bangladesh border.
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ERIC HOLDER REPORT IN NEWS
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Uber Technologies Inc. is an American technology company headquartered in San Francisco, California, USA operating in 633 cities worldwide. It develops, markets and operates the Uber car transportation and food delivery mobile apps. Uber drivers use their own cars, although drivers can rent a car to drive with Uber. On February 20, 2017, former Uber engineer Susan J. Fowler stated that she was sexually harassed by a manager and threatened with termination by another if she continued to report the incident. In June 2017, Uber announced that it fired over 20 employees as a result of the investigation. On June 20, 2017, after multiple shareholders reportedly demanded his resignation, Kalanick resigned as CEO. Uber has appointed Eric Holder, who served as attorney general under former US president Barack Obama, to investigate the company‘s broader culture. Eric Holder outlined his recommendations under four overarching themes: tone at the top, trust, transformation, and accountability. His wide-ranging recommendations include: the appointment of a COO to focus on day-to-day operations and culture; the reformulation of Uber‘s cultural values, including the de-emphasizing of values like ―always be hustlin'‖, which have been used to justify ―poor behavior‖; banning romantic or intimate relationships between individuals in a reporting relationship; guidelines that reduce alcohol consumption and the use of controlled substances at company or company-sponsored events; various efforts aimed at increasing diversity; better oversight from the board; improvements to internal controls, record keeping, management training, complaint procedures.
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NEW COMMITTEE ON CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
SEBI has set up a committee to recommend the measures to help improve the standards of corporate governance of listed companies in India. Uday Kotak, Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank is the chairman of this committee. Besides Kotak, this committee comprises of 20 other members. Some other members of this committee are: Keki Mistry, Rishad Premji, R Shankar Raman, Ashish Chauhan, J Ravichandran, Shobhana Kamineni, Pankaj R Patel, Nilesh Vikamsey, Shyam Agrawal, N Venkatram, Arun Kumar. This committee has been tasked to among other things make recommendations for ensuring independence in spirit of independent directors and their active participation in functioning of the company. The other terms of reference for this Panel include improving safeguards and disclosures pertaining to Related Party Transactions. The Panel has been tasked to go into issues in accounting and auditing practices by listed companies. The other areas include improving effectiveness of Board Evaluation practices; addressing issues faced by investors on voting and participation in general meetings; and disclosure and transparency related issues. SEBI has advised this Panel to ―endeavour‖ to submit its report within a period of four months.
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In the past, SEBI had set up committees on corporate governance under the Chairmanship of N.R. Narayanamurthy and Kumaramangalam Birla.
DR. VED PRAKASH MISHRA COMMITTEE REPORT
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The Ministry of Shipping had constituted a committee to study how the existing healthcare infrastructure at major ports can be upgraded under PPP mode to provide world class health services, along with affordable medical and paramedical education. The committee was constituted in this regard in 2016 under the chairmanship of Dr. Ved Prakash Mishra, Chancellor of Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed University), Karad and Chairman of the Academic Committee of the Medical Council of India, New Delhi. The committee has submitted its report recently. It recommended the following: The present mode of Public Private Partnership in terms of the notification dated 29th December, 2015, issued by the Government of India, on the recommendations of Medical Council of India defines a single mode of the Public Private Partnership, where-under an appropriate govt. can transfer its minimum 300 bedded hospital to a private party for opening of a medical college by the concerned private party as an applicant within the scope and meaning of Section 10(A) of the IMC Act, 1956. The interest of the Central Govt. in regard to the extent of permissible admissions and utility of hospital services from the attached hospitals thereat is limited. As such, this mode does not go to fulfill the legitimate requirement of the Central Government to have its own medical colleges under the proposed Public Private Mode. The proposed Public Private Mode contemplates recognition to the staff working in the non-teaching district/ referral hospital as ‗teachers‘ in the cadre of Professor, Associate Professor and Assistant Professor strictly in conformity with the eligibility prescribed under the governing Teacher Eligibility Qualification Regulation, of Medical Council of India, which would be non-conducive as staff at such hospitals conforming to the said eligibility may be either miniscule in number or non-existent. As such, the problem of requisite number of teaching faculty with prescribed qualifications would be hard to procure and tough to find. It would be appropriate to pursue the amendment to the Notification of 29th December, 2015, proposed by the Medical Council of India at its meeting held on 30th March, 2016, modifying Clause 2, whereby under the Public Private Partnership Mode the State Govt. instead of transferring its district minimum 300 bedded district hospital under an MOU would be required only to permit the utilization of facilities thereat, which would be far more conducive to the legitimate interest of the State Govt. It would be equally appropriate to pursue the intent of the Central Govt. as depicted in their communication dated 28th January, 2016, addressed to the Secretary, Medical Council of India to extend the provision of scheme of equivalence and recognition of teachers in case of Employee State Insurance Corporation run hospital for opening of new medical colleges to the proposed medical colleges to be opened under the Central Sponsored Scheme (CSS). It would be in the fitness of things to propose to the Central Govt. that the applicability of the provision of scheme of equivalence and recognition of teachers in case of Employees State Insurance Corporation run hospitals for opening of new medical colleges be made applicable as it is to the Public Private Partnership Mode contemplated vide the Notification of 29th December, 2015, by appropriately amending Clause 7 thereat so that the provision of conformity with eligibility prescribed by the Teachers Eligibility Qualification Regulation is done away with, so that the problem of appointment of requisite number of faculty in conformity with the prescribed standard regulatory requirements are dispensed of and are found to be easy to tackle. It may be pursued by the Central Govt. and the Medical Council of India to broaden the ambit of the Notification of 29th December, 2015, so as to include Public-Public Partnership Mode therein, whereby by a suitable collaboration with the Public companies and undertakings which per se in their individual capacity are not covered as eligible to be an applicant for starting of a medical college, within the scope and meaning of the eligibility criterion prescribed under the governing Establishment of New Medical College Regulation may be availed by the Central Govt. to open its own run medical colleges. The Public-Public Partnership model will definitely give a desired fillip to the Central Govt. to open new medical colleges commensurate with the need and requirement of the State with least financial burden as compared to any other model as in vogue for the said purpose. In the fitness of things it would be appropriate to await the outcome of the two core pending issues namely, a) the broadening of the ambit of the notification of 29th December, 2015 and b) the broadening of the ambit of Teachers Eligibility Qualification Regulation in terms of the applicability of 06.09.2012 Notification by the Government of India, before embarking on the present available mode of Public Private Partnership. During the pendency of the same the Central Govt. may avail the model of starting of a medical college as has been evoked by the Govt. of Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar where under the concerned State Govt. availing his own District Hospital has started a State run and managed medical college, having full control on the admission of students thereto. Further, the Ministry of Shipping, Government of India, availing its owned more than 200 bedded Port Hospitals and getting it converted into a teaching hospital may venture in starting of a medical college owned and managed by the Central Govt. itself thereby having complete and total control of the same. Alternatively, the Central Govt. following the public private partnership model as contemplated in the notification of the Medical Council of India dated 29.12.2015 and updated by another notification dated 02.02.2016 transfer a more than 200 bedded Port Hospital at Mumbai to a Society/Trust or Company, as the case may be, for starting of
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a medical college and protecting its interest by taking recourse to provisions included at clause No.2 of the 29.12.2015 notification in respect of admissions of students under the Govt. quota at the said medical college and patient care in the affiliated hospital of the concerned medical college on mutually agreed terms and conditions ensuring that the services that are being catered to the registered employees continue to be on the same terms and conditions for all times without causing any prejudice to their legitimate claim and entitlement. In terms of the illustration availed by the Committee by an appropriate extrapolation of financial receipts and expenditures in regard to a medical college in the mode of Public Private Partnership as recommended at seriatim 11, the extent of admissions that can be availed by the Central Govt. under its quota could be 25% of the total admissions annually and 25% of the patient care in the affiliated hospital of the said medical college vide transferring more than 200 bedded Port Hospital to the concerned Society/Trust or the Company (bringing out an illustration with reference to transfer of 300 District Hospital by the State Govt.), with a rider that 15% of the annual intake should be earmarked s the NRI (Non-Resident Indian) quota towards which the higher chargeable fee would be compensating for the fee charged against with 25% Central Govt. quota as a cross subsidy mode. The healthcare facilities at other port hospitals at Mumbai, Cochin, Chennai, Kolkata and Vishakhapattanam need to be upgraded into tertiary care facilities vide invocation of Public Private Partnership Mode under mutually agreeable terms and conditions ensuring that the services that are being catered to the registered employees continue to be on the same terms and conditions for all times without causing any prejudice to their legitimate claim and entitlement. It would be appropriate that the upgradation to tertiary care facilities could be worked up in a manner that a particular super speciality stands assigned to a specific Port Trust Hospital, which then becomes the super speciality centre for all referral purposes by the remaining Port Hospitals. As such, Port Trust Hospital Chennai could be availed for development of tertiary care facilities in the domain of Cardiovascular Thoracic surgery, Port Trust Hospital Cochin for Nephrology, Port Trust Hospital Kolkata for Neurology and Neurosurgery and Port Trust Hospital Vishakhapattanam for Gastroenterology and Surgical Gastroenterology respectively. The developmental plans as of now envisioned by the respective Port Trust Hospitals in vogue to the extent necessary be merged with the developmental suggestions made in respect to them by the present committee, so that there is no overlap and the resources do not stand squandered as they are scares and therefore precious hence are required to be availed judiciously. The developmental plan in regard to Port Trust Hospital Paradip, which the committee has looked into critically is well conceived and has incorporated the suggestions proposed by this committee in its ambit to a substantial extent and hence needs to be pursued as such. A venture is necessary to start postgraduate courses at the Port Hospitals other than Mumbai in the relevant specialities, where the teaching beds are allocable to the concerned speciality with available qualified teaching manpower in identified specialities in terms of provisions included at section 8(1)(A) of the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulation, 2000 notified by the Medical Council of India by making an appropriate MoU with the medical college in the geographical vicinity to fulfill the condition which is prescribed on the said count. The venture of starting of post graduate courses could be feasible at Port Hospitals Chennai, Cochin, Vishakhapattanam and Kolkata. In case of Port Hospital Mumbai if the feasibility of a medical college does not work up then it should be availed for starting of Post Graduate Courses in relevant specialities vide the qualified manpower available there including the requisite number of teaching beds in terms of provisions included at Section 8(1)(A) of the regulations governing Post Graduate Medical Education notified by the Government of India, on the recommendations of the Medical Council of India. At Port Hospitals other than Mumbai, Cochin, Chennai, Vishakhapattanam, Kolkata and Paradip the upgradation of the existing healthcare facilities to sumptuous secondary and to some extent tertiary care level need to be augmented for enhancement of the quality of the services to be catered to the relevant stakeholders. All these initiatives as proposed would be under Public Private Partnership Mode and therefore, could not end up in any financial liability on the Central Govt. and the proposed venture even for the starting of the Postgraduate courses would be in tune with the one which has been worked out for starting of a medical college in tandem with Port Trust Hospital Mumbai, including the financial implications and appropriate balancing of the resultant liabilities in an illustrative manner.
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PROGRAMMES “JIYO PARSI” SCHEME: LATEST ROUND
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Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi launched the ―Jiyo Parsi Publicity Phase-2‖ at Mumbai. ―Jiyo Parsi Publicity Phase-1‖ was initiated in 2013 for containing the declining trend of population of the Parsi community and reverse it to bring their population above the threshold level. The main objective of the ―Jiyo Parsi‖ scheme is to reverse the declining trend of Parsi population by adopting a scientific protocol and structured interventions, stabilize their population and increase the population of Parsis in India. Ministry of Minority Affairs‘ scheme has two components: Medical Assistance and Advocacy/Counselling. The scheme has been successful. 101 babies have been born in Parsi community through ―Jiyo Parsi‖ scheme. Parzor Foundation was an important link between the Parsi community and the government in success of ―Jiyo Parsi‖ scheme. And the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai; the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) and Federation of Zoroastrian Anjumans of India have also played a key role in this regard. These organisations have been publicising the scheme through outreach programmes like seminars, workshops, publicity, brochures, Parsi journals and other advocacy programmes and awareness campaign.
INTEGRATED HEALTH INFORMATION PLATFORM
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A scheme to set up an ‗Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) to create the Electronic Health Records (EHRs) of citizens and to be made available nationwide online for medical history, with the help of Health Information Exchange(s), has been approved and is being implemented. MoHFW has notified Electronic Health Record (EHR) Standards Version 2016 for India in December 2016 (whilst the earlier version of EHR Standards was notified in September 2013) with the intent to bring standardisation and homogeneity, inter-operability in capture, storage, transmission, use etc. of healthcare information across various health IT systems. State/UTs have been advised and are already working on computerisation and implementation of hospital information system (for creation electronic records) in their hospitals/health facility with support under National Health Mission. With the advent of the envisaged system of EHRs of citizens in an inter-operable manner pan-nation, online availability and accessibility would be ensured facilitating continuity of care, better affordability, better health outcome and better decision support system. This is expected to help in reducing expenditure on avoidable repetitive and similar diagnostic tests.
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SCHEMES FOR BPL PEOPLE IN UNORGANIZED SECTOR
The Social Security Scheme namely, Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana (AABY) caters to unorganised sector persons under 48 various vocational groups such Beedi Workers, Brick Kiln Workers, Rickshaw Pullers/Auto Drivers etc. The scheme provides insurance cover of Rs.30,000/- on natural death, Rs.75,000/- on death due to accident, Rs.37,500/- for partial permanent disability due to accident and Rs.75,000/- for total permanent disability due to accident, to such persons in the age group of 18 to 59 years for a premium of Rs.200/-, of which Rs.100/- is paid by Government of India and the balance Rs.100/- is paid by State Governments/Nodal agencies/ individuals, as the case may be. As part of Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), all the people in the age group of 18 to 59 years who opened Jan Dhan accounts between 15.08.2014 to 31.01.2015 were covered under free life insurance of Rs. 30,000/-. The premium is borne by the Central Government. Apart from the above, the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) are universal and affordable schemes available at a very low cost, to address the insurance of life and accidental risks. Further, Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) provides health insurance cover to persons living below the poverty line.
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LINKING OF AADHAAR WITH PDS: ACTUAL POSITION
In pursuance of the provisions of the Section 7 of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 the Department has issued a notification dated 8th February, 2017 for the use of Aadhaar as identity document for delivery of services/benefits/subsidies that simplifies the Government delivery processes, brings in transparency and efficiency and enables beneficiaries to get their entitlement directly in a convenient and seamless manner and Aadhaar obviates the need for producing multiple documents to prove one‘s identity. An individual eligible to receive the subsidized food grains/Cash Transfer of Food Subsidy under NFSA and having valid Ration Cards issued by State Governments/UT Administration is required to furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar number or undergo Aadhaar authentication.
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Any new eligible beneficiary who is selected by State Governments/UT Administration for receiving subsidized food grains/Cash Transfer of Food Subsidy under NFSA is also required to furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar number or undergo Aadhaar authentication. All such eligible beneficiaries entitled to receive subsidized food grains/Cash Transfer of Food Subsidy under NFSA, who do not possess the Aadhaar number or, are not yet enrolled for Aadhaar, but are desirous of availing subsidized food grains/Cash Transfer of Food Subsidy under NFSA are required to make application for Aadhaar enrolment by 30th June, 2017, provided he or she is entitled to obtain Aadhaar as per Section 3 of the said Act. The said time limit has been extended upto September, 2017 which covers the people residing in remote areas like Jaisalmer and Bikaner in Rajasthan. For effective implementation of and bringing transparency in Public Distribution System (PDS), Government is implementing a scheme on ―End-to-end Computerization of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) Operations‖. The component-I of the scheme comprises digitization of ration cards/beneficiary and other databases, online allocation, computerization of supply-chain management, setting up of transparency portal and grievance redressal mechanisms. Besides, Central Govt. has also asked States/UTs to opt for any of the two models of Direct Benefit Transfer – Cash transfer of food subsidy into the bank account of beneficiaries or Fair Price Shop (FPS) automation, which involves installation of Point of Sale (PoS) device at FPS, for authentication of beneficiaries and electronic capturing of transactions. The cash transfer of food subsidy is being implemented in 3 UTs namely Chandigarh, Puducherry w.e.f. 1-9-2015 and partially in Dadra & Nagar Haveli w.e.f. 1-3-2016. For remaining areas, States/UTs have been asked for Fair Price Shop (FPS) automation. So far, more than 2.45 lakh FPSs have been automated across the country.
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The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), a Statutory body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has recently launched a ‗Visiting Advanced Joint Research (VAJRA) Faculty Scheme‘ to connect the Indian academic and research and development (R&D) systems to the best of global science and scientists for a sustained international collaborative research. The scheme offers adjunct / visiting faculty assignments to overseas scientists, faculty members and R&D professionals including Non-resident Indians (NRI) and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) to undertake high quality collaborative research in cutting edge areas of science and technology including interdisciplinary areas of priority such as energy, water, health, security, nutrition, materials and manufacturing, etc. with one or more Indian collaborators of public funded academic and research institutions of India. The VAJRA Faculty should be an active researcher working in an overseas leading academic / research / industrial organization with significant accomplishments in R&D. The initial Faculty assignment is given for a period of one year extendable to subsequent years based on the collaborative outcome and interest. The residency period of VAJRA Faculty in the host institution would be for a minimum of 1 month and a maximum of 3 months every year. VAJRA Faculty is provided US Dollars 15000 in the first month of residence and US Dollars 10000 in each of the subsequent month. Presently, call for applications is made open for prospective researchers. Sufficient fund is earmarked for the VAJRA Scheme from the overall budgetary allocation of SERB, which stands at Rs. 800 crore in BE 2017-18. This is not a centrally sponsored scheme but a Central Plan Scheme and hence no State/UT-wise allocation is made. The scheme is launched recently on pilot basis for initial 3-4 years with a target of enrolling 50-75 VAJRA Faculty per year. Scientists from countries like USA, Russia, UK, France, Italy have expressed interest to undertake VAJRA Faculty assignments in India. The Scheme is open to active and accomplished scientist / faculty from all countries.
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VISITING ADVANCED JOINT RESEARCH FACULTY SCHEME
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NATIONAL INITIATIVE FOR DEVELOPING & HARNESSING INNOVATIONS
The Department of Science & Technology has launched a new programme ‗National Initiative for Developing & Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI)‘ which covers the entire value chain of innovations starting from idea to commercialization. The Indian startup ecosystem has seen a lot of activity in terms of growth of number of startups that emerged and also in terms of deals for funding that got closed and amount that were funded. Against this bright background, however, the challenge that the young student innovators face is to raise the initial funding for his/her startup. Having reached the stage where s/he has done the technology demonstration and has a working prototype, the innovator is now looking for preparing his business plan, product validation and launch of startup. Product development and validation is his/her major challenge at this stage. Startup launch, product development and validation requires some investment part of the young innovator. The initial funds needed at this time usually comes from friends, family, Angel investors and HNI who would invest in a early stage startup. However, when technology is untested and market is unsure making returns uncertain, the risk of investment is too high for conventional investors including the Venture Capitalists to pitch in. The funds required at this pre –
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incubation stage is not a very large fund by volume but it does certainly gives the startup and the young innovator a breather in this competitive space. NIDHI, by design connects and strengthens all the links of the innovation chain from scouting to sustaining to securing to scaling to showcasing, because a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The key stakeholders of NIDHI includes various departments and ministries of the central government, state governments, academic and R & D institutions, mentors, financial institutions, angel investors, venture capitalists, industry champions and private sectors. Objectives: To take forward student innovations in IEDC / NewGen IEDC programme to commercialization stage. To promote student startups. To accelerate the journey of idea to prototype by providing initial funding assistance. To promote innovation focused start-ups some of the key initiatives taken by the government are: National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog is implementing Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) for promoting Incubators and Tinkering Labs. Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and Department of Science and Technology (DST) have joined hands to promote Research Parks in the country. Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) in association with Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has set up a Rs.10,000 crore Fund to invest in Venture Capital Funds to promote innovations and start-ups. Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Industries has a programme to setup incubators in the Agriculture sector, under the ASPIRE (‗A Scheme For Promoting Innovation, Rural Industry & Entrepreneurship‘) programme. Department of Bio-Technology has a programme to promote incubators in the Bio-tech sector under the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) programme. MHRD has also launched a Smart India Hackathon for involving Engineering students to provide solutions to problems faced by Government Departments. In short there is a concerted effort by the government to promote innovation for addressing the problems and challenges faced by the country.
LEARN & EARN SCHEME OF INDIAN GOVERNMENT
The scheme ―Seekho aur Kamao (Learn and Earn)‖ is a placement linked skill development scheme, implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs through selected Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) all over the country. The Government is encouraging the youth from the minority communities to take up employment based skills training and the Ministry has extended the scheme across the country. So far, the Ministry has sanctioned Rs. 460.10 crore to cover 2,17,454 number of minority youth under the scheme.
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MAHATMA GANDHI PRAVASI SURAKSHA YOJANA CLOSED
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The Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Surakhsha Yojana did not get an encouraging response from Indian emigrant workers for a variety of reasons including its voluntary nature, difficulty in payment of subscriptions from NRI accounts, limited insurance cover, and the restricted regulatory environment in destination countries where the scheme was to be rolled out. The Scheme stands closed with approval of the Cabinet with effect from April 1, 2017. However, there is already a mandatory Insurance and medical cover under Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Yojana (PBBY) for all Emigration Check Required (ECR) passport holding Indian workers emigrating with Emigration Clearance to 18 notified ECR countries for overseas employment. On 12.07.2017 the Scheme has been amended to extend the coverage and make it more simple for claim settlement. Some of the salient features and benefits under the PBBY 2017 are as under: (i) Maximum sum for which insured under the Scheme is Rs.10.00 lakhs in the event of accidental death or permanent disability leading to loss of employment while in employment abroad, irrespective of change of employer or location of insured person (country of employment, India or third country). (ii) Certification of accidental death or permanent disability by Indian Missions and Posts abroad shall be accepted by the insurance companies. Certification will be issued by concerned Protector of Emigrants (PoE), if the accidental death or permanent disability happens in India. (iii) Medical insurance cover including injuries / sickness / ailment / diseases enhanced from Rs.75,000/- to Rs.1,00,000/- (up to Rs. 50,000 per hospitalization) (iv) Repatriation cover for medically unfit/premature termination of employment: Actual one-way economy class air fare to the nearest international airport in India. (v) Family Hospitalization in India is Rs. 50,000/(vi) Maternity benefit to women emigrants enhanced from Rs.25,000/-to Rs. 35,000/(vii) Return economy class air fare to the nearest international airport attendant in case of emigrant‘s accidental death or permanent disability. (viii) Legal expenses on litigation related to emigrant‘s overseas employment enhanced from Rs.30,000/to Rs. 45,000/(ix) Provision for On-line renewal of PBBY policy introduced.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com JUTE-ICARE INITIATIVE OF GOVERNMENT
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Improved Cultivation and Advanced Retting Exercise for Jute (Jute – ICARE) was launched to popularize/introduce some of the better agronomic practices and recently developed microbial-assisted retting among farmers intensively in a few blocks in West Bengal and Assam on pilot basis. The improved agronomic practices include: line sowing of jute using seed drill to increase yield by 10-15%; weed management in jute by wheel hoeing/nail weeder instead of hand weeding for reducing the cost of weeding; and distribution of quality certified seeds at 50% subsidy. Central Research Institute for Research in Jute and Allied Fibres (CRIJAF) developed a microbial consortium called SONA, to enhance the quantity of fibre yield by 20% as well as its quality in terms of grade by at least 1 ½ grades. Also, under the project, regular SMSes are sent in regional languages on improved practices in jute cultivation, to registered farmers. On an average over 50 SMS-es are sent to each farmer at various intervals during the project. Supply of Seed drills and Nail weeders is undertaken for demonstration purpose. As a result of these interventions, the earnings of jute farmers have increased by more than Rs.10,000 per hectare. In view of the encouraging results of the Jute ICare pilot project, a joint meeting was held in 2017 for extending the reach of Jute I-Care programme through the State Agriculture Extension machinery. All the Chief Ministers have been advised to take up Jute ICARE programme under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and create awareness amongst farmers for use of certified jute seeds through Krishi Vikas Kendras (KVK). States have also been requested to supply farm implements under the Sub-mission in Agricultural Mission (SMAM) and construct Retting Tanks under MGNREGS and RKVY. The popularity of Jute-ICARE project can be judged from the fact that the number of farmers who registered during the Year 2017 under the project had increased by 147% approximately; that is, 1,03,122 farmers were registered against 41,616 farmers last year. The area covered under the project for 2017 is approximately 70,328 hectares covering 26 Blocks in 6 jute growing states– an increase of 167% as compared to 2016. Action Plans for undertaking Front Line Demonstrations by CRIJAF and National Institute of Research in Jute and Allied Fibres (NIRJAFT) in Coordination with NJB, have been approved. Krishi Melas are being held to support farmers.
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HAMARI DHAROHAR SCHEME
The Ministry of Minority Affairs formulated ―Hamari Dharohar‖ scheme for preservation of rich heritage and culture of minority communities of India in 2014-15. The scheme aims to support curation of iconic exhibitions, calligraphy, research and development, etc. Under this scheme, the funding is project based and not the State/District-wise. The following two important projects have been undertaken so far under the scheme: 1. An iconic exhibition of Parsis (Zoroastrians) i.e. ―The Everlasting Flame‖ to showcase the civilization and culture of the Parsis (Zoroastrians) was organized during March-May, 2016. This involved curating 3 travelling exhibitions on Parsi Culture namely- ‗The Everlasting Flame‘; ‗Threads of Continuity‘; and ‗Painted Encounters‘, Parsi Traders and Community & No Parsi is an island‘, at the National Museum (NM), National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) and Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA) at New Delhi. 2. A project has been allocated to Dairatul Maarifil Osmania (an institution established in 1888 AD) under Osmania University, Telangana, for translation of 240 invaluable documents belonging to Medievel period on the subjects of Medicines, Mathematics, Literature, etc. from Arabic language to English, digitization and re-printing. The project implementation has already started and the state Government of Telangana is monitoring the same.
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SCHEME FOR DEVELOPMENT OF VULNERABLE TRIBAL GROUPS
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing the ―Scheme of Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups(PVTGs)‖ which aims at planning their socio-economic development in a comprehensive manner while retaining the culture and heritage of the community by adopting habitat development approach and intervening in all spheres of their social and economic life, so that a visible impact is made in improvement of the quality of life of PVTGs. Funds are allocated to State Governments based on proposals submitted by them in their Annual ConservationCum-Development(CCD) Plan, which are considered and approved by a Project Appraisal Committee in the Ministry, Headed by Secretary, Tribal Affairs. Activities under the Scheme includes (a) Livelihood, (b) Employment opportunities and economic development of PVTGs through Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Dairy, and Skilling/ Vocational Training (c) Education, (Literacy, Drop-out, Residential schools in addition to SSA/RMSA). (d) Health, (Gap filling for effective health service delivery beyond NHM etc). (e) Provision of safe drinking water (gap filling where line Ministries do not provide complete/universal coverage), (f) Land distribution, land development, (g) Social security, (h) Housing and Habitat, (i) Connectivity (Road and Telecommunication), (j) Supply of Electricity (gap filling where line Ministries do not provide complete/universal coverage), Solar power, with provision of maintenance, (k) Irrigation (gap filling where line Ministries do not provide complete/universal coverage), (l) Urban Development, (m) Culture, (n) Sports
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SWADESH DARSHAN SCHEME: RAMAYANA AND KRISHNA CIRCUITS
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Indian Government had launched a tourist based scheme in 2015 to attract more tourists in the country. Swadesh Darshan Scheme is based on the some of the tourist circuits that will be covered under the PRASAD and Swadesh Darshan. PRASAD was launched at the same time that stands for Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive. This will lead to the central government to develop the heritage cities of the country in a better way to gain more visitors. Under the SDS there will be few tourist circuits that will be covered by the tourists. Ramayana Circuit and Krishna Circuit are among the thirteen thematic circuits identified for development under Swadesh Darshan Scheme. Ministry has initially identified fifteen destinations for development under the Ramayana Circuit theme namely Ayodhya, Nandigram, Shringverpur & Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh), Sitamarhi, Buxar & Darbhanga (Bihar), Chitrakoot (Madhya Pradesh), Mahendragiri (Odisha), Jagdalpur (Chattisgarh), Nashik & Nagpur (Maharashtra), Bhadrachalam (Telangana), Hampi (Karnataka) and Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu). Similarly, twelve destinations have been identified for development under Krishna circuit namely Dwarka (Gujarat), Nathdwara, Jaipur & Sikar (Rajasthan), Kurukshetra (Haryana), Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul, Barsana, Nandgaon & Govardhan (Uttar Pradesh) and Puri (Odisha).
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including traditional and tribal games and sports, (o) Any other innovative activity for the comprehensive socioeconomic development of PVTGs. Housing and Habitat covers funds for housing for PVTGs, primarily through special assistance under IAY and additionally through this scheme, for gap filling and for enhancing scope of coverage. While releasing funds under the scheme for construction of houses State Government are advised to maintain the traditional architectural style of the PVTGs. During the last year- 2016-17, amounts of Rs 927.50 lakhs and Rs 57.00 lakhs were released to the state of Tamil Nadu and Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Island, respectively, under the Scheme for construction of houses for PVTGs.
PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF ENDANGERED LANGUAGES OF INDIA
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The Government of India has initiated a Scheme known as ―Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages of India‘ (SPPEL), being implemented by Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore. This scheme aims at protection, preservation and documentation of all the mother tongues/languages of India which are spoken by less than 10,000 people. Dialects being part of a language are covered under this programme. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has a Scheme for ―Establishment of Centres for Endangered Languages‖ under which centres were approved in respect of nine Central Universities. Further the UGC has been implementing a scheme namely ‗Funding support to the State Universities for study and research in indigenous and endangered language in India‘‘ under which seven Universities were approved for grants. In addition, a collaborative project between Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda and BHASA, a Non Governmental Organisation working for Promotion and Preservation of Indigenous and Endangered languages was approved by UGC.
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The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the first meeting of the newly constituted Islands Development Agency (IDA). The IDA was set up on June 01, 2017 following the Prime Minister‘s review meeting for the development of islands. The Union Home Minister presented the vision for developing India‘s maritime economy while preserving the natural eco-system and addressing the security concerns. He emphasized upon the need for sustainable development of Islands with people‘s participation. The CEO, NITI Aayog made a detailed presentation on the current status and the way forward for holistic development of identified islands. He informed that Concept Development Plans and Detailed Master Plans are being prepared for identified islands with principles of sustainability, people‘s participation, eco-system preservation and determination of carrying capacity as the guiding principles. Such an exercise is being taken up for the first time in the country. Admiral D.K. Joshi, former Navy Chief and Vice Chairman of IDA suggested taking up suitable interventions for sustainable implementation of planned projects. During the meeting, the progress being made for the formulation of integrated master plans and other matters concerning the islands development were reviewed. It was also decided that Lt. Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Administrator of Lakshadweep Islands will be included as members of IDA. After detailed consultations with key stakeholders, 10 islands namely Smith, Ross, Aves, Long and Little Andaman in Andaman & Nicobar and Minicoy, Bangaram, Suheli, Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep have been
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identified for holistic development in the first phase. With this meeting, the efforts for holistic development of Islands of India received a major boost. Other Members of the IDA including Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary, Secretary (Environment, Forests and Climate Change), Secretary (Tourism) and Secretary (Tribal Welfare) also participated in the meeting.
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Project ‗Mausam‘ is the initiative of Ministry of Culture to be implemented by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as the nodal agency with research support of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and National Museum as associate bodies. This project aims to explore the multi-faceted Indian Ocean ‗world‘–collating archaeological and historical research in order to document the diversity of cultural, commercial and religious interactions in the Indian Ocean. It also aims to promote research on themes related to the study of Maritime Routes. Main objective of the project is to inscribe places and sites identified under Project Mausam as trans-national nomination for inscription on UNESCO‘s World Heritage List. The project was launched in June, 2014 during 38th session of the World Heritage Committee. An SFC was approved in April, 2015 for 2 years i.e. 2015-16 and 2016-17. Indian mission in identified countries have been requested to identify appropriate authorities/resource person/experts to initiate a dialogue but only a few have responded with necessary information. The list of countries identified under the project is given below:List of 39 Indian Ocean countries identified under Project Museum 1 Bahrain 2 Bangladesh 3 Cambodia 4 China 5 Comoros 6 Egypt 7 Eritrea 8 Réunion, French Department 9 Indonesia 10 Iraq 11 Iran (Islamic Republic) 12 Jordan 13 Kuwait 14 Kenya 15 Lebanon 16 Madagascar 17 Malaysia 18 Maldives 19 Mauritius 20 Mozambique 21 Myanmar 22 Oman 23 Pakistan 24 Philippines 25 Qatar 26 Singapore 27 Sri Lanka 28 Saudi Arabia 29 Seychelles 30 Somalia 31 South Africa 32 Sudan 33 Syrian Arab Republic 34 United Republic of Tanzania 35 Thailand 36 Turkey 37 United Arab Emirates 38 Viet Nam 39 Yemen
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PROJECT MAUSAM OF MINISTRY OF CULTURE
RASHTRIYA RAIL SANRAKSHA KOSH
Ministry of Railways have planned an investment of ₹ 8.56 lakh crore over five years ( 2015-2019) as indicated in the Rail Budget 2015-2016.
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Under the investment plan, major areas of priority include Network Decongestion/ Expansion, Safety related works, rolling stock procurement, station development works, modernization, speed raising, signalling, traffic facility works, information technology and customer service improvement etc. A Fund, namely, ‗Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK)‘ has been introduced in 2017-2018 for financing critical safety related works. The Fund has been created with a corpus of `1 lakh crore over a period of five years.
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AAJEEVIKA GRAMEEN EXPRESS YOJANA
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The Ministry of Rural Development will launch a new sub-scheme under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) which will be named as ―Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY)‖. The main objectives of AGEY are to provide an alternative source of livelihoods to members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) under DAY-NRLM by facilitating them to operate public transport services in backward rural areas. This will provide safe, affordable and community monitored rural transport services like e-rickshaws, 3 and 4 wheeler motorised transport vehicles to connect remote villages with key services and amenities including access to markets, education and health for the overall economic development of the area. The sub-scheme will be implemented in 250 blocks in the country on a pilot basis for a period of 3 years from 2017-18 to 2019-20. The States have been informed about the number of blocks allocated to them to take up this sub-scheme in the pilot phases. One of the options proposed to be given under the sub-scheme is that the Community Based Organisation (CBO) will provide interest free loan from its own corpus to Self Help Group member for purchase of the vehicle. The Government is implementing DAY-NRLM across the country in all States and Union Territories (except Delhi and Chandigarh). Under DAY-NRLM, till date, 34.4 lakh women SHGs have been promoted under the programme. The financial support under the programme is mainly in the form of Revolving Fund and Community Investment Funds, given as grants to the Self Help Groups (SHGs) and their federations. So far, the total amount released to SHGs is Rs. 1815 crore to about 3.96 lakh SHGs. A sum of Rs. 1088 crore has also been disbursed to 7.28 lakh SHGs as revolving Fund. DAY-NRLM also focuses on bank linkage of the institutions to enable their income The Cumulative Bank Credit mobilized for women SHGs and their federations since inception is to the tune of Rs 1.19 lakh crores. The programme has a special focus on women empowerment including a dedicated component for promoting farm and non-farm based livelihoods for women farmers in rural areas. About 34 lakh women farmers have benefited under this programme. In addition, start-up enterprises at village levels are also supported to promote entrepreneurial activities in those areas. Projects have been sanctioned for setting up 79,814 enterprises in 5209 villages in 17 states in the country.
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DEENDAYAL UPADHAYAYA GRAMEEN KAUSHALYA YOJANA
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The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) announced the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) Antyodaya Diwas, on 25th September 2014. DDU-GKY is a part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), tasked with the dual objectives of adding diversity to the incomes of rural poor families and cater to the career aspirations of rural youth. DDU-GKY is uniquely focused on rural youth between the ages of 15 and 35 years from poor families. As a part of the Skill India campaign, it plays an instrumental role in supporting the social and economic programs of the government like the Make In India, Digital India, Smart Cities and Start-Up India, Stand-Up India campaigns. Over 180 million or 69% of the country‘s youth population between the ages of 18 and 34 years, live in its rural areas. Of these, the bottom of the pyramid youth from poor families with no or marginal employment number about 55 million. The National Policy for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship 2015 has identified a skills gap of 109.73 million in 24 key sectors by the year 2022. This number cannot be achieved without addressing the BoP 55 million from rural India. Also, a FICCI and Ernst – Young study published in 2013 identified a shortage of over 47 million skilled workers across the globe by 2020. This presents an unprecedented opportunity for India to train its BoP youth population and place them in jobs across the world and realize its demographic dividend. DDU-GKY takes pride in its partners and their ability to add value. Innovation from partners is encouraged to build scale and capacity… its unique implementation structure involves partners, who are by nature, committed to changing lives and are experts in their areas, they form a part of the Skilling Ecosystem integrated by DDU-GKY. Partners are supported through investment, capacity building, strategies for retention, linkages to international placement and technology support for training purposes. DDU-GKY is present in 21 States and UTs, across 568 districts, impacting youth from over 6,215 blocks. It currently has over 690 projects being implemented by over 300 partners, in more than 330 trades from 82 industry sectors. Over 2.7 Lakh candidates have been trained and over 1.34 Lakh candidates have been placed in jobs so in the course of the last financial year. From 2012, DDU-GKY has so far committed an investment of more than INR 5,600 Crores, impacting rural youth pan-India.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com PRADHAN MANTRI VAYA VANDANA YOJANA
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Following are the major benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY): Scheme provides an assured return of 8% p.a. payable monthly (equivalent to 8.30% p.a. effective) for 10 years. Pension is payable at the end of each period, during the policy term of 10 years, as per the frequency of monthly/ quarterly/ half-yearly/ yearly as chosen by the pensioner at the time of purchase. The scheme is exempted from Service Tax/ GST. On survival of the pensioner to the end of the policy term of 10 years, Purchase price along with final pension installment shall be payable. Loan upto 75% of Purchase Price shall be allowed after 3 policy years (to meet the liquidity needs). Loan interest shall be recovered from the pension installments and loan to be recovered from claim proceeds. The scheme also allows for premature exit for the treatment of any critical/ terminal illness of self or spouse. On such premature exit, 98% of the Purchase Price shall be refunded. On death of the pensioner during the policy term of 10 years, the Purchase Price shall be paid to the beneficiary.
Mode of Pension Yearly Half-yearly Quarterly Monthly
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Minimum / Maximum Purchase Price and Pension Amount: Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum Purchase Price Purchase Price Pension amount Pension amount Rs. 1,44,578/Rs. 7,22,892/Rs. 12,000/Rs. 60,000/Rs. 1,47,601/Rs. 7,38,007/Rs. 6,000/Rs. 30,000/Rs. 1,49,068/Rs. 7,45,342/Rs. 3,000/Rs. 15,000/Rs. 1,50,000/Rs. 7,50,000/Rs. 1,000/Rs. 5,000/-
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Indian government has launched the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY). It is a Pension Scheme announced by the Government of India exclusively for the senior citizens aged 60 years and above which is available from 4th May, 2017 to 3rd May, 2018. The Scheme can be purchased offline as well as online through Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India which has been given the sole privilege to operate this Scheme.
The ceiling of maximum pension is for a family as a whole, the family will comprise of pensioner, his/her spouse and dependants. The shortfall owing to the difference between the interest guaranteed and the actual interest earned and the expenses relating to administration shall be subsidized by the Government of India and reimbursed to the Corporation.
PRAVASI BHARATIYA BIMA YOJANA
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At present, there is no scheme of Government of India that provides compensation in respect of Indian nationals dying abroad. However, there is a mandatory insurance scheme, the Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana for emigrant workers who need Emigrance Clearance for overseas employment. The scheme has been further strengthened recently which will be beneficial to Indian emigrant workers. The scheme provides an insurance cover of 10 lakhs in case of death or permanent disability and a few other limited benefits at a nominal insurance premium of Rs. 275 and Rs. 375 for a period of two and three years respectively.
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INTEGRATED COLD CHAIN AND VALUE ADDITION INFRASTRUCTURE The Ministry of Food Processing Industries is implementing a scheme for Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure with the objective of preventing post-harvest losses of horticultural & non-horticultural produce. One of the components of the Cold Chain scheme is the setting up of Irradiation facilities for preservation of the food products including onion, potato etc., Irradiated food is regulated in the country in accordance with the Atomic Energy (Radiation Processing of Food & Allied Products) Rules 2012 and Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. Food can be irradiated only in a food irradiation plant, which is authorized by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and licensed by the competent Government Authority. The license to carry out food irradiation operation is given only after ascertaining the safety and security of the installation, its suitability to ensure proper process control, and availability of licensed operators and qualified staff. Board of Radiation & Isotope Technology (BRIT) is providing consultancy services for establishment of food irradiation plant. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is also regulating the food safety aspects of irradiated food products under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2016 and its Regulations there under. Under the scheme for Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure, the Ministry provides financial assistance in the form of grant-in-aid @ 35% for general areas and @ 50% for North East States, Himalayan States, Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) areas and Islands for storage and transport infrastructure
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and @ 50% and 75% respectively for value addition and processing infrastructure subject to a maximum grant-inaid of Rs. 10 crore for setting up integrated cold chain projects including irradiation facility. The scheme is primarily private sector driven and proposals under this scheme are invited through Expression of Interest (EOI). The entrepreneurs/ promoters are free to set up Irradiation facility as per their business model and financial capability throughout the country. As per revised operational scheme guidelines issued on 29.08.2016 for Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure the implementation schedule for setting up the cold chain projects including Irradiation projects is 20 months in General Areas and 24 months in North-East States, Himalayan States, ITDP Areas and Islands from the date of issue of the sanction to the project.
JAL MARG VIKAS PROJECT IN NEWS
The Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) is being implemented with the technical and investment support of the World Bank to strengthen the navigation capacity and promote transportation of cargo and passengers on National Waterway-1, on the Haldia-Varanasi stretch of Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly River System. The project has been appraised by the Public Investment Board, at an estimated cost of Rs. 5,369.18 crore, and is scheduled to be completed by 2021-22. The project includes construction of multimodal terminals at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Sahibganj in Jharkhand and Haldia in West Bengal, and a new navigational lock at Farakka in West Bengal.
FAME INDIA SCHEME: MAIN FEATURES EXPLAINED
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As a part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan 2020 (NEMMP 2020), the Government of India formulated a scheme namely Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid & Electric vehicles in India [FAME-India] for a period of 6 years till 2020, wherein it is intended to support the hybrid /electric vehicle market development and its manufacturing eco-system to achieve self-sustenance at the end of the stipulated period. The scheme is one of the green initiatives of the Government of India, which will be one of the biggest contributors in reducing pollution from road transport sector in near future. The scheme has 4 focus areas i.e. Technology Development, Demand Creation, Pilot Projects and Charging Infrastructure. Market creation through demand incentives is aimed at incentivizing all vehicle segments i.e. 2-Wheelers, 3Wheeler Auto, Passenger 4-Wheeler Vehicles, Light Commercial Vehicles and Buses. The demand incentive is available for buyers (end users/consumers) in the form of an upfront reduced purchase price to enable wider adoption. The Phase I of FAME India scheme was originally for a period of 2 years i.e. FY 2015-16 and FY 2016-17 commencing from 1st April 2015. However, the Phase-I has been extended further for a period of 6 months beyond 31st March 2017, till 30th September 2017, with slight modification to the extent of discontinuation of the available benefits to the Mild Hybrid technology under the scheme with effect from 1stApril 2017. It has been provided in the scheme that based on the outcome and experience gained in this Phase 1, the scheme shall be reviewed appropriately with inputs from stakeholders and shall be considered for implementation post Phase 1, with appropriate allocation of funds in the future. Under FAME India Scheme, 148275 electric/hybrid vehicles (xEVs) have been given direct support by way of demand incentives amounting to Rs. 192.56 Crore (Approx) since its launch on 1st April 2015 and till 30th June 2017. This has resulted in approximately fuel saving of 13553917 litre and CO2 reduction of 33971052 Kg.
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LOW TEMPERATURE THERMAL DESALINATION TECHNOLOGY The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), an autonomous body of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, has indigenously developed and demonstrated Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) technology for conversion of sea water to drinking water. Three desalination plants each with a capacity of 1 lakh litre of potable water per day, based on LTTD technology have been successfully commissioned by NIOT one each at Kavaratti, Minicoy, and Agatti islands of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. Recently, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has approved the proposal of Lakshadweep Administration for establishment of 6 LTTD plants each with capacity 1.5 lakh liters per day in the islands of Amini, Androth, Kadamat, Chetlat, Kalpeni and Kiltan of Lakshadweep. One experimental LTTD plant using condenser waste heat from power plant was set up at North Chennai Thermal Power Station (NCTPS). The experimental LTTD plant uses the surface seawater to condense the vapours generated from the thermal effluent to produce potable water as well as boiler quality water.
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COMPLETE DETAILS OF INDIAN WEATHER FORECAST SYSTEM
India Meteorological Department (IMD) operates a dedicated weather and climate monitoring, detection and warning services useful for various sectors of economy.
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Monsoon prediction and the weather forecasting systems in the country are comparable to the best in the world. However, efforts are continuously being made to further enhance the level of efficiency of the forecasting systems Forecasts, early warning of severe weather events and advisories are issued by IMD at national, state and district levels. In order to provide early warning of severe weather events, IMD has setup a network of State Meteorological Centres to have better coordination with the state and district level agencies. To improve the prediction of Monsoon, National Monsoon Mission was launched in 2012. Under the National Monsoon Mission initiative, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad and National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), Noida have embarked upon to build state-of-the-art coupled ocean atmospheric models for (i) improved prediction of monsoon rainfall on extended range to seasonal time scale (11 days to one season) and (ii) improved prediction of temperature, rainfall and extreme weather events on short to medium range time scale (up to 10 days) so that forecast skill gets quantitatively improved further for the operational services of IMD. Through Indo-US collaboration, a ―Monsoon Desk‖ has been set up for working jointly for improving seasonal forecast of Indian monsoon rainfall. Through this forum, Indian and US Scientists are exchanging their ideas and sharing their expertise. This effort has led to appreciable improvements in the efficiency of models in making better forecasts. The monsoon forecast for the country is prepared by Climate Prediction Unit of Climate Research and Services Division (CR&S), IMD, Pune. The present long range forecast system based on the statistical models has shown some useful skill in predicting all India seasonal rainfall including the deficient monsoon season rainfall during 2015. However, in order to overcome the limitations of the statistical models used so far, a state of the art dynamical prediction system was implemented by MoES for generating operational long range monsoon forecasts. The Gramin Krishi Mausam Seva (GKMS) of IMD has been successful in providing the crop specific advisories to the farmers through different print/visual/Radio/ IT based media including short message service (SMS) and Interactive Voice Response Service (IVRS) facilitating for appropriate field level actions. Weather forecast based agro-meteorological advisories are disseminated through Kisan portal launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and also under public private partner. At present, the GKMS products are disseminated through SMS and IVRS to about 21million farmers in the country. As per the recent National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) report, farming community of the country is using the GKMS service products of India Meteorological Department (IMD) for critical farm operations Viz. (i) Management of sowing (Delayed onset of rains); (ii) Changing crop variety (Delay in rainfall); (iii) Spraying Pesticides for disease control (occurrence of rainfall); (iv) Managing Irrigation (Heavy rainfall Forecast). The third party assessment by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) on the agromet services provided by the ministry concluded that the annual economic benefit for the farmers cultivating 4 principal crops (Wheat, Rice, Sugarcane and Cotton) was Rs 42,000 Crore in 2015.
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RECENT STEPS TAKEN FOR WELFARE OF FARMERS
Government of India is according high priority for welfare of the farmers and is implementing several farmers‘ welfare schemes to revitalize agriculture sector and to improve their economic conditions. The Government has rolled out a number of new initiatives like Soil Health Card Scheme, Neem Coated Urea, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Interest Subvention Scheme.
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These schemes are for the benefit of all farmers. The details of the schemes are as below: (i) Soil Health Card Scheme: Launched in 2015, the scheme has been introduced to assist State Governments to issue Soil Health Cards to all farmers in the country. The Soil Health Cards provide information to farmers on nutrient status of their soil alongwith recommendation on appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility. As on 11.7.2017, against target of 253 lakh soil samples, all 253 lakh soil samples have been collected and 245 lakh (97%) samples have been tested. Against target of 12 crore Soil Health Cards, so far 9 crore (76%) cards have been distributed to farmers. (ii) Neem Coated Urea (NCU): Scheme being promoted to regulate use of urea, enhance availability of nitrogen to the crop and reduce cost of fertilizer application. NCU slows down the release of fertilizer and makes it available to the crop in an effective manner. The entire quantity of domestically manufactured and imported urea is now neem coated. The reports from field are positive. The expected saving is 10% of urea consumption, thereby resulting in reduced cost of cultivation and improved soil health management. (iii) Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY): Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) is being implemented with a view to promote organic farming in the country. This will improve soil health and organic matter content and increase net income of the farmer so as to realise premium prices. Under this scheme, an area of 5 lakh acre is targeted to be covered though 10,000 clusters of 50 acre each, from the year 2015-16 to 2017-18. So far 7208 clusters have been formed and remaining clusters would be formed during 2017-18. (iv) Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) :
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BestCurrentAffairs.com Launched on 1st July, 2015 with the motto of ‗Har Khet Ko Paani‘, the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) is being implemented to expand cultivated area with assured irrigation, reduce wastage of water and improve water use efficiency. PMKSY not only focuses on creating sources for assured irrigation, but also creating protective irrigation by harnessing rain water at micro level through ‗Jal Sanchay‘ and ‗Jal Sinchan‘. Micro irrigation is also incentivized through subsidy to ensure ‗Per drop-More crop‘. The target under micro-irrigation for the year 2016-17 was 8 lakh ha. against which 8.39 lakh ha have been covered. (v) National Agriculture Market (e-NAM): The National Agriculture Market scheme (e-NAM) envisages initiation of e-marketing platform at national level and to support creation of infrastructure to enable e-marketing in 585 regulated markets across the country by March 2018. This innovative market process is revolutionizing agri markets by ensuring better price discovery, bringing in transparency and competition to enable farmers to get improved remuneration for their produce moving towards ‗One Nation One Market‘. A target of integrating 400 markets to e-NAM had been set for March, 2017 against which 455 markets in 13 States have been on boarded as on 30.6.2017. As on 2.7.2017, 47.95 lakh farmers and 91,500 traders have registered on e-NAM portal. (vi) Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)/ Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS): Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) & Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) were launched from Kharif 2016 to provide comprehensive crop insurance coverage from pre-sowing to post harvest losses against non-preventable natural risks. These schemes are only risk mitigation tools available to farmers at extremely low premium rates payable by farmers at 2% for Kharif crops, 1.5% for Rabi Crop and 5% for annual commercial/horticultural crops. The balance of actuarial premium is shared by the Central and State Governments on 50 : 50 basis. The schemes are voluntary for States and available in areas and crops that are notified by the State Governments. Further, the schemes are compulsory for loanee farmers and voluntary for non-loanee farmers. During Kharif 2016 season, a total of 23 States implemented both PMFBY (21) and RWBCS (12) and during Rabi 2016-17, 24 States and 3 Union Territories implemented PMFBY (25) and RWBCIS (9). Overall coverage of both the schemes is 401.52 lakh farmers and 385 lakh ha. area insured for a sum of Rs. 133106 crore in Kharif 2016 and 172.67 lakh farmers and 195 lakh ha. area insured for a sum of Rs. 71696 crore during Rabi 2016-17 season. (vii)Interest Subvention Scheme (ISS): The Government provides interest subvention of 3% on short-term crop loans up to Rs.3.00 lakh. Presently, loan is available to farmers at an interest rate of 7% per annum, which gets reduced to 4% on prompt repayment. Further, under Interest Subvention Scheme 2016-17, in order to provide relief to the farmers on occurrence of natural calamities, the interest subvention of 2% shall continue to be available to banks for the first year on the restructured amount. In order to discourage distress sale by farmers and to encourage them to store their produce in warehouses against negotiable warehouse receipts, the benefit of interest subvention will be available to small and marginal farmers having Kisan Credit Card for a further period of upto six months post harvest on the same rate as available to crop loan. Agriculture is a State subject and the State Governments are primarily responsible for the growth and development of agriculture sector in their respective States. The Government supplements the efforts of States through appropriate policy measures and budgetary support. Presently the approach of the Government of India has shifted from production centric to income centric platform in the agriculture sector and the above schemes are being implemented for making farming viable.
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The labour ministry has launched an IT platform PENCIL (Platform for Effective National Child Labour Project Scheme) for ensuring effective implementation of amended child labour prohibition law. It will help in monitoring the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) which is for rehabilitation of child and adolescent labour. The funds for the NCLP are provided by the Centre and the project is administered by district magistrates. This platform would integrate all the state governments with the central government for effective coordination and convergence of various measures being taken for compliance of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Prevention) Act. The enforcement of the Act would be supported by the IT platform with the mechanism for redressal of complaints, child tracking system and monitoring. National Child Labour Project Scheme (NCLPS) started in 1988 to rehabilitate child labour. Under the Scheme, a survey is conducted to identify target group ( child worker and adolescent working in hazardous occupations and processes in a district or a specified area); then children in the age group of 9-14 years are withdrawn from work, and put into NCLP Special Training Centres where they are provided bridge education, vocational training, mid-day meal, stipend, health care and recreation etc. with the ultimate objective of preparing them to be mainstreamed into the formal system of education. Adolescents are withdrawn from hazardous occupations / processes to have benefited from skills training wherever required and are linked to legally permissible occupations. The coverage of the scheme is being extended to all the districts of the country.
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PENCIL PLATFORM LAUNCHED ON CHILD LABOUR
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BestCurrentAffairs.com RECENT INITIATIVES IN EDUCATION SECTOR
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The Government of India is currently implementing the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA) and Mid-Day Meal (MDM) for the universalization of elementary education and the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) programme for the universalization of secondary education. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 lays down the duties of the appropriate Government and the local authority to ensure that good quality elementary education conforming to norms and standards is provided, that curriculum and courses of study are prescribed in a timely manner, and that teachers are trained. In order to focus on quality education, the Central RTE Rules have been amended on 20th February, 2017 to include reference on class-wise, subject-wise Learning Outcomes. The Learning Outcomes for each class in Languages (Hindi, English and Urdu), Mathematics, Environmental Studies, Science and Social Science up to the elementary stage have, accordingly, been finalized and shared with all States and UTs. These would serve as a guideline for States and UTs to ensure that all children acquire appropriate learning level. Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), the State Governments and UT Administrations are supported on several interventions to improve teaching standards, including regular in-service teachers‘ training, induction training for newly recruited teachers, training of all untrained teachers to acquire professional qualifications through Open Distance Learning (ODL) mode, recruitment of additional teachers for improving pupil-teacher ratios, academic support for teachers through block and cluster resource centres, continuous and comprehensive evaluation system to equip the teacher to measure pupil performance and provide remedial action wherever required, and teacher and school grants for development of appropriate teachinglearning materials, etc. Additionally, the Central Government, supports States and UTs on early grade reading, writing & comprehension, and early Mathematics programmes through a sub-programme of SSA namely ‗Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat‘ (PBBB) in classes I and II. Further, the Government has launched Rashtriya Aavishkar Abhiyan (RAA) programme on 09.07.2015, inter alia, as a sub-component of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), to motivate and engage children of the age group from 6-18 years in Science, Mathematics and Technology through observation, experimentation, inference drawing, model building, etc. both through inside and outside classroom activities. In order to provide quality education to students at the secondary level, various interventions are funded under the RMSA, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. These include provision for: (i) Appointment of 1 head teacher and 5 teachers (2 language teachers, 1 science teacher, 1 social science and 1 maths teacher) for every new/upgraded secondary school, (ii) additional teachers to improve Pupil Teacher Ratio, (iii) induction and in-service training for Principals, Teachers , Master Trainers and Key Resource Persons, (iv) Maths and Science kits, (v) Lab equipments, (vi) Special teaching for learning enhancement, (vii) ICT facilities in schools, (viii) introduction of vocational education component at the secondary level and (ix) activities under ‗Unnati‘ project for improvement in English language skills. The Central Board of Secondary Education has decided to make Xth Board Examination compulsory from the academic year 2017-18. It has also introduced a uniform system of Assessment, Examination and Report Card for classes VI-IX that would prepare the students to face the challenge of Class X examination. Further, for improving the quality of school education, the School Standards & Evaluation framework, known as ‗Shaala Siddhi‘ has been launched by NUEPA, to enable schools to evaluate their performance in a more focused and strategic manner and to facilitate them to make professional judgments for improvement.
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Innovation and upgradation of infrastructure in higher education institutions is an on-going endeavour and the Central Government is making a constant effort in this direction. The University Grants Commission (UGC) under the Scheme ―General Development Assistance‖ provides financial assistance to eligible Central Universities, Deemed Universities, State Universities and colleges. The main objective of the grant, inter-alia, is to set up new infrastructure and strengthen/upgrade existing infrastructural facilities in the institutions. Further, in order to encourage innovation and infrastructure development, the UGC has launched various schemes and initiatives such as Universities with Potential for Excellence (UPE), Centre with Potential for Excellence in Particular Area (CPEPA), Special Assistance Programme (SAP), Research Projects, Basic Science Research and Inter-University Centres. The Central Government has launched several new initiatives viz. National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), Impacting Research Innovation & Technology (IMPRINT), Uchchatar Avishkar Yojna (UAY), Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) & Global Research Interactive Network (GRIN) in the field of education to encourage innovation and research in the country. The initiative of SWAYAM has been launched which intends to provide massive open online courses (MOOCs) for the students across the country with the objective of expanding the reach of quality education to the students using the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools. Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), financial support is provided to improve infrastructure availability in the State Higher Educational Institutions and also to promote research and innovation.
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LIST OF INNOVATIONS IN INDIAN HIGHER EDUCATION
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BestCurrentAffairs.com PARAMPARAGAT KRISHI VIKAS YOJANA
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Cultivated area under certified organic farming has grown almost 17 fold in last one decade (42,000 ha in 2003-04 to 7.23 lakh ha in 2013-14). Government of India has implemented the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) in the year 2001. The national programme involves the accreditation programme for certification agencies, norms for organic production, promotion of organic farming etc. States like; Uttaranchal, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Nagaland, Mizoram, Sikkim have been promoting organic farming. Government is promoting organic farming through various schemes/ programmes under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)/ Paramapragat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), National Mission on Oilseeds & Oil Palm (NMOOP), Network Project on Organic Farming of ICAR. In addition to this, Government is implementing a Cluster based programme to encourage the farmer for promoting organic farming called Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY). Following are its features: Groups of farmers would be motivated to take up organic farming under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY). Fifty or more farmers will form a cluster having 50 acre land to take up the organic farming under the scheme. In this way during three years 10,000 clusters will be formed covering 5.0 lakh acre area under organic farming. There will be no liability on the farmers for expenditure on certification. Every farmer will be provided Rs. 20,000 per acre in three years for seed to harvesting of crops and to transport produce to the market. Organic farming will be promoted by using traditional resources and the organic products will be linked with the market. It will increase domestic production and certification of organic produce by involving farmers In order to implement the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana in Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana in the year 2015-16, an amount of Rs.300 crore has been allocated. The Scheme envisages: Promotion of commercial organic production through certified organic farming. The produce will be pesticide residue free and will contribute to improve the health of consumer. It will raise farmer‘s income and create potential market for traders. It will motivate the farmers for natural resource mobilization for input production.
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Under Sagarmala Programme, 415 projects, at an estimated investment of approximately Rs.8 Lac Crore, have been identified across port modernization & new port development, port connectivity enhancement, port-linked industrialization and coastal community development for phase wise implementation over the period 2015 to 2035. As per the approved implementation plan of Sagarmala Programme, these projects are to be taken up by the relevant Central Ministries/Agencies and State Governments preferably through private/PPP mode. As part of the Sagarmala Programme, 6 new port locations have been identified, namely – Vadhavan, Enayam, Sagar Island, Paradip Outer Harbour, Sirkazhi and Belekeri. The current status of each of the proposed new port locations is as follows: S.No. New Port State Present Status Location 1. Sagar Island West Bengal Approval obtained for setting up Major Port at Sagar Island. DPR prepared.Viability being re-examined in view of announcement of new port at Tajpur by State Govt. of West Bengal. 2. Paradip Outer Odisha DPR under preparation. Harbour 3. Sirkhazi Tamil Nadu Techno Economic Feasibility Report(TEFR) prepared. 4. Enayam Tamil Nadu In principle approval obtained for setting up Major Port at Enayam. DPR under preparation. 5. Belikeri Karnataka Techno Economic Feasibility Report (TEFR) prepared. 6. Vadhavan Maharashtra DPR under preparation. Increasing the share of coastal shipping and inland navigation in the transport modal mix is one of the key objectives of the Sagarmala Programme. In order to equip ports for movement of coastal cargo, the scope of coastal berth scheme has been expanded and merged with Sagarmala Programme.
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SAGARMALA PROGRAMME: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
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Under the scheme, the financial assistance of 50% of project cost is provided to Major Ports/State Governments for construction of Coastal Berths, Breakwater, mechanization of coastal berths and capital dredging. Rs. 152 Cr has been released for 16 projects under this scheme. In addition, Cabotage has been relaxed for a period of 5 years for specialized vessels like RO-RO, RO-PAX etc. To augment transhipment capacity in the country, Vizhinjam (Kerala) and Enayam (Tamil Nadu) are being developed as transhipment ports. Vizhinjam is being developed as transhipment hub under PPP mode by Government of Kerala with Viability Gap Funding from Government of India. In principle approval has been obtained for setting up a Major Port at Enayam and its DPR is under preparation.
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„STREET LIGHTING NATIONAL PROJECT‟ IN NEWS
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Energy Efficiency Services Ltd has started a project project to retrofit 10 lakh conventional street lights with LED lights in Gram Panchayats of 7 districts in Andhra Pradesh. This is the first project for rural LED street lighting in the country under the Centre‘s Street Lighting National Project (SLNP). The entire project is funded by French Development Agency, Agence Française de Développement (AFD). This replacement drive in rural areas will help the gram panchayats to cumulatively save approximately 147 million units of electricity annually, and lead to reduction of 12 crore tonnes of CO2. Under the project, EESL has agreed to carry out the entire annual maintenance and warranty replacement in these gram panchayats for a period of 10 years. Andhra Pradesh is the first state to seek assistance from EESL to replace conventional street lighting with LED lighting in Visakhapatnam, after the cyclone Hudhud caused extensive damage. EESL has installed over 5,90,000 LED street lights in the AP. These installations have led to an annual savings of over 7.8 crore kWh, translating into an annual reduction of over 65,000 tonnes of CO2. Nationally, over 23 lakh conventional street lights have been replaced by LED street lights in 21 states of India.
„NATIONAL COASTAL MISSION‟ IN NEWS
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The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is embarking on a new National Coastal Mission. With this objective in view, Environment Minister has dedicated the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) to the nation at Chennai. The Minister inaugurated the new building of the Centre and research infrastructure at Anna University campus in Chennai. The research undertaken by NCSCM will be used directly for arriving at policy decisions and for capacity building of coastal communities and other stakeholders. The focus of the Government in coastal states is sustainable livelihood, development of coastal communities through various R&D and policy initiatives. Six research divisions have been established at NCSCM that will combine geospatial sciences with cutting-edge research on conservation, pollution, climate change and community interface – both in mainland and islands of the country. The NCSCM‘s core strength is the multi-disciplinary nature of coastal system research for the well-being of coastal communities and promoting sustainable development based on scientific principles. Objectives of National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management include: – Promoting integrated and sustainable management of the coastal and marine areas in the country for the benefit and well-being of the traditional coastal and island communities; Strengthening capacity of coastal management at all levels, including stakeholders; Advising Union and State governments and other associated stakeholders on policy and scientific matters related to Integrated Coastal Zone Management; Striving to become a world class institution through cutting-edge research pertaining to understanding coastal zones, coastal processes, integrated planning and management of coastal and marine areas. The NCSCM, along with other Ministries and State/UT governments will also strive to scientifically map the cumulative vulnerability of coastal environment to climate change and consequent threats to ecology, lives and livelihoods; develop vulnerability-based environment and adaptive management plans for key sectors by (i) mainstreaming climate sensitivity and readiness into all coastal developmental projects and (ii) Promoting development taking into account the threats due to natural hazards in the coastal areas and sea-level rise; build resilience of coastal communities (fishermen, agriculturists etc) and develop infrastructure and settlements in urban and rural areas; conserve and protect coastal stretches, its unique environment and its marine area by enhancing mitigation (blue carbon ecosystems which include mangroves, seagrass meadows and salt marsh ecosystems) and build institutional capacity – both sector-wise and for community.
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LATEST INITIATIVES IN RAILWAY SECTOR 1. 2. 3.
Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu launched the following Initiatives:RAIL CLOUD PROJECT. NIVARAN-Grievance Portal (First IT Application on Rail Cloud). Cashless treatment Scheme in Emergency (CTSE) Scheme and Handing over of 1st CTSE Card.
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Ministry of Railways has launched the RailCloud project in association with its PSU, RailTel Corporation of India Limited.
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Salient Features of the Initiatives Launched: RailCloud: Indian Railway has started a strategic IT initiative, christened IR-OneICT, for enterprise wide digital single platform with an aim to improve customer satisfaction, improve revenue and effective, efficient and safe operations. To achieve the goal of single digital platform for IR a few foundational projects need to be implemented first, establishment of RailCloud is one such project. Cloud Computing is the emerging technology for faster and on demand commensurate deployment of Server resources which result in reduced cost. Accordingly, RailCloud Phase-I has been sanctioned at the cost of Rs. 53.55 Cr under PH-17, DF(3) in FY 17-18. Potential benefits to Railways after implementation of RailCloud are: Faster and on-demand deployment of application- RailCloud will pave the way for swifter deployment of application (within 24 hrs as compared to conventional time running into weeks and months). At the same time the cloud hardware and environment will be available for rigorous testing of the new applications. Optimum use of Servers and storage- The technology enables maximising the usage of the available server and storage resulting in accommodation of bigger data and more applications within same server space. Utilization of existing infrastructure as part of Cloud- The existing resources available with railway will be subsumed in RailCloud thereby ensuring that expenditure is minimized in acquiring new resources. Rapid scalability and elasticity- Server and storage space will scale up and down as per the demand. This makes the system suitable to meet the higher demand at peak hours with less expenditure. IT Security enhancement and Standardization: The cloud shall be equipped with security features as per the latest GOI guidelines, the security features can be updated in one go for all the applications hosted on the cloud, resulting in enhanced security and stability with less expenditure and effort. Cost reduction: The server and storage infrastructure will be deployed as per the requirement, resulting in substantial savings to railway as expenditure will be incurred as and when required instead of upfront shelling out money on procurement of expensive servers. Better User Experience: In Cloud, the server resources are constantly scaled up or down as per the no. of users logged on to the system. This ensures a better user experience to the customer. The Managed Network and Virtual Desktop Interface (VDI) services are also being planned, in near future, for providing faster and more efficient work environment to each rail worker. NIVARAN-Grievance Portal‘First IT application on RailCloud: ‗NIVARAN-Grievance Portal‘ is the first IT application to be launched on the RailCloud. It is the platform for resolution of service related grievances of serving and former railway employees. The existing application was hosted on a conventional server; it has been made cloud-ready and being migrated as the first cloud application of Indian Railways. It will save significant revenue and at the same time user experience will also improve. Cashless treatment Scheme in Emergency (CTSE): Railway provides Comprehensive Health Care Facilities to its beneficiaries through in-house health Institutions, supplementing with referrals to recognized hospitals whenever necessary. The beneficiaries include retired employees and their dependent family members. Large no. of retired beneficiaries lives in the newly developed suburbs of various cities. These parts of the city are often far away from the established Railway Health Institutions. In this scenario the RELHS beneficiaries coming to Railway Health Institutions in routine is acceptable, however in emergency situations, precious time (Golden Hour) is lost in travel. To provide immediate care to its retired employees in ‗Golden Hour‘ Railway Board has decided to roll out a ―Cashless treatment Scheme in Emergency‘ (CTSE), in empanelled hospitals, for retired employees and their dependent family members. A web based system of communication between private hospitals and railway authorities has been developed wherein identity of the beneficiary shall be established using biometrics stored in Aadhar (UIDAI) server, eligibility shall be determined using Railway Data Base and emergency shall be verified by Railway Medical Officer based on private hospital‘s clinical report. The whole system is online and even the bill processing shall be online. This scheme shall provide help and succor to the retired railway employees at the time of need and at the same time will have a morale boosting effect on the serving employees. The Scheme fulfils both the avowed objectives of the GOI; utilizing IT tools to cut the red-tape and promoting cashless transactions. Rather than creating a separate time and resource consuming vertical the scheme has used the existing resources by bringing on board the UIDAI and ARPAN database. Railway has not incurred any capital expenditure on the scheme, M/s UTIITSL has developed the software in consultation with Railway and shall be paid on per bill processed basis. The online processing will ensure swifter disposal of bills in a transparent manner. At present the scheme has been rolled out in four metro cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, based on the experience of this pilot the scheme may be extended to the whole of country. NATIONAL STRATEGIC PLAN FOR MALARIA ELIMINATION
Union Minister of Health has launched the National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-22). The Strategic Plan gives year wise elimination targets in various parts of the country depending upon the endemicity of malaria in the next 5 years.
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The National Strategic Plan is for five years and requested the Programme Officers to work with a strategy and follow the operational guidelines laid down in the National Strategic Plan. The encouraging results have been achieved in the North East India and efforts are now focussed in other states such as Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Since the past three years focus is on Long Lasting Impregnated Nets (LLINs). The Ministry has distributed 14 million nets and 25 million nets are to be distributed. The strategies involve: strengthening malaria surveillance, establishing a mechanism for early detection and prevention of outbreaks of malaria, promoting the prevention of malaria by the use of Long Lasting Impregnated Nets (LLINs), effective indoor residual spray and augmenting the manpower and capacities for effective implementation for the next five years. One child dies of malaria every two minutes and the burden is the heaviest in the African region. India has the third highest malaria burden in the world. There are many challenges for malaria elimination in India, including: varied patterns of malaria transmission in different parts of the country demanding area-specific control measures; intense malaria transmission fuelled by favourable climatic and environment factors; varying degrees of insecticide resistance of vectors; antimalarial drug resistance; a weak surveillance system; and poor national coordination of state programmes. Prevention and protection against malaria are low as a result of a weak health-care system, as well as financial and socioeconomic constraints. Earlier, the National Framework for Malaria Elimination (NFME) 2016 outlined India‘s commitment for eliminating malaria by 2030.
SASEC ROAD CONNECTIVITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM
Background: For fulfilling India‘s ―Look East‖ Policy and to promote and enhance trade link with South East Asia, the Government of India has notified an Integrated Custom Post (ICP) at Moreh. The development of this project is essential in order to support the increased traffic volume due to coming up of ICP. The workers of Manipur who specialize in creating bamboo and wood based handicraft items and uniquely designed hand woven textile items will get a new market among the Myanmar‘s customers. Small scale industries such as those making farm implements and tools, stationery, plastic extrusion items, carpentry units, could also develop markets beyond the border. Besides socio-economic development the project will also lead to reduction in average travel time along the project road by nearly 40%. In addition, the new features of road safety namely vehicular underpasses, crash barriers, road signs & markings, service roads for segregation of slow and high moving traffic, truck lay-by, bus-bays etc. will help in greatly reducing accidents. Improved highway and lesser travel time will lead to savings in terms of fuel cost.
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The project will improve connectivity between Imphal with the eastern part of the state. Based on the existing and projected traffic requirements the NH-39 will be widened to 4 lane between Lilong village and Wanginj village, while the stretch between Wanginj village to Khongkhang will be upgraded to 2 lane with paved shoulder. The project is being developed with ADB‘s loan assistance under the South Asian Sub-Regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Road Connectivity Investment Program which aims at upgradation of road infrastructure in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and India (BBIN) in order to improve the regional connectivity among BBIN nations. The project corridor is also a part of the Asian Highway No. 01 (AH01) and acts as India‘s Gateway to the East. Thus trade, commerce and tourism in the region will get a boost.
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The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister has given its approval for upgradation and widening of 65 kms of Imphal-Moreh Section of NH-39 in Manipur at a cost of Rs. 1630.29 crores. Manipur being a landlocked state with almost 90% of the area under difficult terrain presently has only road transport as a means of mass transport system within the state. Hence development of the road infrastructure is of paramount importance to improve connectivity and progress of the State and to ensure that the administrative set up reaches the isolated and remote habitats.
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LATEST ON PM SWASTHYA SURAKSHA YOJANA
The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) was announced in 2003 with objectives of correcting regional imbalances in the availability of affordable/ reliable tertiary healthcare services and also to augment facilities for quality medical education in the country. PMSSY has two components: (i) Setting up of AIIMS like institutions (ii) Upgradation of Government Medical Colleges/Institutions. Under this scheme AIIMS have been established in Bhubaneshwar, Bhopal, Raipur, Jodhpur, Rishikesh and Patna while work of AIIMS Rae Bareli is in progress. Also, three AIIMS in Nagpur(Maharashtra), Kalyani (West Bengal) and Mangalagiri in Guntur (A.P) have been sanctioned in 2015 and two AIIMS have been sanctioned in Bathinda and Gorakhpur in 2016 and Assam in 2017.
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All necessary steps are being taken for creation of the physical infrastructure and creation of faculty and nonfaculty position required for operationalization of these three new AIIMS in Nagpur(Maharashtra), Kalyani(West Bengal) and Mangalagiri in Guntur (A.P). Design Consultant have been appointed for all the three AIIMS on the basis of Global bid as per mandate of the Cabinet. The Master plan for these AIIMS has also been finalized. Detailed designs are under preparation. Proposal for creation of faculty and non-faculty position is under consideration/discussion with Department of Expenditure.
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NATIONAL LIVESTOCK MISSION ACHIEVEMENTS
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Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Shri Radha Mohan Singh presided over the second General Council meeting of the National Livestock Mission (NLM). Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries is implementing National Livestock Mission for sustainable development of Livestock Sector, especially for poultry, goats, sheep, pig, pack animals, etc. NLM provides assistance to improve availability of quality feed and fodder, risk mitigation and extension, skill development and training for livestock sector including cattle and buffaloes. The livestock rearers and farmers, especially women, are unorganised, as these activities are primarily backyard in nature. However, rearing small ruminants, backyard poultry, pigs and other minor livestock offers tremendous opportunities for improving both nutritional and livelihood security of livestock rearers with specific scientific interventions. One of the reasons for setting up NLM from scheme-mode to mission-mode is to provide the necessary flexibility to all States and UTs in undertaking appropriate interventions suited to their conditions. Taking into account the overall requirement of the livestock sector, there is a need to augment resources for the sector and synergise activities through appropriate convergence, under the umbrella of NLM to supplement the efforts of the States and UTs to take care of the activities which cannot be accommodated within other ongoing schemes. All components under the NLM are made flexible and modular, looking into the needs of farmers and stake holders, and as per the geographical and regional requirements so that even the small and marginal farmers can also avail the benefits of the activities proposed under NLM. The distribution of resources and subsidies are also made equitable with considerations for APL, BPL beneficiaries and beneficiaries of North Eastern Region, Hilly, Left Wing Extremism areas so that the beneficiaries in more disadvantageous position get equitable benefits for sustainable livelihood. The National livestock Mission is organised into the following four sub-Missions: Sub-Mission on Livestock Development Sub-Mission on Pig Development in North-eastern Region Sub-Mission on Fodder and Feed Development Sub-Mission on Skill Development, Technology Transfer and Extension
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NLM‟ last three years achievements and milestones are as follows: 32,981 Beneficiaries have been assisted under Entrepreneurship Development & Employment Generation (EDEG). 3.68 lakh beneficiaries funded for assistance under Rural Backyard Poultry Development. 35.64 lakh animal insurance has been under taken. 3.00 lakh Goat and 9.80 lakh pig has been given health support. 41 state Poultry /Sheep/ Goat Piggery Breeding Farms have been supported. 54,930 Chaff Cutter has been distributed. 96,321 Qtls seed has been distributed. 3823 silage units have been established. Organization of 519 Livestock Mela has been supported. 223 Livestock Farmers Group and 121 Farmers Field School has been established & 8420 Farmers have been covered under exposure visit. Milestones Achieved: The Risk Management and Insurance as a component of Sub-Mission on Livestock Development of National Livestock Mission (NLM) is implemented in all the District of the Country instead of 300 selected District earlier. All animals are now covered such as indigenous/crossbred milch animals, Pack animals (Horse, Donkey, Mules, Camels, Ponies and Cattle Buffaloes male) and other livestock (Goat, Sheep, Pigs, Rabbit, Yak and Mithun instead of only milch animals earlier. The benefit of subsidy has been enhanced and is restricted to 5 cattle unit per beneficiary per household, in case of Goat, Sheep, Pigs and Rabbit one cattle unit is equal to 10 animals instead of only 2 milch animals per household earlier.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com MISSION PARIVAR VIKAS LAUNCHED
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Objectives: The main objective of ‗Mission Parivas Vikas‘ is to accelerate access to high quality family planning choices based on information, reliable services and supplies within a rights-based framework. Improve access to contraceptives through delivering assured services, dovetailing with new promotional schemes, ensuring commodity security. It will also ensure building capacity (service providers), creating an enabling environment along with close monitoring and implementation. District selection criteria for this programme: The government will implement the programme in all the 145 district in one go. The target of the government is to reach the replacement level fertility goals of these districts 2.1 by the year 2025. These 145 districts are in the seven high focus, high TFR (Total Fertility Rate) states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Assam that constitute 44% of the country‘s population. These 145 districts have TFR of more than/equal to 3.0 (56% of the 261 districts in the 7 HFS) and are home to 28% of India‘s population (about 33 Crores). However, only 22% of India‘s protected couples and 40% of India‘s couples with unmet need reside in these districts. They also have a substantial impact on maternal and child health indicators. About 25 to 30% of maternal deaths and 50% of infant deaths occur in these districts. Moreover, 115 of these districts (79%) have high percentage of adolescent mothers. Union Minister of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda introduced the new injectable in the public health system under the ―Antara‖ program and launched a new software – Family Planning Logistics Management Information System (FP-LMIS) – designed to provide robust information on the demand and distribution of contraceptives to health facilities and ASHAs to strengthen supply chain management. As a part of the new communications campaign linked to the rollout, the Health Minister also launched a new consumer friendly website on family planning and a 52 week radio show for couples to discuss issues related to marriage and family planning, which will be aired across the country. The Health Minister further highlighted the life cycle approach of the Ministry and stated that a continuum of care approach has been adopted by the Ministry with the articulation of ‗Strategic approach to Reproductive Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent health (RMNCH+A), bringing focus on all the life stages.
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Mission Parivar Vikas is a new initiative conceived by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with a strategic focus on improving access through provision of services, promotional schemes, commodity security, capacity building, enabling environment and intensive monitoring. Mission Parivar Vikas will focus on 146 high fertility districts in 7 states with high TFR. Under this, specific targeted initiatives shall be taken for population stabilisation through better services delivery.
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Taking forward the National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy 2016, a ‗Scheme for IPR Awareness – Creative India; Innovative India‘ has been launched by Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) under the aegis of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion. The Scheme aims at raising IPR awareness amongst students, youth, authors, artists, budding inventors and professionals to inspire them to create, innovate and protect their creations and inventions across India including Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3 cities as well as rural areas in the next 3 years. The Scheme for IPR Awareness aims to conduct over 4000 IPR awareness workshops/seminars in academic institutions (schools and colleges) and the industry, including MSMEs and Startups, as also IP training and sensitization programmes for enforcement agencies and the judiciary. Workshops will cover all vital IP topics including international filing procedures, promotion of Geographical Indications and highlighting the ill effects of piracy and counterfeiting. The Scheme for IPR Awareness would be implemented through partner organizations to promote innovation and entrepreneurship.
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SCHEME FOR IPR AND INNOVATIVE INDIA LAUNCHED
Salient Features of the Scheme: The scheme targets to conduct IP awareness workshops/seminars in collaboration with industry organizations, academic institutions and other stakeholders across the country. It is also proposed to undertake training programmes to create a resource pool of trainers who would conduct the IP Awareness workshops/semina rs for the public, enforcement agencies and judiciary. These awareness programmes will be tailored for 4 categories: Primary School (up to Grade 8), Secondary School (Grade 9 to Grade 12), University, College and Industry, including MSMEs and Startups. However, two or more categories may be combined in any awareness programme. Workshops/Seminars for the industry will be further tailored for the industry to cover vital IP topics including all facets pertaining to inter-alia, Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, GIs, Designs, Plant Varieties, Genetic Resources and TK (including international filing procedures in accordance with PCT and Madrid protocol) among MSMES, Startups, various IP generating sector-specific industries and R&D entities.
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Targets: 4000 IP awareness workshops/seminars in academic institutions and the industry across India 40 training programmes (Training of Trainers) to create a resource pool of persons for conducting IPR Awareness workshops/seminars 5 workshops with eminent international speakers on IP in the global context 270 IP training and sensitization programmes for enforcement agencies and judiciary Background: In order to take forward the National IPR Policy and to enhance creativity, innovation, competitiveness and economic growth in India, it is imperative to harness IP. With phenomenal growth of the Indian Economy it is vital that |PRs are generated in India and then legally protected and exploited. Inadequate knowledge about the rights of individuals to protect their ideas and innovations and low awareness about the procedures involved in obtaining an IPR has hindered lndia‘s growth in Intellectual Property.
PRESIDENT OF INDIA LAUNCHED „SWAYAM‟ INITIATIVE
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President of India Pranab Mukherjee launched the SWAYAM, the portal that takes high quality education to the doorstep of everyone. Along with this, he has also launched the SWAYAM Prabha – the 32 DTH channels operationalised for telecasting high quality educational content free of charge using the GSAT-15 satellite transponders. With the launch of SWAYAM, India has become one of the few countries in the World which has its own online interactive learning platform that provides, not only video lectures, reading material but also assignments/quizzes that could end up in securing credits after completing the assessment system. More than 400 Courses are available on SWAYAM covering all the engineering and non-engineering subjects at undergraduate and post-graduate levels. The UGC has already issued Regulation that allows transfer of credits earned through the courses done through SWAYAM into the academic record of the students. It is now possible for the students and others to take courses of the prestigious IITs or IIMs without formally studying there. The platform has been constructed by Microsoft with totally indigenous efforts. The courses are available on www.swayam.gov.in The SWAYAM Prabha channels are available for free for anyone who has a set top box to receive either DD Free Dish or DishTV. These channels transmit 4 hours of fresh content every day, and contain lectures from the best teachers in the Country. There is no monthly charge for viewing these channels. These channels include the IIT-PAL channels which were intended to help students taking the prestigious JEE examination, taught by the IIT faculty.
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Workshops/Seminars on promotion of Gls. Workshops/Seminars to highlight the ill effects of piracy and counterfeiting. Conduct IP training and sensitization programmes for enforcement agencies (Police, Customs) and Judiciary.
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PROGRAMME “JIGYASA” LAUNCHED
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Jigyasa, a student- scientist connect programme was launched by the Indian government. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has joined hands with Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) to implement this programme. The focus of the programme is on connecting school students and scientists so as to extend student‘s classroom learning with that of a very well planned research laboratory based learning. The Jigyasa programme was inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s vision of a new India and ―Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR)‖ of scientific community and institutions. The ―JIGYASA‖ would inculcate the culture of inquisitiveness on one hand and scientific temper on the other, amongst the school students and their teachers. The Programme is expected to connect 1151 Kendriya Vidyalayas with 38 National Laboratories of CSIR targeting 100,000 students and nearly 1000 teachers annually. The program will also enable the students and teachers to practically live the theoretical concepts taught in science by visiting CSIR laboratories and by participating in mini-science projects. The model of engagement includes: Student Residential Programmes; Scientists as Teachers and Teachers as Scientists; Lab specific activities / Onsite Experiments; Visits of Scientists to Schools/Outreach Programmes; Science and Maths Clubs; Popular Lecture Series/ demonstration programme at Schools; Student Apprenticeship Programmes; Science Exhibitions; Projects of National Children‘s Science Congress; Teacher Workshops; and
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Tinkering Laboratories. ―JIGYASA‖ is one of the major initiative taken up by CSIR at national level, during its Platinum Jubilee Celebration Year. CSIR is widening and deepening its Scientific Social Responsibility further with the programme. This launch day also coincides with the birthday of Shri Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.
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Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) is being implemented across the country, particularly, in States having historical deficit of rural roads (Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, J&K and Utttrakhand ) as never before. The pace of construction of PMGSY roads reached a 7 year high of 130 kms per day in 2016-17 as against an average of 73 kms during the period 2011 to 2014. In the present financial year 2017-18, the target is to construct 57,000 kms of PMGSY roads, at an average per day rate of 156 kms and to provide connectivity to 16,600 eligible habitations. In the first quarter of the present financial year 2017-18 (April-June, 2017), a total of 10,556 kms of PMGSY roads have been constructed, clocking an average of 117.28 kms per day. This compares very favorably to the first quarter of 2016-17 (April-June, 2016), when a total length of 8,756 kms was constructed at an average of 97.29 kms per day. The progress in terms of length constructed in the present financial year is 18.51% of the total annual target. The present rate of construction would further accelerate from October, 2017 to March, 2018. Hence, there is every reason to believe that the annual targets will be met with a strong probability of achievement exceeding the targets. Against an annual target of providing connectivity to 16,600 eligible habitations, in the first quarter of the financial year 2017-18, 2,543 habitations have been provided connectivity, which is 15.31% of the annual target. PMGSY aims to connect 1,78,184 eligible habitations across the country out of which projects relating to 1,61,576 habitations have already been sanctioned (90.67% of the eligible habitations) and 1,29,004 habitations have been connected till June, 2017 (72.39% of eligible habitations and 79.84% of sanctioned habitations), by constructing a total of 5,12,031 kms of roads. PMGSY has also focused on use of non-conventional construction materials (waste plastic, cold mix, fly ash, jute and coir geo-textiles, iron and copper slag, cell filled concrete, paneled cement concrete etc.) and ―Green Technologies‖ in PMGSY roads. The target for use of such materials and technologies during 2017-18 is 10,082 kms. Against this target, in the first quarter of the financial year till June, 2018, 1,235.22 kms have been constructed. The States which are doing particularly well in this field are Rajasthan (381 kms), Punjab (181 kms), Odisha (131.38 kms), Madhya Pradesh (116.07 kms) and Tamil Nadu (102 kms).
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PRADHAN MANTRI GRAM SADAK YOJANA: PERFORMANCE
PROGRAMME „INNOVATE IN INDIA (I3)‟ LAUNCHED
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In a bid to create a globally competitive biopharmaceutical industry that addresses the country‘s major concerns around barriers to affordable healthcare, ‗Innovate in India (i3) Program was launched, by the Union Minister for Science & Technology Dr. Harsh Vardhan. The 250 million USD program of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology, is a first- of-its-kind mission that brings together industry and academia to promote entrepreneurship and indigenous manufacturing in the biopharmaceutical sector. This flagship program of the GOI in collaboration with World Bank, will be implemented by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a Public Sector Enterprise, set up by DBT. The programme will specifically focus on the development of new vaccines, bio-therapeutics, diagnostics and medical devices to better address the rising burden of diseases in the country. It will also bring isolated Centres of excellence together, enhance regional capabilities and strengthen the current bio-clusters network in terms of capacities as well as quantity and quality of output. This endeavor will help nurture next- generation technical skills; promote entrepreneurship; and support institutions in adoption of global innovations, technologies, and licensing models. It will provide young entrepreneurs the confidence as well as the systemic support to pursue their aspirations in biotechnological innovation, and transform India into a global hub for cutting-edge biotechnology research and development. The oversight to the program would be provided by the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee comprising of members from various Ministries; and would be supported by Program Technical Advisory Group comprising of global and national leaders from industry and academia. The program thereby stands unique in its approach as it becomes a cradle to innovate, co-create and co-facilitate scientific discoveries and offers young entrepreneurs an avenue to engage with the best in the industry. Programme i3 is focussed on targeted measures to develop platform technologies for product validation, link disparate institutions to strengthen clinical trial networks, promote partial de-risking for novel products, and build capacities in emerging areas such as translational bioinformatics, bioethics etc. With an aim to provide a level playing field for new entrants, the program would open calls for research proposals beginning August and roll-out in October this year.
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This Mission is anticipated to be a game changer for the Indian Bio-pharmaceutical industry. It aspires to create an enabling ecosystem to promote entrepreneurship and indigenous manufacturing in the sector. The program promises to boost the growth curve for domestic biopharma in India by accelerating the translation of research concepts into viable products, enabling sustainable networks for collaboration between industry and academia, and supporting entrepreneurial ecosystem amongst many others.
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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WB-57F RESEARCH JET PLANES OF NASA
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There is a total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017. It will last less than two and half minutes. The team of NASAfunded scientists in two retrofitted WB-57F jet planes will chase and study this eclipse. Taking observations from twin telescopes mounted on the noses of the planes, scientists will capture the clearest images of the Sun‘s outer atmosphere — the corona — to date and the first-ever thermal images of Mercury, revealing how temperature varies across the planet‘s surface. The total solar eclipse provides a rare opportunity for scientists to study the Sun, particularly its atmosphere. As the Moon completely covers the Sun and perfectly blocks its light during an eclipse, the typically faint corona is easily seen against the dark sky. NASA is funding 11 science projects across America for scientists to take advantage of the unique astronomical event to learn more about the Sun and its effects on Earth‘s upper atmosphere. The corona is heated to millions of degrees, yet the lower atmospheric layers like the photosphere — the visible surface of the Sun — are only heated to a few thousand degrees. Scientists aren‘t sure how this inversion happens. One theory proposes that magnetic waves called Alfvén waves steadily convey energy into the Sun‘s outer atmosphere, where it is then dissipated as heat. Alternatively, micro explosions, termed nanoflares — too small and frequent to detect individually, but with a large collective effect — might release heat into the corona. Due to technological limitations, no one has yet directly seen nanoflares, but the high-resolution and high-speed images to be taken from the WB-57F jets might reveal their effects on the corona. The high-definition pictures, captured 30 times per second, will be analyzed for wave motion in the corona to see if waves move towards or away from the surface of the Sun, and with what strengths and sizes. Images of the Sun will primarily be captured at visible light wavelengths, specifically the green light given off by highly ionized iron, superheated by the corona. This light is best for showing the fine structures in the Sun‘s outer atmosphere. These images are complementary to space-based telescopes, like NASA‘s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which takes images primarily in ultraviolet light and does not have the capacity for the high-speed imagery that can be captured aboard the WB-57F. Observations of Mercury will also be taken a half-hour before and after totality, when the sky is still relatively dark. These images, taken in the infrared, will be the first attempt to map the variation of temperature across the surface of the planet. Mercury rotates much slower than Earth — one Mercurial day is approximately 59 Earth days — so the night side cools to a few hundred degrees below zero while the dayside bakes at a toasty 800 F. The images will show how quickly the surface cools, allowing scientists to know what the soil is made of and how dense it is. These results will give scientists insight into how Mercury and other rocky planets may have formed. The images of the corona will also allow the team to search for a hypothesized family of asteroids called vulcanoids. Its thought these objects orbit between the Sun and Mercury, and are leftover from the formation of the solar system. If discovered, vulcanoids could change what scientists understand about planet formation.
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„INDIA QUAKE‟ APP FOR EARTHQUAKE INFO LAUNCHED
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Union Minister of Science & Technology Dr. Harshvardhan launched an app ―India Quake‖ on the occasion of Foundation Day of Ministry of Earth Sciences in New Delhi. National Centre for Seismology (NCS) operates national seismological network with 84 stations. These stations are connected to NCS headquarter through VSAT for real time data communication. In the event of an earthquake NCS locates them using data from its network and disseminate earthquake parameters to all the concerned government department and other stake holders through SMS, email and fax. However this causes some delay in dissemination and also restricts the number of recipients. To overcome this, a Mobile App has been developed by the NCS for automatic dissemination of earthquake parameter (location, time and magnitude) after the occurrence of earthquakes. The App will make information dissemination faster with no restrictions on the number of recipients. Any citizen can download this App and get the real time earthquake location information on his/her mobile. Other than scientific and administrative benefits of the App, it will help in reducing panic amongst people during an earthquake. For example, if an earthquake occurs in Hindukush region, Afghanistan and is strongly felt in Delhi, then people in Delhi will know in less than 2 minutes that the earthquake has actually occurred in Afghanistan and not in Delhi. There are two categories of events here, scrutinized and unscrutinized. Unscrutinized events are the earthquake whose parameters have been estimated automatically by the software using the incoming waveform data from remote stations. These solutions are scrutinized and confirmed by the NCS, which form the category of scrutinized events.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com LIST OF IRRADIATION FACILITIES FOR HORTICULTURE IN INDIA
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The quantum of horticulture produce in India is large. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has been engaged in R&D work on the technology of preservation and hygienisation of food and agri-products by radiation. It has set up two technology demonstration units, one commissioned in the year 2000 for high dose irradiation at Vashi, Navi Mumbai, and another in 2002, for low dose irradiation, KRUSHAK (Krushi Utpadan Sanrakshan Kendra) facility at Lasalgaon, near Nashik. The facilities are being operated by the Board of Radiation & Isotope Technology (BRIT). Recently the harmonization of food irradiation rules with the international regulation through adaptation of class wise clearance of irradiated food items by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has taken place [Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Sixth Amendment Regulations, 2016] for large scale deployment of this technology. Currently 15 irradiation plants are functional in the country which include two plants set up by Government of India (KRUSHAK at Lasalgaon, Nashik, Maharashtra; and Radiation Processing Plant at Vashi, Navi Mumbai), and one each by the State Governments of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Annually, about 20,000 MT of food and allied products are being irradiated in the country. For setting up more plants, MoU have been signed with private firms. Irradiation is very effective in treating the horticultural produces. Extension of shelf life of horticultural produces is very much dependant on the produce, variety and storage conditions. For many fresh agri produce subjected to irradiation and proper storage, substantial shelf life extension has been achieved. A 5-10% increase in cost is normally expected due to the processing charges. Irradiation costs may range from Rs. 0.5 to 1.0/ kg for a low dose application such as sprout inhibition in potato and onion and insect disinfestation in cereals and pulses; and Rs. 5-10/kg for high dose applications such as treatment of spices for microbial decontamination. The costs could be brought down in a multipurpose facility treating a variety of produces throughout the year. In many cases, extended shelf life offsets the extra cost. Processing also brings benefits to consumers in terms of availability, storage life, distribution, and improved hygiene of food. Irradiation can have a stabilizing effect on market price of commodities by reducing storage losses resulting in increased availability of produce. Currently its estimated cost comes in the range of Rs. 15-20 crores excluding land cost. The Department of Atomic Energy provides Scientific and Technical assistance for setting up such facilities. The process of setting a facility takes about 2-3 years. This would include site selection, regulatory clearances, construction of the facility and obtaining necessary documentations and licenses. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Board of Radiation & Isotope Technology (BRIT) can provide the scientific and technical assistance for setting up such facilities. This will depend upon the number of entrepreneurs coming forward to setup irradiation facilities across the country.
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TOP 10 LATEST ACHIEVEMENTS IN SPACE SECTOR BY INDIA During the last three years (June 2014 to June 2017), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully accomplished 41 missions, which includes 19 launch vehicle missions, 19 satellite missions and 3 technology demonstrator missions. Some of the notable achievements include:(i) Operationalisation of GSLV-MkII with home-grown Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) with indigenous capability for launching 2-tonne class satellites. (ii) Successful launch of first developmental flight of GSLV-MkIII, which validated new version of Indigenous Cryogenic Engine. With this capability, it will be possible to launch upto 4-tonne class of communication satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbits (GTO). (iii) Launch of 14 flights of PSLV, which includes launch of 104 Satellites in a single PSLV (PSLV-C37) mission – Maximum satellites launched in a single launch mission till date. (iv) Realisation of South Asia Satellite to enable South Asian countries to establish SATCOM based services such as Television/DTH, VSAT, e-governance, banking, tele-medicine & tele-education etc., with coverage over South Asia. (v) Realisation of 7-satellite NavIC (Navigation – Indian Constellation) to provide Position, Navigation and Timing Services, with five satellites launched during the last three years. (vi) Augmentation of Satellite Communication capability with 7 more satellites viz. GSAT-6, GSAT-9, GSAT-15, GSAT-16, GSAT-17, GSAT-18 & GSAT-19. (vii) Successful Technology Demonstration missions viz. Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment (CARE), Re-usable Launch Vehicle (RLV-TD) and Scramjet Air-breathing Engine. (viii) INSAT-3D & 3DR together are providing meteorological data every 15 minutes for enabling weather forecasting. Ocean surface wind vector data from SCATSAT-1 are being used operationally by global user community. (ix) Augmentation of earth observation capability with 4 satellites viz., 3 High Resolution Cartographic and 1 Resource monitoring satellites. (x) Placing a unique multi-wavelength observatory ‗Astrosat‘ in orbit, carrying instruments realised through Indian academic institutes to enhance understanding of universe and astronomical phenomena.
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(xi) Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) completed 1000 days in the orbit. Earlier, Mars Orbiter Spacecraft was successfully placed in Martian orbit on September 24, 2014 making India the first country to do so in its first attempt. (xii) Enabling host of applications using synergy of earth observation, communication and navigation satellites in governance and development. India has created a niche in the field of space science & technology viz. launch services, earth observation, communication & navigation and application of space technology for national development. Today, India stands one among the top six space faring nations in the world. The areas which are benefitted/ likely to be benefitted with the utilization of space technology and its applications include – resource monitoring, weather forecasting, telecommunication, broadcasting, rural connectivity, health & education, governance, disaster management support, location based services, space commerce including host of societal applications. The space science and planetary missions, viz. Mars Orbiter Mission and ASTROSAT renew the interest of young minds towards space science.
CROP VARIETIES DEVELOPED USING RADIATION INDUCED MUTAGENESIS
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The use of radiation in agriculture has resulted in developing improved varieties of seeds resulting in increase in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is actively working in this area. Using radiation induced mutagenesis along with cross breeding, BARC has developed several varieties of oilseeds, pulses, rice and jute, which have been released and notified for commercial cultivation across the country. The major desirable traits in these crops include higher yield, seed size, improved agronomic and quality traits, early maturity and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Several of these varieties enjoy high patronage among the farming community and are extensively cultivated in the country and contribute substantially to the total agricultural production in the country. BARC is also involved in breeder seed multiplication of its released varieties in the case of crops such as ground nuts and pulses. According to IMF, GDP is a monetary measure of the market value of all final goods and services produced in a period (quarterly or yearly). Viewed in this context, the improved varieties of crops have substantially contributed to the GDP of the country. Using mutation (and conventional) breeding, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has developed 42 new varieties of crops. These varieties include oilseeds (groundnut, mustard, soybean and sunflower), pulses (urdbean, mungbean, pigeonpea, cowpea), rice and jute. Mutation breeding through nuclear radiation is mostly done using gamma rays or other ionizing radiations such as electron beam. The method does not render the irradiated material radioactive; it also does not involve insertion of foreign gene into the plant being improved. Irradiation only increases the rate of mutation inside target cells. Mutation is a natural process and, therefore, acceleration of the process using a radiation source is a widely accepted method of producing variability in the population. Plants showing favourable traits are selected and cultivated, ultimately culminating in the production of new varieties. The plants are also extensively tested for various parameters, including nutritional quality of the food, before they are released. Therefore, there is no health hazard to humans and animals that consume the food.
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Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) has been carrying out a comprehensive R&D on sodium cooled fast breeder reactor technology for the past 30 years. A test reactor, called Fast Breeder Test Reactors (FBTR), is in operation from 1985 onwards which has provided valuable feedback. Based on this experience and also taking into account the international experience, design of a 500MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) has been done. The design has been peer reviewed by international design agencies. With respect to manufacturing, an elaborate manufacturing technology development program was undertaken which helped in identifying the major industries towards demonstration of indigenous capability. Currently, all the components and equipments, especially the oversized heavy components have been successfully manufactured by Indian industries and erected in PFBR project. By following the above approach, India has mastered the design and manufacturing of sodium cooled Fast Breeder Reactors (FBR). FBRs are designed with several safety measures and features which follow redundancy and diversity principles. Fast Breeder Reactors are safe and efficient apart from the benefits from environmental considerations. Economic viability of FBRs depends on successful operation of PFBR and subsequently successful commissioning and operation of FBRs in the country. Electricity generated by FBR would be a source of green energy as the waste from the first stage nuclear programme is reprocessed and used as fuel in FBR. The spent fuel from this reactor can be fed back into the reactor core several times, till the spent fuel contains only short lived fission products. This is the concept of FBR with closed fuel cycle. Hence, there is no need of large quantity of fuel materials for the annual external feed and thus eliminates the need for large capacity waste storage spaces with complex construction features.
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KNOW ABOUT FAST BREEDER REACTORS IN INDIA
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Indigenously produced Mixed Uranium & Plutonium Oxide will be used as the fuel in the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam. The indigenously designed industrial scale prototype FBR of 500 MWe capacity is in an advanced stage of commissioning at Kalpakkam. Consenting process by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) for the commissioning of PFBR is begun concurrently with the ongoing commissioning activities. It is scheduled to go critical in 2017. FBRs are currently in operation in Russia. One FBR of 600 MWe capacity called BN-600 has been in operation since 1980. Recently, Russia has commenced operation of BN-800 (800 MWe capacity). China has started a test reactor of 65 MWt capacity in 2010. Other two reactors JOYO, MONJU in Japan are under shutdown currently. New power reactor of 1200 MWe capacity is planned to be constructed in Russia for which design is in progress. Further, one test reactor is under construction (MBIR) in Russia.
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CRISPR GENE EDITING TOOL: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW?
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―CRISPR‖ (pronounced ―crisper‖) stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, which are the hallmark of a bacterial defense system which forms the basis for the popular CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology. In the field of genome engineering, the term ―CRISPR‖ is often used loosely to refer to the entire CRISPR-Cas9 system, which can be programmed to target specific stretches of genetic code and to edit DNA at precise locations. These tools allow researchers to permanently modify genes in living cells and organisms and, in the future, may make it possible to correct mutations at precise locations in the human genome to treat genetic causes of disease. In September 2015, the Zhang lab demonstrated successful harnessing of a different CRISPR system for genome editing, called CRISPR-Cpf1, which has the potential for even simpler and more precise genome engineering. CRISPR/Cas genome editing techniques have many potential applications, including medicine and crop seed enhancement. The use of CRISPR/Cas9-gRNA complex for genome editing was the AAAS‘s choice for breakthrough of the year in 2015. Bioethical concerns have been raised about the prospect of using CRISPR for germline editing. How it Works? CRISPR ―spacer‖ sequences are transcribed into short RNA sequences (―CRISPR RNAs‖ or ―crRNA‖) capable of guiding the system to matching sequences of DNA. When the target DNA is found, Cas9 – one of the enzymes produced by the CRISPR system – binds to the DNA and cuts it, shutting the targeted gene off. Using modified versions of Cas9, researchers can activate gene expression instead of cutting the DNA. These techniques allow researchers to study the gene‘s function. Research also suggests that CRISPR-Cas9 can be used to target and modify ―typos‖ in the three-billion-letter sequence of the human genome in an effort to treat genetic disease.
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A high altitude cloud physics observatory has been established at Munnar (Kerala), in Western Ghats, the region which is gateway for the monsoon of India. High altitude cloud physics observatory at Munnar is used to observe cloud and rain processes over that region with state of the art observations. Such facility will enable understanding of rainfall distribution and will allow better characterization of rainfall processes in the numerical models used for prediction of monsoon rainfall. It is expected that long term monitoring of cloud and rainfall processes will enable for accurate representation of cloud micro-physical process in forecast models to improve over all skill of rainfall prediction for severe weather phenomena viz, heavy rainfall, thunderstorm etc., not only over Kerala but for the whole country. An allocation of Rs. 10 Crore is made for the establishment of the laboratory. High altitude cloud physics laboratories are functional at Mahabaleshwar (Konkan) and Munnar (Kerala) to study the monsoon cloud microphysics process modulated by the Western Ghats only and hence no such additional facility are contemplated. Studies were undertaken in four climate sensitive regions of the country, viz. Himalayan Region, Western Ghats, North Eastern Region, Coastal Areas to assess the possible impacts on the four sectors viz. agriculture, water, forests and health and associated ecosystem. A Report entitled, Climate Change & India: A 4X4 Assessment – A Sectoral and Regional Assessment of Impact of Climate Change in 2030s, has been released by the Government during November, 2010 under the aegis of the Indian Network of Climate Change Assessment (INCCA).
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HIGH ALTITUDE CLOUD OBSERVATORY BEING SETUP BY INDIA
SMALLEST STAR „EBLM J0555-57AB‟ DISCOVERED
Scientists from University of Cambridge in the U.K have discovered the smallest star in the universe. It is called EBLM J0555-57Ab. It is located about 600 light years away. With a size just a sliver larger than that of Saturn, the gravitational pull at its stellar surface is about 300 times stronger than what humans feel on Earth.
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The discovery is also the best possible candidate for detecting Earth-sized planets which can have liquid water on their surfaces, such as TRAPPIST-1, an ultracool dwarf surrounded by seven temperate Earth-sized worlds. The star was identified by WASP, a planet-finding experiment run by several universities.
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Indian astronomers from Pune-based Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) has discovered an extremely large supercluster of galaxies — as big as 20 million billion suns — which they have named Saraswati. The supercluster was discovered by Shishir Sankhyayan, a PhD student at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Pratik Dabhade, IUCAA research fellow, Joe Jacob of the Newman College, Kerala, and Prakash Sarkar of the National Institute of Technology, Jamshedpur. This is one of the largest known structures in the neighbourhood of the universe, 4,000 million light—years away from Earth and roughly more than 10 billion years old. Its mass extends over the scale of 600 million light years. Superclusters are the largest coherent structures in the cosmic web. They are a chain of galaxies and galaxy clusters, bound by gravity, often stretching to several hundred times the size of clusters of galaxies, consisting of tens of thousands of galaxies. This ―newly—discovered Saraswati supercluster‖ extends over a scale of 600 million light—years and may contain the mass equivalent of over 20 million billion suns. A cluster could roughly have galaxies ranging from 1000 to 10,000. A supercluster could have clusters ranging from 40 to 43. Our own galaxy Milky Way is part of a supercluster called the Laniakea supercluster. Saraswati weighs about 200 million billion times more than the Sun. Saraswati is located 4 billion light years away from Earth. Saraswati supercluster was formed some 10 billion years ago.
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SUPERCLUSTER OF GALAXIES „SARASWATI‟ DISCOVERED
„1000 GENOMES PROJECT‟: FULL DETAILS EXPLAINED
Another Project „The Human Genome Project‟: The Human Genome Project (HGP) was an international scientific research project with the goal of determining the sequence of nucleotide base pairs that make up human DNA, and of identifying and mapping all of the genes of the human genome from both a physical and a functional standpoint. It remains the world‘s largest collaborative biological project. After the idea was picked up in 1984 by the US government when the planning started, the project formally launched in 1990 and was declared complete in 2003. Funding came from the US government through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as well as numerous other groups from around the world. A parallel project was conducted outside of government by the Celera Corporation, or Celera Genomics, which was formally launched in 1998. Most of the government-sponsored sequencing was performed in twenty universities and research centers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, France, Germany, Canada, and China. The Human Genome Project originally aimed to map the nucleotides contained in a human haploid reference genome (more than three billion). The ―genome‖ of any given individual is unique; mapping the ―human genome‖ involved sequencing a small number of individuals and then assembling these together to get a complete sequence for each chromosome. Therefore, the finished human genome is thus a mosaic, not representing any one individual.
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The 1000 Genomes Project (abbreviated as 1KGP), launched in January 2008, was an international research effort to establish by far the most detailed catalogue of human genetic variation. Scientists planned to sequence the genomes of at least one thousand anonymous participants from a number of different ethnic groups within the following three years, using newly developed technologies which were faster and less expensive. In 2010, the project finished its pilot phase, which was described in detail in a publication in the journal Nature. In 2012, the sequencing of 1092 genomes was announced in a Nature publication. In 2015, two papers in Nature reported results and the completion of the project and opportunities for future research. Many rare variations, restricted to closely related groups, were identified, and eight structural-variation classes were analyzed. The project unites multidisciplinary research teams from institutes around the world, including China, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Nigeria, Peru, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Each will contribute to the enormous sequence dataset and to a refined human genome map, which will be freely accessible through public databases to the scientific community and the general public alike. By providing an overview of all human genetic variation, the consortium will generate a valuable tool for all fields of biological science, especially in the disciplines of genetics, medicine, pharmacology, biochemistry, and bioinformatics.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com „GENOMEASIA 100K INITIATIVE‟ IN NEWS
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About GenomeAsia 100K: GenomeAsia 100K is a non-profit consortium with a mission to generate genomic information for Asian populations and to promote genetic understanding of Asian populations to support research and discovery for healthy living and longevity.
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The non-profit consortium, GenomeAsia 100K, announced an ambitious plan to sequence 100,000 individuals. It is intended to initially include populations from 12 South Asian countries and at least 7 of North and East Asian countries. In the first phase, the project will focus on creating phased reference genomes for all major Asian ethnic groups representing a major step forward in understanding the population history and population substructure of the region. The sequencing of 100,000 individuals will be combined with micro-biome, clinical and phenotype information to allow deeper analysis of diseased and healthy individuals in the context of inferred local ancestries. With recent insights into the genome diversity of Asian ethnicities, it will become possible to understand the biology of disease in the currently under-studied Asian populations that represent 40% of mankind. Further, the unique genetic diversity prevalent in South, North and East Asia provides a valuable source of clinical insights that should enhance our understanding of several rare and inherited diseases, as well as complex diseases such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Key goal of the consortium is to accelerate precision medicine applications for Asian patients. It will also build advanced analytical capabilities to parse ‗big-data‘ sets, leveraging advances in data science and artificial intelligence. Prof. Stephan Schuster of Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore) will be the Scientific Chairman and Prof. Jeong-Sun Seo, Director of Genomic Medicine Institute at Seoul National University (GMI-SNU) and Chairman of Macrogen will serve a co-Scientific Chairman (North and East Asia) of the consortium. Mahesh Pratapneni, CEO, Emerge Ventures, will act as the Executive Chairman of the project. The consortium will be hosted at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Professor Bertil Andersson, President of NTU said having greater understanding of the Asian population‘s genome could lead to better healthcare discoveries in the future. The human genome is extremely important because they play a big part in the diseases that affect all of us, such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. With almost all current personal genomics efforts concentrating on populations in the western world, the new consortium will benefit the Asian population as it sheds light on the genetic fabric of Asians. The consortium is now actively seeking additional founding members and scientific collaborators.
About MedGenome: MedGenome is a genomics-driven research and diagnostics company with a mission to improve global health by decoding the genetic information contained in an individual‘s genome. Its unique access to genomics data with clinical and phenotypic data provides insights into complex diseases at the genetic and molecular level to facilitate research in personalized healthcare. MedGenome is the market leader for genetic diagnostic testing in India.
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Scientists have detected large quantities of methanol molecules around Saturn‘s moon Enceladus. The discovery was made by the Cassini spacecraft, which has since flown through the plumes and sampled organic compounds. The latest results, however, were gained using the IRAM 30-metre radio telescope in the Spanish Sierra Nevada, and reveal a higher-than-expected quantity of the molecule methanol around Enceladus.
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METHANOL DISCOVERED AROUND ENCELADUS
NASA DOUBLE ASTEROID REDIRECTION TEST
NASA is developing the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), first-ever mission that will deflect a near-Earth asteroid. DART would be NASA‘s first mission to demonstrate what‘s known as the kinetic impactor technique — striking the asteroid to shift its orbit — to defend against a potential future asteroid impact. DART is a critical step in demonstrating we can protect our planet from a future asteroid impact. With DART, we can protect Earth from an asteroid strike with a kinetic impactor by knocking the hazardous object into a different flight path that would not threaten the planet. The target for DART is an asteroid that will have a distant approach to Earth in October 2022, and then again in 2024. The asteroid is called Didymos — Greek for ―twin‖ — because it is an asteroid binary system that consists of two bodies: Didymos A, about 780 metres in size, and a smaller asteroid orbiting it called Didymos B, about 160 metres in size.
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DART would impact only the smaller of the two bodies, Didymos B. The Didymos system has been closely studied since 2003. The primary body is a rocky S-type object, with composition similar to that of many asteroids. The composition of its small companion, Didymos B, is unknown, but the size is typical of asteroids that could potentially create regional effects should they impact Earth. DART is being developed at John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.
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TERRIER-IMPROVED MALEMUTE ROCKET LAUNCHED
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The Terrier Malemute is a two-stage American sounding rocket typically used for smaller payloads (less than 180 kg [400 lb]). Both the Terrier first stage and the Malemute second stage use solid fuel. The Terrier burns for approximately 5.2 seconds, and the Malemute burns for approximately 21.5 seconds. The NASA Terrier-Improved Malemute sounding rocket was successfully launched from the US space agency‘s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. During the 8-minute flight, 10 canisters about the size of a soft drink can were ejected in space, 9 to 19 kilometres away from the 300-kg main payload. The canisters deployed blue-green and red vapour that formed artificial clouds visible from New York to North Carolina. During an ionosphere or aurora science mission, these clouds, or vapour tracers, allow scientists on the ground to visually track particle motions in space. The development of the multi-canister ejection system will allow scientists to gather information over a much larger area than previously possible when deploying the tracers just from the main payload. The first stage booster consists of a surplus Navy Terrier MK 12 Mod 1 rocket motor with four 340-square-inch (0.22 m2) fin panels arranged in a cruciform configuration. The Terrier rocket booster has a diameter of 18 inches (460 mm). The second stage solid rocket is a Thiokol Malemute TU-758 rocket motor, specially designed for high altitude research rocket applications.
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ISRO PROJECT CODE NAMED „SCE 200‟
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The SCE-200 is an Indian liquid-fuel rocket engine burning LOX and kerosene in a oxidizer-rich staged combustion cycle. It is being developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, a subsidiary of India‘s space agency ISRO, to power the future heavy-lift Unified Launch Vehicle (ULV) and Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) being planned by ISRO. But before that it will be tested with GSLV Mk III by replacing L110 (powered by old Vikas engine) stage to SC200. The primary goal of ISRO will be bringing in a new family of launch vehicles called ULV (Unified Launch Vehicle) by replacing currently operational PSLV, GSLV and GSLV Mk III. The ULV (Unified Launch Vehicle) marks the renunciation of India for N2O4/UDMH as propellant for space launch vehicle systems. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) testing facilities at the ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri, are being augmented for the engine being developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre here under a project codenamed SCE 200. Three of the four turbo pumps of the new engine have been tested and the pre-burner and thrust chamber are being readied for testing. The semi-cryogenic engine uses a combination of liquid oxygen (LOX) and refined kerosene (Isrosene) as propellants.
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SENDING OF ECOSYSTEMS FROM EARTH TO MOON China has recently declared a plan to send mini-ecosystems to the Moon in 2018. Chongqing University in China has developed a 3-kilogramme mini-ecosystem that will be sent to the Moon by Chang‘e 4 Vehicle. The mission to the moon is planned for 2018, and will also include a rover. The ecosystem is a small cylinder measuring 18 by 16 centimeters (7.1 by 6.3 inches). The seeds won‘t be the only lifeforms sent up to the moon, however. The Chinese mission also plans to send silkworm eggs inside the ecosystem. The silkworms will hatch and create carbon dioxide, while the potato plants will generate oxygen. The purpose of the mission is to prepare for future moon landings and possible human inhabitants.
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GENOME OF RED BAT SEQUENCED
Scientists has presented the first whole genome sequence and analyses of Red Bat (Myotis rufoniger). It is one of the most well-known and iconic protected wild animals in South Korea ans also known as the golden bat. Myotis rufoniger is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is a rare bat species that face imminent threat of disappearance from the face of Earth.
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Being designated as a Korean natural monument No. 452, only 450 to 500 of these bats survive in the wild in South Korea, presently. The reseach team expects that this study will provide a genetic foundation for the restoration and conservation of the critically endangered M. rufoniger. A genome contains all of the genetic information of a given organism, including its evolutionary origins. The primary reason for the rapid decline in the population of bats is due to very recent human encroachment into and destruction of wildlife.
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NEWBORN HEARING SCREENING DEVICE LAUNCHED
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The indigenously developed newborn hearing screening device – SOHUM was formally launched in New Delhi. The newborn hearing screening device developed by School of International Biodesign (SIB) startup M/s Sohum Innovation Labs India Pvt. Ltd. This innovative medical device has been developed under Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India supported (SIB). SIB is a flagship Program of the DBT aimed to develop innovative and affordable medical devices as per unmet clinical needs of India and to train the next generation of medical technology innovators in India, it is a valuable contribution to the Make in India campaign of the Government. This Program is implemented jointly at AIIMS and IIT Delhi in collaboration with International partners. Biotech Consortium India Limited manages techno-legal activities of the Program. Sohum is a low cost and unique device which uses brainstem auditory evoked response, the gold standard in auditory testing to check for hearing response in a newborn. As of now, this technology is prohibitively expensive and inaccessible to many. Start-up Sohum has made the technology appropriate for the resource constrained settings and aims to cater to nearly 26 million babies born every year in India. The portable Sohum Hearing Screening measures auditory brain waves via three electrodes placed on the baby‘s head. When stimulated, they detect electrical responses generated by the brain‘s auditory system. If there is no response, the child cannot hear.
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WORLD‟S FIRST HYBRID AEROBOAT LAUNCHED
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The world‘s first hybrid ―aeroboat‖ capable of travelling on land, water, snow and sand has been launched recently in Moscow, Russia. It has been built by an Indo-Russian joint venture. It runs on a ―hybrid‖ engine, meaning it can run on either petrol or electricity, enabling users to reduce carbon emissions and increase energy efficiency. This aeroboats are capable of moving at around 150 km or more per hour. The aeroboat is designed to access difficult terrains such as flooded or marshy areas where use of regular boats is impossible because of shallow water, patches of dry land or marine vegetation. It has been designed by IIAAT Holding, a joint venture between the International Institute for Advanced Aerospace Technologies and Indian firm Millennium Aerodynamics.
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MASSIVE HOTTEST PLANET KELT-9B DISCOVERED
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Recently, scientists have discovered KELT-9b, the hottest known planet located 650 light years from Earth. The planet is so close to the star that its surface reaches more than 4,300C (7800F), making it the hottest giant planet ever found. Astronomers observed the distant world from two robotic telescopes in Arizona and Sutherland, to the north of Cape Town in South Africa. Made with off-the-shelf components, the Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescopes (Kelts) were built at a fraction of the cost of conventional multimillion dollar observatories. KELT-9b is the hottest gas giant exoplanet known, with a dayside temperature of 4600 K, which makes it hotter than M-type stars, and many K-type stars. It orbits HD 195689 (or KELT-9), an A-type main sequence star about 620 light-years (190 parsecs) from Earth. The host star has a temperature of 10170 K, which is remarkable, as transiting planets are not usually detected in hot stars; as a reference, only six A-type stars were known to have planets prior to KELT-9b discovery (WASP-33, an A-type star with a temperature of 7430 K being the hottest at the moment of the discovery of KELT-9b), and no B-type stars were known (hotter than A-type stars); KELT-9, classified as B9.5-A0 or A1, is the first B-type star (or, at least, almost B-type) in which a planet has been discovered. KELT-9b was detected using the Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope and the results of its unusual nature were published in 2016.
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NEW GRAVITATIONAL WAVE DETECTED BY LIGO
Gravitational-wave astronomy is an emerging branch of observational astronomy which aims to use gravitational waves (minute distortions of spacetime predicted by Einstein‘s theory of general relativity) to collect observational
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HARD X-RAY MODULATION TELESCOPE IN NEWS
Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT) also known as Insight is a Chinese X-ray space observatory, launched on June 15, 2017 to observe black holes, neutron stars, active galactic nuclei and other phenomena based on their X-ray and gamma-ray emissions. It is China‘s first astronomy satellite. It is based on the JianBing 3 imagery reconnaissance satellite series platform. The project, a joint collaboration of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Tsinghua University, has been under development since 2000. The satellite has three payloads, the high energy X-ray Telescope (20-250 keV), the medium energy X-ray telescope (5-30 keV), and the low energy X-ray telescope (1-15 keV). The main scientific instrument is an array of 18 NaI(Tl)/CsI(na) slat-collimated ―phoswich‖ scintillation detectors, collimated to 5.7°×1° overlapping fields of view.
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Data from NASA‘s Curiosity rover mission found that the lake in Mars‘ Gale Crater was stratified which means that the water exhibited sharp chemical or physical differences in different parts of the lake. The shallow water was richer in oxidants than deeper water. The diversity of environments in this Martian lake would have provided multiple opportunities for different types of microbes to survive, including those that thrive in oxidant-rich and oxidant-poor conditions and those that inhabit the interface between those settings. Whether Mars has ever hosted any life is still unknown, but seeking signs of life on any planet, be it Mars or more distant icy worlds – begins with reconstruction of the environment to determine if it was capable of supporting life. Curiosity‘s primary goal when it landed inside Gale Crater in 2012 was to determine whether Mars has ever offered environmental conditions favourable for microbial life. In its first year, on the crater floor at ―Yellowknife Bay,‖ the rover found evidence of ancient freshwater river and lake environments with all the main chemical ingredients for life and a possible energy source for life. Curiosity has since driven to the base of Mount Sharp, a layered mountain inside the crater, and inspected rock layers that grow progressively younger as the rover gains elevation on lower Mount Sharp.
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MICROBES FOUND ON MARS
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data about objects such as neutron stars and black holes, events such as supernovae, and processes including those of the early universe shortly after the Big Bang. GW170104 was a gravitational wave signal detected by the LIGO observatory in 2017. In 2017 the LIGO and Virgo collaborations announced that they had reliably verified the signal, making it the third such signal, after GW150914 and GW151226. The signal was detected by LIGO with the Hanford detector picking it up 3 milliseconds before the Livingston detector. The gravitational wave frequency at peak GW strain was 160 to 199 Hz. The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is a large-scale physics experiment and observatory to detect cosmic gravitational waves and to develop gravitational-wave observations as an astronomical tool. Two large observatories were built in the United States with the aim of detecting gravitational waves by laser interferometry. The Indian space-based ASTROSAT mission did a related sensitive search for short duration x-ray flashes associated with the event and did not detect any. The Italy-based VIRGO detector is almost in place and will join in to collect data later this year. The study had a major Indian contribution and the LIGO-India facility which is making immense progress will join the club in 2024. The initial LIGO observatories were funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and were conceived, built, and are operated by Caltech and MIT. They collected data from 2002 to 2010 but no gravitational waves were detected. LIGO is the largest and most ambitious project ever funded by the NSF.
MICHIBIKI NAVIGATION SYSTEM OF JAPAN
The Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) is a proposed three-satellite regional time transfer system and the satellite-based augmentation system for the Global Positioning System that would be receivable within Japan. The first satellite ―Michibiki‖ was launched on 11 September 2010. The $526 million contract with Mitsubishi Electric for the construction of three satellites is slated for launch before the end of 2017. The basic four-satellite system is planned to be operational in 2018. Authorized by the Japanese government in 2002, work on a concept for a Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), or Juntencho in Japanese, began development by the Advanced Space Business Corporation (ASBC) team, including Mitsubishi Electric, Hitachi, and GNSS Technologies Inc. However, ASBC collapsed in 2007. The work was taken over by the Satellite Positioning Research and Application Center. SPAC is owned by four departments of the Japanese government: the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport.
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QZSS is targeted at mobile applications, to provide communications-based services (video, audio, and data) and positioning information. With regards to its positioning service, QZSS can only provide limited accuracy on its own and is not currently required in its specifications to work in a stand-alone mode. As such, it is viewed as a GNSS Augmentation service. Its positioning service could also collaborate with the geostationary satellites in Japan‘s Multi-Functional Transport Satellite (MTSAT), currently under development, which itself is a Satellite Based Augmentation System similar to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration‘s Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). Japan launched a satellite to help build a high-precision geolocation system that will complement the US-operated GPS. A H-IIA rocket blasted off from the Tanegashima space centre in southern Japan carrying the ―Michibiki‖ No.2 satellite. The Michibiki system can cover the Asia-Oceania region and works with the US-operated Global Positioning System (GPS). Japan aims to establish a constellation of seven satellites by around 2023.
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WORLD‟S FIRST MISSION TO SUN: PARKER SOLAR PROBE
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NASA ready to launch the world‘s first mission to the Sun in 2018, that will explore its atmosphere and answer questions about solar physics that have puzzled scientists for over six decades. Parker Solar Probe (previously Solar Probe, Solar Probe Plus, or Solar Probe+) is a planned NASA robotic spacecraft to probe the outer corona of the Sun. It will approach to within 8.5 solar radii (5.9 million kilometers or 3.67 million miles) to the ‗surface‘ (photosphere) of the Sun. The Parker Solar Probe has been named in honour of pioneering astrophysicist Eugene Parker, who predicted the existence of the solar wind nearly 60 years ago. The spacecraft, about the size of a small car, is loaded with technological breakthroughs that will solve many of the largest mysteries about our star, including finding out why the Sun‘s corona is so much hotter than its surface. Parker Solar Probe will travel through the Sun‘s atmosphere, closer to the surface than any spacecraft before it, facing brutal heat and radiation conditions — and ultimately providing humanity with the closest-ever observations of a star, NASA said. To perform these unprecedented investigations, the spacecraft and instruments will be protected from the Sun‘s heat by a 4.5-inch-thick carbon-composite shield. Many NASA missions have continued to focus on this complex space environment defined by our star — a field of research known as heliophysics. The term heliophysics means ―physics of the Sun‖ (the prefix ―helio‖, from Attic Greek hḗlios, means Sun), and appears to have been used only in that sense until quite recently.
GALAXY MACS2129-1 IN NEWS
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The galaxy, MACS2129-1, is described as a dead-disk galaxy. Astronomers made a surprising discovery—the first example of a compact yet massive, fast-spinning, disk-shaped galaxy that stopped making stars only a few billion years after the big bang. This is the first direct observational evidence that at least some of the earliest so-called ―dead‖ galaxies — where star formation stopped — somehow evolve from a Milky Way-shaped disk into the giant elliptical galaxies we see today. This is a surprise because elliptical galaxies contain older stars, while spiral galaxies typically contain younger blue stars. At least some of these early ―dead‖ disk galaxies must have gone through major makeovers. They not only changed their structure, but also the motions of their stars to make a shape of an elliptical galaxy. Previous studies of distant dead galaxies have assumed that their structure is similar to the local elliptical galaxies they will evolve into. Confirming this assumption in principle requires more powerful space telescopes than are currently available. However, through the phenomenon known as ―gravitational lensing,‖ a massive, foreground cluster of galaxies acts as a natural ―zoom lens‖ in space by magnifying and stretching images of far more distant background galaxies. By joining this natural lens with the resolving power of Hubble, scientists were able to see into the center of the dead galaxy. The remote galaxy is three times as massive as the Milky Way but only half the size. Rotational velocity measurements made with the European Southern Observatory‘s Very Large Telescope (VLT) showed that the disk galaxy is spinning more than twice as fast as the Milky Way. Using archival data from the Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble (CLASH), Toft and his team were able to determine the stellar mass, star-formation rate, and the ages of the stars. The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). The Very Large Telescope is a telescope facility operated by the European Southern Observatory on Cerro Paranal in the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com JUPITER‟S GREAT RED SPOT CAPTURED BY JUNO
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Recently Juno spacecraft captured the images of planet jupiter. Images of Jupiter‘s Great Red Spot reveal a tangle of dark, veinous clouds weaving their way through a massive crimson oval. The JunoCam imager aboard NASA‘s Juno mission snapped pics of the most iconic feature of the solar system‘s largest planetary inhabitant during its Monday (July 10) flyby. Measuring in at 10,159 miles (16,350 kilometers) in width (as of April 3, 2017) Jupiter‘s Great Red Spot is 1.3 times as wide as Earth. The storm has been monitored since 1830 and has possibly existed for more than 350 years. In modern times, the Great Red Spot has appeared to be shrinking. Juno reached perijove (the point at which an orbit comes closest to Jupiter‘s center) on July 10. At the time of perijove, Juno was about 2,200 miles (3,500 kilometers) above the planet‘s cloud tops. Juno is a NASA space probe orbiting the planet Jupiter. It was built by Lockheed Martin and is operated by NASA‘s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The spacecraft was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on August 5, 2011 (UTC), as part of the New Frontiers program, and entered a polar orbit of Jupiter on July 5, 2016 (UTC), to begin a scientific investigation of the planet. After completing its mission, Juno will be intentionally deorbited into Jupiter‘s atmosphere. Juno‘s mission is to measure Jupiter‘s composition, gravity field, magnetic field, and polar magnetosphere. It will also search for clues about how the planet formed, including whether it has a rocky core, the amount of water present within the deep atmosphere, mass distribution, and its deep winds, which can reach speeds of 618 kilometers per hour (384 mph). Juno is the second spacecraft to orbit Jupiter, after the nuclear powered Galileo orbiter, which orbited from 1995 to 2003. Unlike all earlier spacecraft to the outer planets, Juno is powered only by solar arrays, commonly used by satellites orbiting Earth and working in the inner Solar System, whereas radioisotope thermoelectric generators are commonly used for missions to the outer Solar System and beyond. For Juno, however, the three largest solar array wings ever deployed on a planetary probe play an integral role in stabilizing the spacecraft as well as generating power.
GRAN TELESCOPIO CANARIAS IN NEWS
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The Gran Telescopio Canarias (GranTeCan or GTC), also known as the Great Canary Telescope is a 10.4 m (410 in) reflecting telescope located at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on the island of La Palma, in the Canaries, Spain. Construction of the telescope, sited on a volcanic peak 2,267 metres (7,438 ft) above sea level, took seven years and cost €130 million (£112 million). Its installation had been hampered by weather conditions and the logistical difficulties of transporting equipment to such a remote location. First light was achieved in 2007 and scientific observations began in 2009. The GTC Project is a partnership formed by several institutions from Spain and Mexico, the University of Florida, the National Autonomous University of Mexico and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC). Planning for the construction of the telescope, which started in 1987, involved more than 1,000 people from 100 companies. As of 2015, it is the world‘s largest single-aperture optical telescope. The distribution of the availability of time to use the telescope meets its financial structure: 90% Spain, 5% Mexico and 5% the University of Florida. Thanks to an amplified image produced by a gravitational lens, and the Gran Telescopio CANARIAS, a team of scientists has discovered one of the brightest galaxies known from the epoch when the universe had 20 percent of its present age.
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SPIRAL GALAXY IC 342 IN NEWS
IC 342 (also known as Caldwell 5) is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Camelopardalis. In the Catalogue of Named Galaxies, it is called Stellivelatus Camelopardalis, or the star-veiled galaxy. The galaxy is near the galactic equator where dust obscuration makes it a difficult object for both amateur and professional astronomers to observe, though it can readily be detected even with binoculars. The dust of the Milky Way makes it difficult to determine the precise distance; modern estimates range from about 7 Mly to about 11 Mly. The galaxy is one of the brightest two galaxies in the IC 342/Maffei Group of galaxies, one of the galaxy groups that is closest to the Local Group. The galaxy was discovered by William Frederick Denning in 1895. Edwin Hubble first thought it to be in the Local Group, but later it was demonstrated that the galaxy is outside the Local Group. It has an H II nucleus. In 1935, Harlow Shapley declared that this galaxy was the third-largest spiral galaxy by angular size then known, smaller only than the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and the Triangulum Galaxy (M33), being wider than the full moon. (Modern estimates are more conservative, giving the apparent size as one-half to two-thirds the diameter of the full moon).
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The spiral galaxy IC 342 shines prominently in this image from the Hubble Space Telescope, but viewing it in the night sky from Earth is much more challenging. In fact, it‘s nicknamed the Hidden Galaxy.
SPINTRONICS: LATEST IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
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The word spintronics—short for spin electronics—was coined in the 1990s to describe devices that take advantage of ―spin,‖ a quantum-mechanical property of an electron that takes only two values: spin-up and spindown. Spintronics research flowered following the discovery of the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect in the late 1980s. Spintronics also known as spinelectronics or fluxtronics, is the study of the intrinsic spin of the electron and its associated magnetic moment, in addition to its fundamental electronic charge, in solid-state devices. Spintronics, or spin electronics, refers to the study of the role played by electron (and more generally nuclear) spin in solid state physics, and possible devices that specifically exploit spin properties instead of or in addition to charge degrees of freedom. Spintronics fundamentally differs from traditional electronics in that, in addition to charge state, electron spins are exploited as a further degree of freedom, with implications in the efficiency of data storage and transfer. Spintronic systems are most often realised in dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS) and Heusler alloys and are of particular interest in the field of quantum computing. While there are clear advantages for introducing semiconductors in novel spintronic applications, many basic questions pertaining to combining semiconductors with other materials to produce a viable spintronic technology remain open. In addition to the near-term studies of various spin transistors and spin transport properties of semiconductors, a long-term and ambitious subfield of spintronics is the application of electron and nuclear spins to quantum information processing and quantum computation.
LUNAR PALACE 365 EXPERIMENT BY CHINA
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The Lunar Palace 365 experiment was launched by Beihang‘s Lunar Palace research team in Lunar Palace 1, a simulated space cabin for bio-regenerative life-support systems experiments, on May 10th, 2017. The 365-day experiment is aimed at testing the reliability of the Bioregenerative Life Support System (BLSS) when it works in a moon-environment with crews of different metabolic rates and sudden breakdowns. Eight volunteers, all postgraduates of Beihang, are divided into two teams taking turns to live in the cabin and will conduct the experiment in three shifts. As the longest one of its kind in the world, it will help develop the technologies necessary for the guarantee of astronauts‘security and life quality in medium and long-term deep space explorations. A second group of four Chinese volunteers has entered a sealed, bioregenerative laboratory as part of a year-long trial to test the ability of humans to make prolonged stays at a future Moon base. The second batch entered Lunar Palace-1, joining the first group of four who were just completing their 60-day stay. The 10-hour transitional phase marked the start of the second group‘s 200-day stay, during which the students recycle or re-use everything possible, including the air, plant matter, urine and more. The ―Lunar Palace 365‖ research project involves eight postgraduate students from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (BUAA), also known as Beihang, who will stay in the Lunar Palace-1 capsule for 365 days. The first set of volunteers will replace them for the final 105-day stretch of the experiment. The 160-square-metre and 500-cubic-metre Lunar Palace-1 is a fully closed laboratory designed to simulate longduration, self-contained missions with no outside input. With a full title of ‗Integrative Experimental Facility for Permanent Astrobase Life-support Artificial Closed Ecosystem (PALACE) Research‘, it is the first bioregenerative life-support base developed in China, and the third worldwide. The project is cited as providing a base of research for China‘s future lunar surface missions. In December 2016, another research mission designed to assist China‘s plans for future deep space human exploration, Space 180, was completed in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. In April, China‘s first cargo spacecraft, Tianzhou-1, was launched to undertake refuelling tests with the Tiangong-2 space lab in orbit, marking a huge step forward in the country‘s plans for a large, modular space station. However, the low Earth orbit project, which will be permanently crewed, suffered a potential setback to its schedule when China‘s second Long March 5 heavy-lift rocket failed to reach orbit. The Lunar Palace-1 advanced closed-loop life support facility consists of two plant cultivation modules and an integrated module which includes a living room, work room, bathroom and a waste-disposal room. A variety of experimental crops and vegetables will be grown for the duration of the project. Human waste will be handled within the capsule by a bio-fermentation process. Food residue and other by-products will be treated with bio-techniques and used for plant cultivation. Construction of the Lunar Palace 1 capsule began in March 2013. The facility was unveiled in January 2014, and was commissioned just prior to the first mission starting in February 2014. The previous mission involved three volunteers who spent 105 days inside the facility.
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Before Lunar Palace 1, Russia and the United States developed two-level bioregenerative systems which only involved plants and humans.
SCIENTISTS DEVELOP PRO-VITAMIN A RICH BANANAS
Scientists in Australia have developed the world‘s first golden-orange fleshed bananas rich in Vitamin A. The decade-long research, led by Distinguished Professor James Dale, involved extensive laboratory tests. The development of the biofortified fruit is part of a ―significant humanitarian project‖ aimed at improving the nutritional content of the banana in Uganda, where the fruit is a major food staple. The consequences of vitamin A deficiency are severe in Uganda, with an estimated 650,000-700,000 children to die as a result each year and a further several hundred thousand going blind. The ―biofortified‖ bananas were developed by taking genes from a species of banana from Papua New Guinea, which is high in provitamin A. The elite genes were sent to Uganda in test tubes where they were inserted into Ugandan bananas for field trials there. The research was backed with support of $10 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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Gonorrhoea is becoming harder to treat due to antibiotic resistance and there is a need for better prevention and treatment of the disease that infects an estimated 78 million people each year. The bacteria that cause gonorrhoea are particularly smart. Every time doctors use a new class of antibiotics to treat the infection, the bacteria evolve to resist them. Data from 77 countries show that ―antibiotic resistance is making gonorrhoea – a common sexually-transmitted infection – much harder, and sometimes impossible, to treat. WHO noted that the current ―last-resort treatment‖ in the form of extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ECS) has now shown resistance in more than 50 countries. As a result, the agency issued updated global treatment recommendations in 2016, advising doctors to give 2 antibiotics: ceftriaxone and azithromycin. With regard to development of a new antibiotic for gonorrhoea, only three candidate drugs are currently in the research-and-development pipeline. The treatments are taken only for short periods of time, unlike medicines for chronic diseases, and they become less effective as resistance develops, meaning that the supply of new drugs constantly needs to be replenished. Gonorrhoea can be prevented through safer sexual behaviour. WHO pointed to decreasing condom use, increased urbanization and travel, poor infection detection rates, and inadequate or failed treatment for the estimated 78 million people infected each year. Women are particularly at risk, potentially leading to pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy and infertility, as well as increased risk of HIV. Earlier this year, WHO announced that it is classifying antibiotics into three categories – Access, Watch and Reserve – to preserve the effectiveness of ―last resort‖ antibiotics.
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ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE: GONORRHOEA HARD TO TREAT
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APPOINTMENTS IRMA GETS NEW CHAIRMAN
Dilip Rath, Chairman, National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), has been appointed Chairman of the Institute of Rural Management-Anand (IRMA). Rath has been instrumental in promoting and strengthening farmer-owned institutions in the dairy sector to make the small holder system viable and sustainable. As Mission Director of the World Bank-assisted National Dairy Plan (NDP), he is pursuing NDP‘s objectives through the adoption of scientific and systematic processes in provisioning technical inputs supported by appropriate policy and regulatory measures. He joined the IAS in 1979 and served in different capacities in West Bengal, Odisha and at the Centre.
INDIA‟S ALTERNATE GOVERNOR IN ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
Mr. Subhash Chandra Garg, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, Government of India has been appointed as India‘s Alternate Governor on the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Manila, Philippines with effect from 12th July, 2017. Shri Garg has been appointed in place of Former Secretary, DEA, Shri Shaktikanta Das.
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45TH CHIEF JUSTICE OF INDIA
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Present Chief Justice of India Justice JS Khehar has recommended the name of Justice Dipak Misra as 45th Chief Justice of India. Justice Khehar is retiring on August 27, 2017. Justice Dipak Misra was Elevated as a Judge, Supreme Court of India in 2011. Article 124 of the Constitution of India provides for the manner of appointing judges to the Supreme Court. Though no specific provision exists in the Constitution for appointing the Chief Justice, who, as a result, is appointed like the other judges conventionally, the outgoing CJI recommends the name of the senior-most judge (i.e. by date of appointment to the Supreme Court) for appointment by the President of India, as his successor. However, this convention has been breached on a few occasions, when during the tenure of prime minister Indira Gandhi, she got Justice A.N. Ray appointed as CJI, superseding three judges senior to him.
16. Yeshwant Vishnu Chandrachud 17. Prafullachandra Natwarlal Bhagwati 18. Raghunandan Swarup Pathak 19. Engalaguppe Seetharamiah Venkataramiah 20. Sabyasachi Mukharji 21. Ranganath Misra 22. Kamal Narain Singh 23. Madhukar Hiralal Kania 24. Lalit Mohan Sharma 25. Manepalli Narayana Rao Venkatachaliah 26. Aziz Mushabber Ahmadi 27. Jagdish Sharan Verma
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List of Chief Justices of India: 1. H. J. Kania 2. M. Patanjali Sastri 3. Mehr Chand Mahajan 4. Bijan Kumar Mukherjea 5. Sudhi Ranjan Das 6. Bhuvaneshwar Prasad Sinha 7. Prahlad Balacharya Gajendragadkar 8. Amal Kumar Sarkar 9. Koka Subba Rao 10. Kailas Nath Wanchoo 11. Mohammad Hidayatullah 12. Jayantilal Chhotalal Shah 13. Sarv Mittra Sikri 14. Ajit Nath Ray 15. Mirza Hameedullah Beg
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28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44.
Madan Mohan Punchhi Adarsh Sein Anand Sam Piroj Bharucha Bhupinder Nath Kirpal Gopal Ballav Pattanaik V. N. Khare S. Rajendra Babu Ramesh Chandra Lahoti Yogesh Kumar Sabharwal K. G. Balakrishnan S. H. Kapadia Altamas Kabir P. Sathasivam Rajendra Mal Lodha H. L. Dattu T. S. Thakur J. S. Khehar
IDFC APPOINTS NEW CEO
IDFC Ltd appointed Sunil Kakar as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company. Kakar had joined IDFC as the Group Chief Financial Officer and was responsible for finance and accounts, business planning and budgeting and investor relations, among others.
INDIA RE-NOMINATES DALVEER BHANDARI TO ICJ
Dalveer Bhandari is an Indian member of the International Court of Justice and was a judge of the Supreme Court of India. He has been nominated by India as its candidate for another nine year term as judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the UN. He was elected in April 2012 during simultaneous balloting in both the General Assembly and the Security Council to a seat on the International Court of Justice.
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The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial branch of the United Nations. Seated in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands, the court settles legal disputes submitted to it by states and provides advisory opinions on legal questions submitted to it by duly authorized international branches, agencies, and the UN General Assembly. The ICJ is composed of 15 judges elected to nine-year terms by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council that vote simultaneously but separately.
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EXECUTIVE HEAD OF GSTN APPOINTED
1992 batch IRS Officer Kajal Singh was appointed as Executive Vice-President (Services) in Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN). The GSTN is a special purpose vehicle set up to provide Information Technology infrastructure for implementation of the GST. The Goods and Service Tax Network (or GSTN) is a non-profit, non-government organization. It manages the entire IT system of the GST portal, which is the mother database for everything GST. This portal is being used by the government to track every financial transaction, and will provide taxpayers with all services – from registration to filing taxes and maintaining all tax details.
JET AIRWAYS NEW CEO
Jet Airways has announced the appointment of Vinay Dube as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
1994 batch officer of the Indian Telecom Service Hoshiar Singh has been appointed as Registrar of Copyrights for 5 years. The Office of Copyrights, under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, is mandated to protect the music and film industry besides addressing its concerns, among others. The Copyright Office is under the immediate control of a Registrar of Copyrights, who acts under the superintendence and directions of the Central Government, according to norms.
RBI APPOINTS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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Reserve Bank of India has appointed S. Ganesh Kumar as Executive Director. The central bank currently has 11 Executive Directors. As Executive Director, Ganesh Kumar will look after Department of Information Technology, Department of Payment and Settlement Systems and Department of External Investments and Operations. Prior to being promoted as ED, Ganesh Kumar was Chief General Manager-in-Charge, Department of Information Technology in the Reserve Bank.
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NEW REGISTRAR OF COPYRIGHTS APPOINTED
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INDIAN OIL GETS NEW CHAIRMAN
Indian Oil‘s Director (Refineries), Sanjiv Singh has been appointed as the Chairman of IOC. Concurrently, Singh will also be Chairman of Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (CPCL) and Hindustan Urvarak and Rasayan Ltd. (HURL), a joint venture company set up to revive the fertiliser plants at Gorakhpur, Sindri and Barauni. Singh joined IndianOil in 1981 and has served for over 35 years.
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BROADCASTING CONTENT COMPLAINTS COUNCIL
Justice Vikramajit Sen has been appointed as the new Chairperson of Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC). Justice Sen takes over from former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal, whose three year term as the Chairperson has come to an end. The BCCC has 13 members. Members of BCCC includes four members from civil society; four chairpersons/members from national level statutory commissions such as National Commission for Schedule Tribes, National Commission for Minorities, National Commission for Backward classes and National Human Right Commission (NHSRC); and four broadcaster members. The redressal mechanism in BCCC is a two tier process — providing a viewer to complain first to the broadcaster/channel (not later than a week of telecast of the offending programme). Each broadcaster has to set up a Standard and Practices (S&P) department with a content auditor as the head of the department to deal with complaints received from viewers or any other body. The content auditor is responsible for replying to the complaint with a copy to the BCCC within a week of the complaint, failing which the viewer is free to take up the matter with the body. However, if the content auditor finds the complaint prima-facie frivolous, he or she has the right to take no action on such complaints.
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In case the viewer receives unsatisfactory response from the broadcaster‘s side, the complainant can approach the BCCC directly at an industry level. The body will then take cognizance of the matter and if the broadcaster is found guilty, the BCCC is free to take steps such as issue of warning, as well as remedial steps such as running an apology on the channel, and finally, suggestion of suspension of broadcasting license to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The guidelines will be applicable to programming that appear on all distribution platforms including cable and satellite, direct-to-home (DTH), IPTV, headend-in-the-sky (HITS), mobile, or any platform that exists now or will be created in the future. Set up in 2011, BCCC examines content-related complaints relating to all non-news general entertainment channels in India. Over the last six years, the 13-member body has handled more than 40,000 content-related complaints. BCCC is the independent self-regulatory body for general entertainment channels set up by the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF). IBF Board of Directors comprises IBF President Punit Goenka (Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd), and Directors Aroon Purie (Chairman, TV Today Network), Rajat Sharma (Chairman, India TV), Uday Shankar (Chief Executive Officer, Star India) and I. Venkat (Director, Eenadu).
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Mr. Sanjay Kumar, 1985-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Himachal Pradesh Cadre, has been appointed as the Director General (DG) of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The post of DG, NDRF fell vacant after incumbent Mr. R K Pachnanda was appointed as the Director General of Indo-Tibetan Border Police. Prior to the appointment as DG, NDRF, Shri Sanjay Kumar was serving as Director General of Police in Himachal Pradesh.
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NATIONAL DISASTER RESPONSE FORCE GETS NEW DG
INDIAN GETS NEW CHIEF ELECTION COMMISSIONER
Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Joti has been appointed the next Chief Election Commissioner. Mr Joti will assume office on July 6, the day the incumbent Nasim Zaidi demits office. Mr Joti is a 1975-batch former Indian Administrative Service officer of the Gujarat cadre. He will have a short tenure of around six months since he is scheduled to retire in January 2018 after attaining the age of 65. Mr Joti joined the Election Commission on May 13, 2015. Earlier, he served as the Gujarat chief secretary under the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
IIM AMRITSAR GETS NEW CHAIRMAN
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Mr. Sanjay Gupta, CEO of Jagran Prakashan Limited has been appointed as Chairman of the Society and Board of Governors of Indian Institute of Management Amritsar for a period of five years w.e.f. 23rd June, 2017. He is the Editor in Chief of Dainik Jagran since 2014 and has been associated with the Jagran Group for more than two decades. He also served as a Member of Board of Governors in Indian Institute of Management Lucknow from 2004 to 2009 and as Member, Board of Governors of Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad from 20032011.
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NEW DIRECTOR GENERAL OF INDO-TIBETAN BORDER POLICE
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Mr. R K Pachnanda, IPS takes charge as the new Director General of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). Shri Pachnanda is the 29th Chief of the ITBP. Mr. Krishna Chaudhary, DG who retired on superannuation, handed over the customary baton to Shri Pachnanda. Shri Pachnanda is a 1983 batch Indian Police Service officer of the West Bengal cadre. Prior to the appointment as DG ITBP, Shri Pachnanda has served in various capacities as Commissioner of Police, Kolkata and DG NDRF. He has been decorated with Indian Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 1999 and President‘s Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2007. Known for the mountaineering skills, ITBP, the 90000 personnel strong Central Armed Police Force primarily guards the 3,488 KM Indo-China border at Border Out Posts (BOPs) located at freezing heights up to 18,700 ft in the upper Himalayas.
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POLICIES
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The Uttar Pradesh government has released its Draft UP Solar Power Policy 2017. According to this policy, the state government proposed to meet the target of generating 10,700 MW solar power. This includes 4,300 MW from rooftop solar projects, by financial year 2022. Under the proposed policy, the government will set up solar parks with a minimum capacity of 100 MW. The State, through the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) or the distribution licensee, will offer to purchase 100 per cent of the power generated from a solar park. It will also be mandatory to have at least 50 per cent of the power generated from the parks to be sold to a UPPCL Distribution Licensee. These benefits will be extended to private solar park developers. A Central Financial Assistance (CFA) of ₹ 25 lakh for detailed project report for each solar park and ₹ 25 lakh per MW or 30 per cent of project cost will be made available for the solar park. The state has also proposed to provide a subsidy of ₹ 10,000 per KiloWatt to a maximum limit of subsidy ₹20,000 per consumer to encourage grid connected roof top solar set ups. The incentive will be available on a first-come, first served basis for the first 100 MW applications submitted to the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA). The subsidy will be disbursed to the beneficiary after successful installation and commissioning of rooftop solar systems with net metering. Electricity duty on solar power shall be exempted for sale to the distribution licensee for ten years. Policy proposes to source 8 per cent of its electricity requirements through renewable energy by 2022.
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UTTAR PRADESH SOLAR POWER POLICY 2017
NEW NATIONAL TOURISM POLICY: SALIENT FEATURES
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A National Tourism Policy (NTP) was formulated in 2002. However, taking into account the widespread, interrelated global developments and advancements, which have had a strong bearing on the Tourism sector, a new draft National Tourism Policy has been formulated and the same is yet to be approved. Some of the salient features of the new draft National Tourism Policy include: Focus of the Policy on employment generation and community participation in tourism development. Stress on development of tourism in a sustainable and responsible manner. An all-encompassing Policy involving linkages with various Ministries, Departments, States/Union Territories and Stakeholders. The Policy enshrines the vision of developing and positioning India as a ―MUST EXPERIENCE‖ and ―MUST REVISIT‖ Destination for global travellers, whilst encouraging Indians to explore their own country. Development and promotion of varied tourism products including the rich Culture and Heritage of the country, as well as niche products such as Medical &Wellness, Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE), Adventure, Wildlife, etc. Development of core infrastructure (airways, railways, roadways, waterways, etc.) as well as Tourism Infrastructure. Developing quality human resources in the tourism and hospitality sectors across the spectrum of vocational to professional skills development and opportunity creation. Creating an enabling environment for investment in tourism and tourism-related infrastructure. Emphasis on technology enabled development in tourism. Focus on domestic tourism as a major driver of tourism growth. Focus on promotions in established source markets and potential markets, which are contributing significantly to global tourist traffic, with targeted and country specific campaigns. Emphasis on Tourism as the fulcrum of multi-sectoral activities and dovetailing of activities of the Ministry with important/flagship schemes of the Government of India.
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NEW OIL AND GAS BLOCK LICENSING POLICY
Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan introduced a new oil and gas block licensing policy that is expected to open up 2.8 million square kilometres of sedimentary basins to exploration and production activities. He inaugurated the government‘s Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) and the National Data Repository. The OALP, a part of the government‘s Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP), gives exploration companies the option to select the exploration blocks on their own, without having to wait for the formal bid round from the Government. The company then submits an application to the government, which puts that block up for bid. The new policy will open up 2.8 million square kilometres of sedimentary basins for exploration and eventual production. A single license to explore all forms of hydrocarbons, no oil cess, reduced rates of royalty are just few of the many enabling provisions which will stimulate investments in the sector. Recently-concluded discovered small field (DSF) bid round, though small, was encouraging as it gave an insight into the investment appetite of the sector.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com AUTOMOTIVE MISSION PLAN 2016-26
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The Department of Heavy Industry has finalised the Automotive Mission plan 2016-26 (AMP 2026) jointly with Indian Automobile Industries after series of consultations with other stakeholders including Government departments including Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways to achieve following objectives. (i) To propel the Indian Automotive industry to become the engine of the ―Make in India‖ programme. (ii) To make the Indian Automotive Industry a significant contributor to the ―Skill India‖ programme. (iii) Promote safe, efficient and comfortable mobility for every person in the country, with an eye on environmental protection and affordability through both public and personal transport options. (iv) To seek increase net exports of the Indian Automotive industry several fold. (v) Promote comprehensive and stable policy dispensation for all regulations impacting the industry. AMP 2026 seeks to define the path of evolution of the automotive ecosystem in India including specific regulations and policies that govern research, design, technology, testing, manufacturing, imports/exports, sales, use, repair, and recycling of automotive vehicles, components and services. This includes new technologies like electric vehicles and associated infrastructure and new fuel efficiency regulations as well.
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CORPORATE VODAFONE AND IDEA MERGER DEAL APPROVED
The Competition Commission of India has approved the merger of Vodafone India and Idea Cellular. The $23-billion transaction is the largest transaction by value in the history of Indian M&A. The CCI approval, within Phase 1, is a very welcome development for both the Indian M&A landscape and the telecom sector. Phase 1 refers to the deal being approved within 30 working days as provided by the Competition Act.
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ONGC BUYS STAKE IN BPCL
Union Cabinet approved sale of government‘s stake in Hindustan Petroleum Corpration Ltd (HPCL) to Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). The ONGC will buy government‘s 51.11 per cent stake in HPCL but will not have to make an open offer as the government‘s holding is being transferred to another state-run firm and the ownership is not changing. The HPCL will become a subsidiary of ONGC and will remain a listed company post acquisition. The board of the refining and marketing company will continue to remain in place. It will fetch 30 thousand crore rupees.
SBI FORMS SUBSIDIARY FOR REAL ESTATE SERVICES
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State Bank of India (SBI) has created a wholly owned subsidiary ―SBI Infra Management Solutions Pvt. Ltd.‖ for providing real estate services to them. The role of the subsidiary is envisaged as under:Transaction Management / Advisory Services Project Management Facility Management Implementation of Policies / Initiatives The subsidiary has been formed to segregate the non-core activity of the SBI and improve operational efficiency. The SBI will continue to hold the existing (commercial and residential) as well as the new acquired property of the SBI and not in any way transfer them to the subsidiary.
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SEBI BANS P-NOTES ON DERIVATIVES
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The Securities and Exchange Board of India was established on April 12, 1992 in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992. In its latest circular, SEBI has restricted foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) from issuing offshore derivative instruments or participatory notes (P-Notes) for derivatives as underlying. A Participatory Note (PN or P-Note) in the Indian context, in essence, is a derivative instrument issued in foreign jurisdictions, by a SEBI registered Foreign Institutional Investor (FII) or its sub-accounts or one of its associates, against underlying Indian securities. The underlying Indian security instrument may be equity, debt, derivatives or may even be an index. Further, a basket of securities from different jurisdictions can also be constructed in which a portion of the underlying securities is Indian securities or indices.
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„INTERNATIONAL SECURITIES IDENTIFICATION NUMBER‟ IN NEWS SEBI has decided to increase the liquidity in the secondary market for corporate bonds by way of minimal number of ISINs (International Securities Identification Numbers). An International Securities Identification Number (ISIN) uniquely identifies a security. Its structure is defined in ISO 6166. Securities for which ISINs are issued include bonds, commercial paper, stocks and warrants. The ISIN code is a 12-character alpha-numerical code that does not contain information characterizing financial instruments but serves for uniform identification of a security through normalization of the assigned National Number, where one exists, at trading and settlement. Securities to which ISINs can be issued include debt securities, shares, options, derivatives and futures. ISIN cannot specify a particular trading location in this case, and another identifier, typically MIC (Market Identifier Code) or the three-letter exchange code, will have to be specified in addition to the ISIN. The Currency of the trade will also be required to uniquely identify the instrument using this method.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com SUBMARINE CABLE SYSTEM „AAE-1‟
Asia-Africa-Europe 1 (AAE-1) is a 25,000 km submarine communications cable system from South East Asia to Europe across Egypt, connecting Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar,India, Pakistan, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Yemen, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Greece, Italy, and France. The AAE-1 cable will have a capacity of more than 40 terabits to supply the broadband market across Asia, Africa and Europe. Construction is due to be completed in 2017. A new submarine cable system – Asia-Africa-Europe (AAE-1) – in which India‘s Reliance Jio Infocomm (RJio) is a consortium partner has entered service, with the company lighting up its India leg. The sub-sea cable system has a landing station in Mumbai. RJio, the telecom arm of Reliance Industries, has also launched a Network Operations Centre (NOC) for the subsea cable in Navi Mumbai. The cable will support increasing demand for video-centric data bandwidth and all types of communications, applications, and content within India and beyond. AAE-1 links with other cable systems and fibre networks to deliver direct access to all global markets. AAE-1 provides one of the lowest latency routes between Hong Kong, India, Middle East and Europe with the fewest hops.
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The concept of ―start-up‖ has been introduced in the company law by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. MCA has defined ―start-up‖ through an executive order under the Companies Act, 2013, but has also given few operational and compliance relaxations for a ―start-up company‖. As per this definition, a start-up company means a private company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 and recognised as a ―start-up‖ in accordance with the notification issued by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion. The relaxations relate to allowing start-ups to raise deposits from members (shareholders), with exemption from procedural compliance for five years. Also, start-ups would not be required to prepare cash flow statements. Relaxation has also been provided on the board meetings front. A company secretary of a start-up or a director can now sign the annual return.
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COMPANY LAW INTRODUCES „START-UPS‟
HYDERABAD METRO ENTERS LIMCA BOOK OF RECORDS
Hyderabad Metro Company has got ‗three‘ records to its name in the Limca Book of Records. This is the first time that Limca Book of Record History records three Metro Rail projects. The Hyderabad Metro is being constructed with public-private partnership. These records include creating pioneering avenues for non–fare revenues in metro rail sector, awarding pouring and broadcasting rights.
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Flipkart‘s acquisition of eBay India has received approval from the Competition Commission of India. The transaction relates to the acquisition of 100 per cent share capital of eBay India by Bangalore based ecommerce firm Flipkart. eBay will invest USD 500 million in Flipkart as the two firms will merge their operations in the country. As part of the deal, Flipkart will own and operate eBay‘s business in India.
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FLIPKART-EBAY INDIA MERGER DEAL IN NEWS
INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CENTRE STARTED The National Stock Exchange of India launched its international exchange, NSE IFSC, at GIFT International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) at GIFT City in Gandhinagar. The newly launched exchange kicked off trading in popular index derivatives contracts on Nifty 50, Nifty Bank and Nifty IT. Gujarat International Finance Tec-City or GIFT is an under-construction central business district between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar in the Indian state of Gujarat. An IFSC caters to customers outside the jurisdiction of the domestic economy. Such centres deal with flows of finance, financial products and services across borders. The exchange will offer derivatives contracts in gold and silver, and currency derivatives on leading global currency pairs of EURO-USD and GBP-USD. The stock derivatives will include futures and options on 10 Indian stocks, including Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Infosys, L&T, Maruti, Reliance Industries, SBI, Tata Motors and TCS. The clearing and settlement of all trades executed on NSE IFSC will be managed by the NICCL. ICICI Bank and Kotak Bank are the two clearing banks onboard for funds settlement.
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AIRTEL-TELENOR MERGER GETS NOD
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Bharti Airtel has received the approval of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), BSE and National Stock Exchange for the proposed scheme of merger between Airtel and Telenor (India) Communications Private Ltd. Now both have filed the application before the New Delhi Bench of the National Company Law Tribunal for approval of the proposed scheme of merger. Airtel has entered into a agreement with Telenor South Asia Investments Pte Ltd (Telenor) and as part of the scheme, it will acquire Telenor India‘s running operations in seven circles — Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Gujarat, UP (East), UP (West) and Assam. The proposed acquisition will include transfer of all of Telenor India‘s assets and customers, further augmenting Airtel‘s overall customer base and network.
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REPORTS INDIA WILL BECOME LARGEST MILK PRODUCER IN 2026
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Highlights of the Outlook: Milk production in India will grow 49 per cent; in 2026, India will be the world‘s largest milk producer, with an output one-third above that of the second largest producer, the European Union. Global production of wheat is projected to increase by 11 per cent over the outlook period of 2017-2026, while the wheat area increases by only 1.8 per cent. The increase in wheat production is expected to occur through higher yields, most notably in Asia and the Pacific, which will account for 46 per cent of additional wheat production. Within the region and globally, India (15 mt) will account for the biggest increase in production and Pakistan (6 mt) and China (5.5 mt) are also expected to have significant gains. The European Union accounts for 13 per cent of the production increase. Rice production is expected to grow by 66 mt and will be almost exclusively driven by yield growth, which accounts for 93 per cent of additional production. The global area dedicated to rice is expected to increase by only a per cent from the base period, while global yields will increase by 12 per cent. Major production gains are projected for India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam with yields in these countries expected to increase by over 15 per cent. According to this report, the world‘s population will increase from 7.3 to 8.2 billion over the course of the next decade with India and Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for 56 per cent of the total population growth. India‘s population will grow from 1.3 billion to 1.5 billion, an increase of almost 150 million. India will overtake China and is projected to be the most populous country in the world by 2026. By 2026, calorie availability is projected to reach 2 450 kcal per day on average in least developed countries and exceed 3 000 kcal per day in other developing countries. Still, food insecurity will remain a critical global concern, and the co‑existence of malnutrition in all its forms poses new challenges in many countries. The demand growth for ethanol and biodiesel has weakened due to lower fossil fuel prices and fewer incentives from government policies. Even though energy prices are projected to increase, the derived demand for biofuel feedstocks, especially maize and sugarcane for ethanol and vegetable oil for biodiesel, will grow slowly, except in key developing countries where demand increases are driven by more pro‑active domestic policies. Future growth in crop production will be attained mostly by increasing yields. Yield growth is projected to decrease slightly, but output could be raised by closing large yield gaps that continue to persist, especially in Sub‑Saharan Africa. The global cereal area will only increase marginally, while a further expansion of soybean area is projected to satisfy the demand for animal feed and vegetable oil. Growth in meat and dairy production will be achieved from both larger herds and higher output per animal, with large differences in the intensity of production continuing to persist. Growth in poultry production accounts for almost half of total meat production expansion over the decade. Milk production growth is expected to accelerate compared to the previous decade, most notably in India and Pakistan. Aquaculture dominates growth in the fish sector, as capture fish production is determined by the current level of stocks and governed by policies to limit over‑fishing. China will maintain a share above 60% of global fish production. Farmed fish production is the fastest growing protein source among the commodities in the Outlook. The growth in agriculture and fish trade is projected to slow to about half the previous decade‘s growth rate. However, trade will represent a broadly constant share of the sector‘s output over the coming decade. Generally, agricultural trade has proven to be more resilient to macroeconomic fluctuations, than trade in other goods. Given relatively high protection in the farm sector, agricultural trade growth could be boosted by further market liberalisation. Food imports are becoming increasingly important for food security, particularly in Sub‑Saharan Africa, North Africa, and the Middle East. While for some countries this may reflect greater demand but insufficient natural resources for growing food domestically, in other cases it may indicate agricultural development problems which need attention. Net exports are projected to increase from the Americas, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, while net imports are expected to increase across other Asian and African countries. Exports remain concentrated in a few supplying countries contrasting with widely dispersed imports. This may imply a greater susceptibility of world markets to supply shocks, stemming from natural and policy factors, rather than demand shocks. Under the Outlook‘s expected fundamental supply and demand conditions, real prices of most agricultural and fish commodities are anticipated to follow a slightly declining trend, keeping them below previous peaks over the next
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According to the ‗OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2017-2026‘, India will be the world‘s largest milk producer by 2026. The Agricultural Outlook 2017‑2026 is a collaborative effort of the OECD and FAO prepared with input from the experts of their member governments and from specialist commodity organisations. It provides a consensus assessment of the medium term (ten year) prospects for agricultural and fish commodity markets at national, regional and global levels. This year‘s edition contains a special focus on the agriculture and fish sectors of Southeast Asia.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com ten years. Prices of agricultural commodities are subject to considerable volatility and may show large deviations from their long‑term trends for an extended period of time. INDIA BECOMES LARGEST REMITTANCE RECEIVING NATION As per the World Bank, India is the largest remittance receiving country in the world in 2016. Remittances received by top 4 countries in 2016.
Top Four Remittance-Receiving Countries in the World (US$ billion) in 2016: 1. India 62.7 2. China 61.0 3. Philippines 29.9 4. Mexico 28.5 Source: World Bank
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As per the World Bank‘s Migration and Development Brief 27 (April 2017), for the first time in recent history, remittance flows to developing countries registered a decline for two successive years. India, the largest remittance-receiving country worldwide, led the fall with a decrease of 8.9 per cent in remittance inflows. Low oil prices and weak economic growth in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is one of the major reasons for the fall in remittances. The services sector is the major sector of the Indian economy in terms of the share in total GVA as can be seen in the following table. Share of Services Sector to total GVA PE 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 Share of Services in total GVA 51.8 52.9 53.8 (%)
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Note: Services includes Trade, hotels, transport, communication and services related to broadcasting, financial, real estate & professional services & public administration, defence and other services.
MONEY PARKED BY CITIZENS IN SWISS BANKS
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UK has topped the list of countries, of which citizens have parked their money in Swiss Bank accounts. India has ranked 88th place. Money officially held by Indians with banks in Switzerland now accounts for 0.04 per cent of the total funds. The US came second with nearly CHF 177 billion or about 14 per cent. No other country accounted for a doubledigit percentage share, while others in the top-ten included West Indies, France, Bahamas, Germany, Guernsey, Jersey, Hong Kong and Luxembourg. Pakistan continued to remain placed higher than India at 71st place (although down from 69th in 2015) with about CHF 1.4 billion. The latest data from Zurich-based SNB comes ahead of a new framework for automatic exchange of information between Switzerland and India to help check the black money menace. The total money held in Swiss banks by foreign clients from across the world, incidentally rose by a small margin from 1.41 trillion Swiss francs (CHF) to CHF 1.42 trillion during 2016.
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REPORT „BENTHIC MACRO INVERTEBRATES OF RIVER GANGA‟ An amount of Rs. 4,321.05 crore has been released by the Government of India to National Mission for Clean Ganga from 2011-12 to 2016-17, out of which Rs. 2,291.29 crore have been utilized till March, 2017. In May 2017, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) published a report titled ―Benthic Macro Invertebrates of River Ganga‖ in which a study was conducted to find invertebrates in Ganges. The study area cover in the aforementioned study is throughout the River length i.e. from Gangotri to Howrah. There are a large number of invertebrates including worms which are integral part of the river ecosystem. Some examples of the macro invertebrates reported in Varanasi are Baetis, Sinictinogomphus, Orthetrum albistylum speciosum, Sympetrum sp., Zyxomma, Tholymis etc. Various Interception & Diversion (I&D) and Sewer Network projects are sanctioned by NMCG to stop mixing of polluted water in River Ganga and are at various stages of implementation.
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NATIONAL SAMPLE SURVEY ROUNDS: 75TH AND 76TH
National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has been regularly conducting nation-wide surveys on various socio-economic subjects. Results of these surveys are used for planning, policy formulation and decision making.
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Currently, 75th round of National Sample Survey on Household Consumer Expenditure and Household Social Consumption on Health & Education is in progress. Fieldwork for collection of data for survey is from 1st July, 2017 to 30th June, 2018. NSSO has also launched a new employment-unemployment survey, namely, Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS). PLFS is a continuous/regular survey for generating estimates of various labour force indicators on quarterly basis for urban areas and annual basis for both rural and urban areas, at State/UT and all-India level. During its next round, i.e., 76th round (July, 2018 – December, 2018), NSSO has planned to conduct an all-India survey on i) Drinking Water, Sanitation, Hygiene & Housing Conditions and ii) Disability. With a view to collect data directly using handheld IT devices (tablets) in place of paper schedule, a Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) solution, developed by NSSO with technical assistance from the World Bank, is being used for collecting data for the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS). Further, a Standing Steering Committee of NSSO on IT has been constituted to facilitate switching over from the paper schedule, being used for collection of data in its regular socio-economic surveys, to digital methods & tools.
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IMD‟S WORLD COMPETITIVENESS LIST RELEASED
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The IMD World Competitiveness Center is a research group at IMD business school in Switzerland. It has been publishing the rankings every year since 1989. This year‘s list comprises 63 countries with Cyprus and Saudi Arabia making their first appearance. India has been ranked 45th in terms of competitiveness in the annual rankings compiled by IMD. This list is compiled by the International Institute for Management Development‘s (IMD) World Competitiveness Center. Hong Kong has topped the list. Switzerland and Singapore were ranked second and third respectively, with the US at the fourth spot. The Netherlands completed the top five. Others in the top 10 list include Ireland at sixth, Denmark seventh, Luxembourg (eighth), Sweden (ninth) and UAE at 10th. Ukraine was ranked 60th, while Brazil was placed at the 61st position and Venezuela at 63rd. IMD World Competitiveness Center has also published a separate report ranking countries‘ digital competitiveness.
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INVESTING IN SKILLS FOR INCLUSIVE TRADE: WTO-ILO STUDY
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A joint ILO-WTO study, ―Investing in Skills for Inclusive Trade‖, shows that boosting core work, technical and management skills can help countries and businesses meet the challenges of an ever more competitive global economy by reducing costs and improving the quality of products. The authors point to evidence that countries with responsive skills development systems tend to be more successful in putting skills to use in tradable activities and thereby improving that country‘s competitive position in the global economy. While trade has helped lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty and been a crucially important tool for growth, development and job creation there are those who have been left behind. Improving the capacity of our workers and managers to respond to these changes is clearly the best way to foster more inclusive trade. Providing the right skills is essential to reap the benefits of trade in increased productivity and better jobs, and to ensure that trade contributes to inclusive development. In a fast changing world of work it is more important than ever that skills development responds to current and emerging skills needs, enhancing outcomes for workers and firms both now and in the future. The need for improving skills is present in both developed and developing countries as they seek to adapt to and find opportunities in a global economy which is going through a profound transformation, driven by political changes and the forces of trade integration and technological progress. The authors point to four main mechanisms through which trade affects the relative demand for skills: Trade raises demand for products in which countries have a comparative advantage. In countries with a comparative advantage in skill-intensive sectors, trade thus increases the demand for skilled workers. International trade leads to the expansion of the most productive firms, which tend to employ relatively more skilled workers. As the costs of offshoring fall, the least complex stages of production tend to relocate from high income to lowincome economies. Lower trade costs may be a catalyst for changes in production technology, including automation, which increase productivity and favour high-skilled labour in exporting and import-competing firms in both developed and developing countries. Addressing the need for developing a more competitive workforce is a long-term process. In countries at all stages of development, continuing education and training, both at universities and in the form of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and on-the-job training can help workers and managers cope with the big changes in demand for skills which are in varying degrees triggered by globalization. The authors find evidence of a range of policy approaches which have helped countries in responding effectively to these challenges, including: Policy coherence: Enhancing skills and improving national competitiveness requires a range of policies and it is vital that they be coherent.
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Background: Over recent decades, the global economy has experienced a profound transformation, mostly as a result of the joint forces of trade integration and technological progress, accompanied by important political changes. Increased trade integration has helped to drive economic growth in both high- and low-income economies, lifting millions out of poverty in emerging and developing countries. Since the global financial crisis of 2007–08, however, trade, productivity and income growth have decelerated. At the same time, trade is increasingly perceived as leaving too many individuals and communities behind. Reaping the benefits from global trade and effective integration into global markets goes hand in hand with the adoption of new technologies, improved forms of work organization and productivity increases. Given the role of skills in trade, it is vital to put a strong emphasis on skills development. Human capital is one of the principal enablers of trade growth and economic diversification, and is also an important ―buffer‖ facilitating the adjustment to more open trade. Appropriate skills development policies are key to helping firms expand their export activities; they are also key to helping workers who lose their jobs make a smooth and rapid transition to new jobs with equal or higher wages. These two effects reinforce each other. For trade to grow, it needs to be more inclusive; and more exports offer more employment opportunities. Skills development policies constitute one among many policy instruments available to governments to make trade inclusive by enabling firms and workers to participate in trade, by lowering adjustment costs and by distributing more evenly the benefits of trade and technological progress. Other active labour market policies (ALMPs), such as job-search assistance or activation strategies, passive labour market policies such as unemployment insurance, and social policies, as well as complementary policies such as housing or credit market policies, can also be used to lower adjustment costs, while various instruments are available to redistribute the gains from trade or technology to those whose skills are less in demand because of those changes.
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Social dialogue between government and the social partners: This is central to making skills systems responsive to the needs of industry, including those industries producing tradable goods and services. Broad access to education, skills development and lifelong learning: Low-skilled workers, workers who lack transferable skills, workers whose learning skills are weak, and workers whose skills are at risk of obsolescence benefit less from trade and are vulnerable to technological change or to a trade-connected employment shock. Targeted training for displaced workers and/or workers at risk of displacement: Reskilling may be required to allow workers to move to a different occupation or a significantly different job, whether because their original job became unnecessary or because change offers a good opportunity. Investing in training for employed workers: Training for workers at all skill levels is a necessary part of implementing effective strategies, in order to underpin the capabilities needed in markets for tradable products and services. Core work skills: Strong core work skills, such as team working and problem-solving, complement technical skills and are a vital underpinning for employability, and for business performance. Skills needs analysis and anticipation: Forward-looking skills needs analysis and skills anticipation are needed to inform policy coherence and social dialogue, and to inform decision-making by all relevant partners.
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G20 NATIONS TRADE RESTRICTIONS INCREASED: WTO REPORT
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According to the WTO‘s seventeenth monitoring report on Group of 20 (G20) trade measures, the trade restrictions in G20 economies have risen at a moderate rate similar to that of previous years, despite the uncertainty facing the global economy. The G20 economies are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Republic of Korea, Japan, Mexico, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the European Union. The report calls on G20 governments to show leadership in supporting open and mutually beneficial trade as a driver of economic growth and development. A total of 42 new trade-restrictive measures were applied by G20 economies during the review period (midOctober 2016 to mid-May 2017), including new or increased tariffs, customs regulations and rules of origin restrictions. This is an average of six measures per month – slightly higher than in 2016 but below the longer-term trend observed in 2009-2015 of seven per month. G20 economies also implemented 42 measures aimed at facilitating trade during the review period, including the elimination or reduction of tariffs and the simplification of customs procedures. At an average of six new trade-facilitating measures per month, this represents a similar level compared to the previous reporting period (mid-May to mid-October 2016) and is in line with the declining trend observed in 2016. It is notable that the estimated trade coverage of trade-facilitating measures implemented by G20 economies (US$163 billion) significantly exceeded the estimated trade coverage of trade restrictive measures (US$47 billion). In addition, liberalization associated with the 2015 expansion of the WTO‘s Information Technology Agreement (ITA) continues to feature as an important contributor to trade facilitation The initiation of trade remedy investigations (which the report does not classify as restrictive or facilitating) remained the most frequently applied measure, representing 50% of all trade measures taken during the review
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KEY FINDINGS OF THE REPORT: G20 economies applied 42 new trade-restrictive measures during the review period (mid-October 2016 to midMay 2017), including new or increased tariffs, customs regulations and rules of origin restrictions. This equates to an average of six measures per month which is slightly higher than in 2016, but below the longer-term trend observed from 2009-2015 of seven per month. G20 economies also applied 42 measures aimed at facilitating trade over this review period, including eliminated or reduced tariffs and simplified customs procedures. This equates to an average of six new measures per month which is similar to the previous period and in line with the declining trend in the application of trade facilitating measures observed in 2016. During the review period, the estimated trade coverage for trade facilitating measures (US$163 billion) significantly exceeded the estimated trade coverage of trade restrictive measures (US$47 billion). This Report harmonizes the approach taken to trade remedies in the G20 Monitoring Report with that of the WTOwide Report by introducing a separate annex for trade remedy measures. It is of interest to note that initiations of trade remedy investigations represented 50% of the total trade measures taken during the review period; although the amount of trade covered is relatively small (US$25 billion for trade remedy initiations and US$6 billion for terminations). Transparency and predictability in trade policy remains vital for all actors in the global economy. The G20 should show leadership in reiterating their commitment to open and mutually beneficial trade as a key driver of economic growth and a major engine for prosperity. Faced with continuing global economic uncertainties, the G20 should seek to continue improving the global trading environment, including by implementing the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, which entered into force in February this year, and working together to achieve a successful outcome at the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference in December.
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period. However, the amount of trade covered by these is relatively small (US$25 billion for trade remedy initiations and US$6 billion for terminations of duties). The main sectors affected by trade remedy initiations were wood and articles of wood; vehicles; and furniture, bedding material, and lamps. Main sectors where trade remedy duties were terminated were articles of iron and steel; machinery and mechanical appliances; and aluminum and articles thereof.
ASSESSMENT OF DEEN DAYAL YOJANA AND NR LIVELIHOOD MISSION
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The Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana –National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM) was launched in June, 2011 with the objective to organize all rural poor households in the country and continuously nurture and support them till they come out of abject poverty. This was sought to be achieved through universal social mobilization by organizing at least one-woman member from each rural poor household into Self Help Groups (SHGs) and federating the SHGs at various levels, their training and capacity building, facilitating their micro-livelihoods plans, and enabling them to implement their livelihoods plans through accessing financial resources from their own institutions and the Banks. All 29 states and 5 UTs [except New Delhi and Chandigarh] are currently implementing the Mission in 3,814 blocks across 556 districts. The Mission is expected to mobilize all rural poor households (about 9 crore) by 202425. Keeping in view that the Mission had been under implementation for the past five years and that it had made significant progress, an assessment of the Mission was carried out. The task of carrying out the assessment was entrusted to Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA), Gujarat. The study indicates that the households covered under NRLM: have a higher number of livestock assets as compared to uncovered areas; show a higher proclivity to save in formal institutions, though the difference in the quantum of savings is not statistically significant; have a higher loan size (about 67% more than the loan size in the uncovered areas) and are more likely to borrow from formal financial sources; spend less on food consumption but more on education. However, the total household consumption expenditure is similar in covered and uncovered areas. have 22% higher (net) income than the households in the uncovered areas, largely due to income from enterprises. In fact, the propensity scores estimate that covered villages on an average have 25 enterprises compared to an average of 14 enterprises in the uncovered villages. Overall, the report states that the Mission has largely been successful in creating sensitive support structures right up to the block level. Further, several State Missions have customised the implementation strategy to suit their local context. The report also takes cognizance of the rapid growth in the promotion of Self Help Groups, federations and the increase in disbursement of bank credit. The program had most impact on women‘s empowerment, access to microfinance, increase in livestock production and high cost debt reduction, while lesser impact on augmentation of natural resources, increase in agricultural production and infrastructure development. The report has also made several recommendations to improve the Mission implementation viz. The pace of promotion of the primary and secondary level federations should be increased and they should be registered under the appropriate acts;
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(ii) While the sequential model of social mobilisation followed by livelihoods promotion has worked well in some states, the two could go hand-in-hand provided adequate emphasis is paid on the principles of collective action. (iii) Efforts should be made towards developing value chains and the creation of sustainable enterprises; (iv) Experience of leading agencies in livelihoods sector should be leveraged for promotion of sustainable livelihoods – innovative solutions such as creation of sector-specific corridors should be explored; (v) Efforts to enable the SHG members in accessing bank credit in the traditionally poorly banked areas should be increased and; (vi) Systems (HR, MIS and financial management) need be strengthened in all State Rural Livelihoods Missions. The experienced professional manpower also needs to be retained. The report concludes that ‗Expectations from DAY-NRLM are rightly high because it is one of the most important poverty eradication programmes. Hence, the Mission requires higher order of funding and commitment from both the implementing agencies and community based organisations‘.
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INDIA AND WORLD INDIA START PURCHASING CRUDE OIL FROM USA
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India has started importing crude oil from the United States for the first time. India‘s first ever purchase of crude oil by Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) from the U.S. will be delivered in September this year. IOC reportedly bought 1.6 million barrels of high-sulfur grade U.S. Mars crude oil and 400,000 barrels of Western Canadian Select. Bharat Petroleum Corporation also announced that it had become the second Indian company to buy oil from the U.S. IOC had to obtain special permission from the shipping ministry to buy the cargo on a delivered basis as local regulations favor the use of Indian flagged carriers for imports. The primary energy consumption in India is the third biggest after China and USA with 5.5% global share in 2016. India is the world‘s third-largest oil importer and latest Asian country to buy U.S. crude after South Korea, Japan, China, Thailand, Australia and Taiwan. India‘s oil imports from Iran have fallen to their lowest levels due to tensions between the two countries over the awarding of the Iranian Farzab B gas field. Iran has also cut short the credit period it offers Indian companies for oil they buy, from 90 days to 60 days. In earlier this year, Iran has become India‘s third largest oil supplier as easing western sanctions enabled Indian companies to increase purchases from that country. Saudi Arabia and Iraq continue to be ahead of Iran, which was sixth biggest supplier of crude oil to India. It has overtaken Venezuela, Nigeria and UAE to become India‘s third largest supplier.
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PROGRAMMES FOR YOUNG SCIENTISTS IN INDIA
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Government has taken several measures to encourage young scientists to undertake research work. The schemes / programmes are designed to identify promising young researchers with innovative ideas and provide them with training and research opportunities in niche areas of basic science and engineering. Some of the notable programmes of the Ministry targeted at young scientists include: Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE), National Postdoctoral Fellowship (N-PDF), Early Career Research Award (ECRA), Research Associateship, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Fellowship Schemes etc. These schemes provide a platform for young scientists to develop as independent researchers; and thereby elevating the S&T landscape of the country. CSIR provides Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Fellowship to certain top ranking JRF- National Eligibility Test (NET) qualified candidates to nurture the budding scientific talent and to nourish the objective of pursuit of scientific research. Thematic Fellowship programmes in Solar Energy, Building Energy Efficiency Higher & Advanced Network, Bioenergy and Water Research have been initiated by DST to support young faculty and research scholars for conducting research in US R&D and academic institutions.
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Indian PM Modi has been apprised of the Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) between Department of Science & Technology (DST), India and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Germany on Indo GermanCentre for Sustainability (IGCS). The JDI was concluded on 30th May, 2017 in Germany during the fourth Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) between India and Germany between Prime Minister of India and the German Federal Chancellor in Berlin. The objective of the JDI on IGCS is to promote cooperation between German and Indian scientists on fundamental and applied scientific research. It includes areas such as policy support, teaching, training and dissemination of information in the area of sustainable development and climate change through interdisciplinary/trans-disciplinary research. The IGCS will nurture future collaboration by widening the network with other Universities, Institutes and industries both in India and Germany. On the Indian side, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras will act as the host institution for IGCS. Under this JDI, the required institutional framework will be developed to provide fund support to the IGCS at IIT, Madras by DST and BMBF. DST will provide grant-in-aid support to IGCS for undertaking research in the areas of climate change for sustainable development. DST and BMBF will jointly support the IGCS for a period of five years starting from January 2018.
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FULL LIST OF INDIAN CULTURAL CENTRES IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES
ICCR has 36 Indian Cultural Centres and one Sub-Centre. ICCR has plans to establish new Indian Cultural Centres in Washington and Paris. For these new Centres, the properties are being renovated for establishing Centres.
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Cultural Centres overseas are ICCR‘s important arms, which play significant role in promotion of India‘s soft power strength through its variety of activities like facilitating teaching of Indian dance, music, yoga, Hindi etc., organizing cultural performances, film screening, lectures, talks, Seminars & Conferences on themes related to India including workshops/interactions on various streams of Indian dance and music and organizing Festivals of India. Activities are organized in the capital and other cities with the help of involvement of local community and Indian Diaspora. During the recent visit of Prime Minister of India to Israel, announcement for the opening of Indian Cultural Centre in Israel was made. Modalities for opening and running of the Centre will be worked out by ICCR in consultation with the Mission in Tel Aviv. In 2017-18 ICCR organized a Festival of India in Israel. Celebrations of IDY were organized on grand scale. ICCR has Chair of Indian Studies at the Tel Aviv University for promotion of Indian studies. India and Israel share a long standing relationship on the cultural and people to people front. Opening a Cultural Centre will further enhance relationship on this front.
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LIST OF INDIAN CULTURAL CENTRES ABROAD: Name of Centre with Country The Nehru Centre London (U.K.). The Tagore Centre Berlin, Germany. Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centre Moscow, Russia. Indian Cultural Centre Astana, Kazakhstan. Lal Bahadur Shastri Centre for Indian Culture Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Indian Cultural Centre Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Indian Cultural Centre Kabul, Afghanistan. Indian Cultural Centre Colombo, Sri Lanka. Jawaharlal Nehru Indian Cultural Centre, Jakarta, Indonesia. Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture Port Louis, Mauritius Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture, Cairo, Egypt. Indian Cultural Centre Johannesburg, South Africa. Indian Cultural Centre Georgetown, Guyana. Mahatma Gandhi Institute For Cultural Cooperation, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago. Indian Cultural Centre Paramaribo, Suriname. Indian Cultural Centre Suva, Fiji. Indian Cultural Centre Beijing, China. Indian Cultural Wing Kathmandu, Nepal. Indian Cultural Centre Bangkok, Thailand NSCB Indian Cultural Centre Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vivekanand Cultural Centre Tokyo, Japan Gurudev Tagore Indian Cultural Centre Mexico. Nehru Wangchuck Cultural Centre Thimphu, Bhutan. Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre Dhaka, Bangladesh. Indian Cultural Centre
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Yangon, Myanmar. Indian Cultural Centre Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania Indian Cultural Centre Seoul, South Korea. Amrita Sher-Gill Cultural Centre Budapest, Hungary. Indian Cultural Centre Prague, Czech Republic Indian Cultural Centre Male, Maldives. Indian Cultural Centre Sao Paulo, Brazil. Indian Cultural Centre The Hague, Netherlands. Indian Cultural Centre Tehran, Iran Indian Cultural Centre Durban, South Africa Indian Cultural Centre Sydney, Australia Indian Cultural Centre Hanoi, Vietnam Sub-Cultural Centre Bali, Indonesia
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CREDIT GUARANTEE SCHEME FOR STARTUPS
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Government is formulating a Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) with a corpus contribution of INR 2000 crores that will enable Startups to raise loans without any collateral for their business purposes. The proposed scheme will provide credit guarantee upto INR 500 lakhs per case inclusive of term loan, working capital or any other instrument of assistance extended by Member Lending Institutions (MLIs) to finance an eligible borrower i.e. a Startup recognized by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). The main norms and preconditions of the CGSS are as follows: Scheme will provide benefit to a Startup recognized by DIPP as per Gazette Notifications issued from time to time. For all resident Directors/Partners, Aadhaar shall be mandatory and for non-resident directors/partners, the passport number shall be a mandatory part of KYC norms. Member Lending Institutions (MLIs) under the scheme can be Scheduled Commercial Banks and Financial Institutions, RBI registered Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), SEBI registered AIFs, etc. The scheme will function under the trusteeship management of the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company (NCGTC). Scheme shall provide portfolio- based credit guarantee. Each portfolio shall comprise at least 10 eligible start up loans, during a particular Financial Year. Coverage would be extended to the portfolio and the portfolio loss would be reckoned against the ―net cash losses‖ during the portfolio life. Instruments of assistance could be in the form of Venture debt, working capital, debentures, Optionally Convertible debt, etc. MLIs may provide loans to up to any amount required by an eligible borrower. However, under the scheme the exposure for availing credit guarantee shall be limited to Rs.500 lakh per eligible borrower. Such loan will be extended by MLIs without any collateral security and/or third party guarantee. The Management Committee(MC) shall be responsible for the overall supervision and monitoring of the Credit Guarantee Scheme for startups. A Risk Evaluation Committee (REC) shall also be formed to address conflict of interest issues.
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CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION AND INDIA
In a major recognition of India‘s efforts to benchmark global spices trade, the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) has adopted three Codex standards for black, white and green pepper, cumin and thyme, paving the way for universal agreement on identifying quality spices in various countries. The member-countries of CAC, the international food standards-setting body which met in Geneva for its 40th session during in July, unanimously approved the adoption of Codex standards for the three spices, which would facilitate evolving a common standardization process for their global trade and availability. The Codex standards were adopted in the wake of India conducting three sessions of Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) at Kochi (2014), Goa (2015) and Chennai (2017). The Chennai session succeeded in achieving this consensus. Subsequently, these drafts were placed before the CAC, and it was adopted by consensus with an overwhelming support from the member-countries.
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With the adoption of the Codex standards on pepper, cumin and thyme, spices have been included for the first time as commodities that will have such universal standards. Commerce and Industry Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman said the adoption of the Codex standards would imply that there are now reference points and benchmarks for the member-countries to align their national standards for spices with Codex. This triumph of CCSCH is the harbinger of a lot of hard work ahead. The number of spices and culinary herbs is very large – although only 109 spices are notified in the ISO list, their actual number, as used in various countries, would be much higher. It was in 2013 that the need for Codex standards for spices and herbs became a matter of concern, owing to the increased level of issues in spice trade. At that time, there was no Codex committee exclusively for spices and culinary herbs. Thus, the first step in development of Codex standards was the establishment of a dedicated Codex committee for spices and herbs. With the approval of the Central government, Spices Board India submitted to CAC a proposal for such an exclusive committee for spices and culinary herbs. After completing the background work, it sent delegates to a series of Codex committee meetings all over the world, making a forceful plea for the need for a committee on spices and herbs. The 36th session of CAC, which met in Rome in July 2013, deliberated on this proposal from India, and later approved it with unanimous support of the member-countries. It heralded the creation of CSCH, with India as the host country and Spices Board as the Secretariat. This was the first new Codex commodity committee to be approved in the past 25 years. Historically, the developed countries, being the major importers of spices, have always insisted on unreasonably strict standards, which have had adverse effects on spice trade. This is an issue that the Codex, jointly formed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), seeks to address. Spices Board India, the flagship organization of the Central Government for export and promotion of spices from the country, has always been concerned about this aspect, and hence has taken keen interest in harmonizing the disparate standards for spices which exist all over the world.
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INDO GERMAN-CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN NEWS
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Indian Prime Minister Modi has been apprised of the Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) between Department of Science & Technology (DST), India and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Germany on Indo German-Centre for Sustainability (IGCS). The JDI was concluded on 30th May, 2017 in Germany during the fourth Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) between India and Germany between Prime Minister of India and the German Federal Chancellor in Berlin. The objective of the JDI on IGCS is to promote cooperation between German and Indian scientists on fundamental and applied scientific research. It includes areas such as policy support, teaching, training and dissemination of information in the area of sustainable development and climate change through interdisciplinary/trans-disciplinary research. The IGCS will nurture future collaboration by widening the network with other Universities, Institutes and industries both in India and Germany. On the Indian side, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras will act as the host institution for IGCS. Under this JDI, the required institutional framework will be developed to provide fund support to the IGCS at IIT, Madras by DST and BMBF. DST will provide grant-in-aid support to IGCS for undertaking research in the areas of climate change for sustainable development. DST and BMBF will jointly support the IGCS for a period of five years starting from January 2018.
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INDIA-PALESTINE COOPERATION IN YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS Indian government headed by Narendra Modi has been apprised of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between India and Palestine on cooperation in the field of youth affairs and sports. The MoU will help in promoting exchange of ideas, values and culture amongst all youth irrespective of their caste, religion and gender as well as development of sports in the two countries. In turn, it will help in consolidating friendly relations between the two countries.
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INDIA-CANADA COOPERATION ON CLEAN WATER TECHNOLOGY
The Department of Biotechnology and Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology are collaborating with Canada through the India-Canada Centre for Innovation Multi-disciplinary Partnerships to Accelerate Community Transformation and Sustainability (IC-IMPACTS), on programme focusing on Clean Water technology. Under the programme five projects are being implemented with Indian commitment of Rs. 572.00 lakhs and Canadian commitment of Rs. 750.00 lakhs. Results/technologies likely to be achieved from the projects and subsequently adopted for ensuring the supply of clean drinking water and efficient water management are:
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(i) Bio-sensors for detection of toxins: Impedance-based hand-held bio-sensors for assessment of the water quality and a nano-particle based water treatment system to eliminate toxins and microorganisms in water. Toxins which will be detected are cyanotoxin (microcystins, anatoxins) and micro-organisms (Enterococcus, Salmonella, Staphylococcus). (ii) Heavy metal detection and removal: Plastic cartridges for color based test monitoring kit for detection of multiplex heavy metal. Developing fixed bed biochar columns to remove heavy metals from waste water. (iii) Bio-recovery from waste water (waste to wealth): Integrated pilot-scale 915 MHz MW-AOP for advanced anaerobic digestion system for resource recovery. (iv) Survey to identify and explore alternatives in domestic water management: Technology and financial appropriateness of water and wastewater infrastructure in selected cities of India. These technologies are currently being developed with the aim that these technologies will be used in India. The technologies are being adapted and modified for Indian conditions. Technologies developed will be taken for feasibility studies and shall be implemented on pilot scale within two years. STEPS TAKEN TO IMPROVE BALANCE OF TRADE
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Based on the applications filed by the domestic industry (DI) for imposition of anti-dumping duty on imports from various countries including China PR, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand etc. Directorate General of Anti-dumping & Allied Duties (DGAD) initiated anti-dumping investigations on imports from various countries. From time to time, DGAD receives applications from domestic producers for imposition of anti-dumping duty on various products. After detailed investigations, preliminary/final findings are issued by DGAD based on which, Department of Revenue imposes provisional/definitive anti-dumping duties. Details of the trade deficit with China during the last three years and the current year upto April 2017 are given below:Bilateral Trade between India and China Value in US$ Billion S.No. Financial Year Trade Deficit with China 1. 2014-15 48.47 2. 2015-16 52.69 3. 2016-17 51.08 4. 2017-18 (April, 2017)* 4.92
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Efforts are being made to increase overall exports by diversifying the trade basket with emphasis on manufactured goods, services, resolution of market access issues and other non-tariff barriers. This is done through bilateral meetings and institutional dialogues. Indian exporters are encouraged to participate in major trade fairs in China to show-case Indian products. Further, many measures have been taken to overcome the overall trade deficit. These include implementation of Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) and Services Exports from India Scheme (SEIS), implementation of NiryatBandhu Scheme, Single Window Interface for Facilitating Trade (SWIFT) clearance project as part of ‗Ease of doing Business‘, Interest Equalization Scheme in pre and post shipment credit, Special Advance Authorization Scheme, Trade Infrastructure for Export Promotion (TIES) Scheme etc. The Foreign Trade Data Dashboard-Trade Analytics has been launched on 10.10.2016. It aims at providing easy access to India‘s export/import and balance of trade data in visual analytic format to all the stakeholders including public. It provides an overview of India‘s trade dynamics for last five years.
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VISIT OF AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO INDIA
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Ms. Julie Bishop, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia visited India on 18 to 19 July, 2017. The highlight of the visit was that Australia joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA) as its 35th member. She called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who welcomed Australia‘s participation in ISA. PM and FM Bishop discussed a range of regional and global issues of mutual interest. Ms Bishop also called on Finance and Defence Minister Shri Arun Jaitley to discuss a range of issues of cooperation. External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj and FM Bishop co-Chaired the 11th India Australia Foreign Ministers Framework Dialogue (FMFD), which is the main institutional bilateral mechanism between the two countries. During the Dialogue, cooperation in bilateral and multilateral issues of common interest including defence, security, counter-terrorism, trade and investment, education and consular matters were reviewed. Both sides reiterated their desire and determination to work together for a rules-based system, to maintain peace, stability, growth and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, including safety and freedom of navigation, overflight and unimpeded commerce, based on principles of international law, notably UNCLOS. FM Bishop had fruitful interactions with Australian investors, members of the Indian business community as well as its development partners. She also interacted with the students of Shiv Nadar School.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com PRIME MINISTER MODI‟S VISIT TO PORTUGAL
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Indian Prime Minister paid official visit to the Portugal in June 2017. India‘s relations with Portugal are close and friendly. Relations between India and Portugal began amicably in 1947 after India‘s independence and diplomatic relations were established in 1949. Bilateral relations however went into decline after 1950 over Portugal‘s refusal to surrender its enclaves of Goa, Daman Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli on India‘s west coast. By 1955, the two nations had cut off diplomatic relations, triggering a crisis which precipitated the liberation of Goa by Indian military forces, ending Portuguese rule over Indian enclaves in 1961. It brought to an end, 451 years of Portuguese overseas provincial governance in Goa. With the signing of a treaty in New Delhi on December 31, 1974 with the new democratic Portuguese Government, the two Embassies were re-established and amicable bilateral relations were restored. With India emerging as a rapidly growing major economy and Portugal increasingly looking at key developing countries like India for enhancing trade and investment since the economic crisis of 2008, both countries are looking to deepen economic engagement. Bilateral trade has been growing steadily over the last few years but remains modest at US$ 692 mn in 2015-16. Portuguese investments into India amounts to US$ 36.4 million and Portugal ranks 56th in terms of the overall FDI inflow into India. With Portugal and India sharing similar priorities in terms of boosting domestic economic growth, investment, employment, industry and innovation, there are several sectors with complementarities where partnerships can be forged to mutual benefit, such as: infrastructure (roads, ports, inland waterways), renewable energy (wind and solar), ICT (Start Ups), Water & Waste Management, Agro-Processing, Tourism and Hospitality. MoUs/Agreements Signed during the visit: India-Portugal Space Alliance Protocol amending the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income MoU on Nano Technology MoU on Public Administration and Governance Reforms MoU on Cultural Cooperation MoU on Youth and Sports between MoU on Cooperation in the fields of Higher Education and Scientific Research MoU Between Agência para o Investimento e Comércio Externo de Portugal, E.P.E. (Aicep Portugal Global – Trade & Investment Agency) and PIBHub – Portugal India Business Hub Memorandum of Understanding between Portugal India Business Hub & Reira Group/Goa Desk MoU on Biotechnology Memorandum of Understanding between Portugal India Business Hub & Indian Chamber of Commerce
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PRIME MINISTER MODI‟S VISIT TO RUSSIA
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Indian Prime Minster Modi paid official visit to Russia to attend 18th India-Russia Annual Summit in June 2017. There he held official meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both leaders marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries and noted that the Indian-Russian special and privileged strategic partnership is a unique relationship of mutual trust between two great powers. This partnership was further elevated to the level of a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership on 21 December 2010. ‗Saint Petersburg Declaration‘ was adopted after the annual summit.
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Following are the Highlights of „Saint Petersburg Declaration‟: The economies of India and Russia complement each other in the energy sector. Both nations will strive to build an ―Energy Bridge‖ between our States and expand bilateral relations in all areas of energy cooperation, including nuclear, hydrocarbon, hydel and renewable energy sources and in improving energy efficiency. Leaders welcomed the conclusion of the General Framework Agreement and Credit Protocol for Units 5 and 6 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. India and Russia commit themselves to earnestly implement the ―Programme of Action for Localization in India‖ signed on 24 December 2015, and to encourage their nuclear industries to engage closely and foster concrete collaborations. Both nations will continue holding regular joint land and sea military exercises, and training in each others‘ military institutions. This year will see the first ever Tri-services exercise INDRA–2017. Russia welcomed India‘s applications for the membership in Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement and reiterates its strong support for India‘s earliest admission to these export control regimes. Both nations recognize the necessity to activate bilateral interaction in this sphere on the basis of the IndianRussian Intergovernmental Agreement on Cooperation in the field of Security in the use of Information and Communication Technologies. Following MOUs/Agreements were signed during 18th India-Russia Annual Summit:
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1. Cultural Exchange Programme for the years 2017-2019 2. Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) Access Agreement 3. General Framework Agreement between Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited and Joint Stock Company ‗ATOMSTROYEXPORT‘ for the implementation of Units 5 & 6 of ‗Kudankulam‘ Nuclear Power Plant 4. Memorandum of Cooperation between the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council of India and Public Joint Stock Company ‗ALROSA‘ 5. Agreement for the Nagpur-Secunderabad Semi High Speed Execution Study in India between the Ministry of Railways of the Republic of India and the Joint Stock Company ‗Russian Railways‘
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Documents signed on the sidelines of the 18th India-Russia Annual Summit: 1. Protocol No.2 to the Agreement dated December 5, 2008 between India and Russia 2. Agreement between Heavy Engineering Corporation Limited and Joint Stock Company ―Cascade – Technologies‖ for setting up of a Special Purpose Vehicle for railways 3. Memorandum of Understanding between SREI Infrastructure Finance Limited and State Corporation ‗Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)‘ on Russian export support and participation in the development of India-Russia capital goods financing/leasing business 4. Agreement on Cooperation between ‗JITF Urban Infrastructure Services Limited‘ (Republic of India), ‗Jindal Rail Infrastructure Limited‘ (Republic of India), Joint Stock Company ‗Russian Export Centre‘ (Russian Federation), and Limited Liability Company Management Company ‗RailTransHolding‘ (Russian Federation) 5. Memorandum of Understanding between National Investment Promotion Agency ‗Invest India‘ and the Business Council for Cooperation with India concerning the promotion of investment in India and Russia 6. Cooperation Agreement between National Investment Promotion Agency ‗Invest India‘ and the Roscongress Foundation 7. Memorandum of Understanding between ‗Sun Group Private Limited‘ and Joint Stock Company ‗Pribor‘ PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI‟S VISIT TO USA
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid an official visit to USA in June 2017. There he met USA President Donald Trump who hosted Indian Prime Minister in White House. In marking 70 years of diplomatic relations between India and the United States, both leaders resolved to expand and deepen the strategic partnership between the countries and advance common objectives. As responsible stewards in the Indo-Pacific region, President Trump and Prime Minister Modi agreed that a close partnership between the United States and India is central to peace and stability in the region. President Trump welcomed further Indian contributions to promote Afghanistan‘s democracy, stability, prosperity, and security. The leaders called on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries. President Trump and Prime Minister Modi pledged to deepen defense and security cooperation, building on the United States‘ recognition of India as a Major Defense Partner. Reflecting the partnership, the United States has offered for India‘s consideration the sale of Sea Guardian Unmanned Aerial Systems, which would enhance India‘s capabilities and promote shared security interests. Resolving to expand their maritime security cooperation, the leaders announced their intention to build on the implementation of their ―White Shipping‖ data sharing arrangement, which enhances collaboration on maritime domain awareness. President Trump welcomed Prime Minister Modi‘s strong support for the United States to join as an Observer in the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium. Noting the importance of the upcoming MALABAR naval exercise, the leaders determined to expand their engagements on shared maritime objectives and to explore new exercises. As global nonproliferation partners, the United States expressed strong support for India‘s early membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Wassenaar Arrangement, and the Australia Group. President Trump reaffirmed the support of the United States for India‘s permanent membership on a reformed U.N. Security Council. Applauding the entrepreneurship and innovation of Indians and Indian-Americans that have directly benefitted both nations, President Trump welcomed India‘s formal entry into the International Expedited Traveler Initiative (Global Entry program) in order to facilitate closer business and educational ties between the citizens of India and the United States.
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PRIME MINISTER MODI‟S VISIT TO NETHERLANDS
Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi paid offical visit to The Netherlands in June 2017. The visit marked 70 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and The Netherlands. Prime Minister Modi thanked the Netherlands for its role in India‘s accession to the Missile Technology Control Regime in June 2016. The Netherlands expressed its support for India‘s early membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement. For the Australia Group the Netherlands welcomed India‘s recent application for membership. The Prime Ministers agreed to continue their joint efforts to strengthen a free, open and secure cyberspace. They stressed the importance of the Global Conference on Cyberspace (GCCS) as a unique platform where strategic
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cyber issues are discussed in a representative high-level multi-stakeholder setting. In this context, India‘s decision to host the next GCCS on in November 2017, after the Netherlands hosted the 2015 edition, was welcomed. The Prime Ministers noted a significant expansion in bilateral economic and commercial engagement. The Netherlands is the 5th largest source of Foreign Direct Investment for India. The two Prime Ministers appreciated the joint collaborations in the field of water and waste management, big data, crop sciences, public health and medical technology. They commended the ongoing projects in the field of water and waste management under the Dutch Indo Water Alliance Leadership Initiative (DIWALI) in Vadodara and Local Treatment of Urban Sewage Streams for Healthy Reuse (LOTUS) in Delhi. Prime Minister Modi encouraged the Dutch Pension Funds to participate in India‘s National Infrastructure Investment Fund. Prime Minister Modi invited the Netherlands to join the International Solar Alliance [ISA]. With 20% of India‘s exports to Europe entering through the Netherlands, the Prime Ministers discussed the role of the Netherlands as India‘s ‗Gateway to Europe‘. The Netherlands hosts the second largest Indian diaspora in Europe. As a step towards forging deeper bonds, the two Prime Ministers welcomed the signing of agreements on cooperation in the field of water management, culture and social security.
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Marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India visited Israel in July 2017. This was the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Israel solidified the enduring friendship between their peoples and raised the bilateral relationship to that of a strategic partnership. India and Israel agreed to establish a ―Strategic Partnership in Water and Agriculture‖. This will focus on water conservation, waste-water treatment and its reuse for agriculture, desalination, water utility reforms, and the cleaning of the Ganges and other rivers using advanced water technologies. It will also include the reinforcement and expansion of the existing Centres of Excellence (COE) under the stewardship of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MASHAV) and the Ministry of Agriculture of India to promote commercially viable business models involving Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs); the provision of quality planting material; and the transfer of post-harvest technical know-how and market linkages involving the private sector through PPP, B2B & other models. The two leaders also agreed on the establishment of a Joint Working Group to steer this Partnership. The two Prime Ministers agreed that negotiations would be conducted on an agreement for the Protection of Investments in order to encourage bilateral investments from both sides. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the conclusion of the Memorandum of Understanding for establishing the India-Israel Industrial R&D and Innovation Fund (I4F) by the Department of Science and Technology, India and the National Authority for Technological Innovation, Israel with a contribution of US$ 20 million from each side. This MoU will play a seminal role in enabling Indian and Israeli enterprises to undertake joint R&D projects leading to development of innovative technologies and products that have potential for commercial application. Recognising the importance of fostering wide ranging knowledge-business partnership for industries, R&D institutions and government agencies from both countries, Israel warmly welcomed India‘s offer to be the ―Partner Country‖ for the annual Technology Summit to be held in India in 2018. The Prime Ministers directed the India-Israel Joint Committee on Science and Technology to explore the possibility of further advancement of scientific collaboration including setting up of Networked Centres of Research Excellence in the cutting edge areas of mutual strength and interest. The two Prime Ministers discussed the developments pertaining to the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process. They underlined the need for the establishment of a just and durable peace in the region. They reaffirmed their support for an early negotiated solution between the sides based on mutual recognition and security arrangements
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VISIT OF PRIME MINISTER MODI TO ISRAEL
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During the visit, the following Agreements were signed: (i) MoU for setting up of India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund (I4F). (ii) MoU on National Campaign for Water Conservation in India (iii) MoU between U.P. Jal Nigam, Government of Uttar Pradesh and the Ministry of National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Resources of the State of Israel on State Water Utility Reform in India (iv) India-Israel Development Cooperation – Three Year Work Program in Agriculture 2018-2020 (v) Plan of Cooperation Between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Israel Space Agency (ISA) regarding cooperation in Atomic Clocks (vi) MoU between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Israel Space Agency (ISA)regarding cooperation in GEO-LEO Optical Link (vii) MoU between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Israel Space Agency (ISA) regarding cooperation in Electric Propulsion for Small Satellites SECOND AUSTRALIA-INDIA CYBER POLICY DIALOGUE
The second Australia-India Cyber Policy Dialogue was held in Canberra in July 2017. The two sides discussed the full range of cyber issues including cyber threat perceptions, respective visions of the future of the internet and
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INDIA-JAPAN NUCLEAR DEAL COMES INTO FORCE
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The India-Japan Agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy entered into force on July 20, 2017 with the exchange of diplomatic notes between Dr. S. Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary and Mr. Kenji Hiramatsu, Ambassador of Japan to India. The pact was signed in Tokyo during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Japan on November 11, 2016. This Agreement is a reflection of the strategic partnership between India and Japan and will pave the way for enhanced cooperation in energy security and clean energy. It seeks to promote full cooperation between the two countries in the development and uses of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes on a stable, reliable and predictable basis. India is in a dire need to augment its energy resources. India is the third largest importer of crude oil. At present India‘s nuclear power accounts for only three percent of its total electricity output. In order to realise that goal India has plans to build about eighty new nuclear reactors in the coming decades. The deal is critical to India‘s renewable energy plans and a lifeline for the Japanese nuclear power industry, which has been swamped since the Fukushima Daiichi power plants‘ meltdown in Japan in 2011. The Nuclear Suppliers Group, a group of 48 countries including the United States, France, Russia, Britain, China and Japan, had long banned export of nuclear power plant technology to India because it was not a party to the NPT. India, which conducted nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998, is not a party to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, either. But the group changed its rules in 2008 and made it possible for member countries to export such technology to India. Japan started negotiations with India in 2010 and signed the civil nuclear cooperation pact last November.
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cyberspace, updates on domestic cyber governance and policy, developments in regional and international fora and growth of the digital economy. Further, the two sides also agreed on a Plan of Action, which identified Points of Contacts on various issues of mutual interest in the area of Cyberspace. The two countries agreed that the bilateral Cyber Policy Dialogue provided a strong foundation for existing and future cooperation. The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to the rules-based order and to enhancing their understandings of how these rules applied to state behaviour in cyberspace. Australia and India reaffirmed that responsible behaviour of states in cyberspace is subject to the UN Charter in its entirety and existing international law. They further reaffirmed that such behaviour includes respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. The two countries observed that the cumulative reports of the UNGGE have gone a long way to deepening common understandings, not just about how international law and norms apply to cyberspace, but they have also provided important guidance on confidence building measures and capacity building. This combined framework helps reduce the risk of conflict by creating clear expectations for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace. Australia and India resolved to work together to deepen common understandings on these important issues, including at the upcoming Global Conference on Cyberspace in New Delhi in November 2017. The two countries agreed to hold the next round of the Dialogue in India in 2018.
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Main Highlights of the Nuclear Deal: The nuclear deal would enable Japan to export nuclear power plant technology as well as provide finance for nuclear power plants in India. Japan would also assist India in nuclear waste management and could undertake joint manufacture of nuclear power plant components. Japan is a major player in the nuclear energy market and an atomic deal with it will make it easier for US-based nuclear plant makers to set up atomic plants in India. Other nations who have signed civil nuclear deal with India include the US, Russia, South Korea, Mangolia, France, Namibia, Argentina, Canada, Kazakhstan and Australia. INDIA JOINS USA „GLOBAL ENTRY PROGRAMME‟
India recently signed International Expedited Traveler Initiative Programme with the United States. Global Entry is a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows speedy clearance for low-risk travellers upon their arrival in the US. On landing at the selected airports in the United States, the approved applicants can make their way ahead through automatic kiosks instead of standing in the immigration lines. India joined Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, Panama, South Korea, Germany, Singapore, the UK, Colombia, Switzerland, and Argentina in CBP‘s Global Entry and other trusted traveller programmes. The biggest advantage of getting enrolled in this programme is that you will no longer have to stand in the long queues for immigration. The select US airports that offer the facility include all major ones, including New York, Newark, Washington, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Jose, Las Vegas, Miami and Seattle. Besides those in the US, the airports at Dublin in Ireland, Vancouver and Toronto in Canada and Abu Dhabi are also on the list.
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A Global Online Enrollment System (GOES) account is mandatory for enrollment irrespective of the age of the members. The account can be made at the US Customs and Border Protection Page.
GLOBAL FOREIGN EXCHANGE COMMITTEE IN NEWS
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The Global Foreign Exchange Committee was established in May 2017 as a forum bringing together central banks and private sector participants with the aim to promote a robust, fair, liquid, open, and appropriately transparent Foreign Exchange (FX) market in which a diverse set of participants, supported by resilient infrastructure, are able to confidently and effectively transact at competitive prices that reflect available information and in a manner that conforms to acceptable standards of behaviour. India will soon get a seat on the Global Foreign Exchange Committee (GFXC). The committee has been set up under the guidance of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), an international financial organisation owned by 60 member central banks, representing countries from around the world. The newly expanded and formalised GFXC, which will meet regularly, replaces a similar but more informal organisation of eight foreign exchange committees — namely those from Australia, Canada, Euro area, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, UK and the US. The GFXC will also now include representatives from existing, or soon to be established, foreign exchange committees or similar structures in Brazil, China, India, Korea, Mexico, South Africa, Sweden and Switzerland. It will seek to promote collaboration and communication among local foreign exchange committees and other jurisdictions with significant forex markets. It will also provide a forum for the exchange of views on market trends and developments.
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The objectives of the GFXC are: to promote collaboration and communication among the local foreign exchange committees (FXCs) and nonGFXC jurisdictions with significant FX markets; to exchange views on trends and developments in global FX markets, including on the structure and functioning of those markets, drawing on information gathered at the various FXCs; and to promote, maintain and update on a regular basis the FX Global Code (the Code) and to consider good practices regarding effective mechanisms to support adherence.
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FX Global Code (Global Code): The FX Global Code (Global Code) is a set of global principles of good practice in the foreign exchange market, developed to provide a common set of guidelines to promote the integrity and effective functioning of the wholesale foreign exchange market. It was developed by a partnership between central banks and Market Participants from 16 jurisdictions around the globe. The purpose of the Global Code is to promote a robust, fair, liquid, open, and appropriately transparent market in which a diverse set of Market Participants, supported by resilient infrastructure, are able to confidently and effectively transact at competitive prices that reflect available market information and in a manner that conforms to acceptable standards of behaviour. The Global Code does not impose legal or regulatory obligations on Market Participants, nor does it substitute for regulation, but rather it is intended to serve as a supplement to any and all local laws, rules and regulations by identifying global good practices and processes.
The full name of Pant Mirza Agreement is ―Pant Mirza Agreement To Prevent Border Incidents And Protect Places Of Worship‖ of 1955. This agreement pertains to steps to be taken to prevent border incidents in Punjab. It also refers to the 1953 agreement regarding protection of places of worship and orders setting up of a Joint Committee to work out the details for implementing it. The following were present in the meeting which finalized this agreement:
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„PANT-MIRZA AGREEMENT‟ IN NEWS RECENTLY
INDIA SIDE: 1. Shri Govind Ballabh Pant, Minister for Home Affairs. 2. Shri C.C.Desai, High Commissioner for India in Pakistan. 3. Shri A. V. Pai, Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs. 4. Shri S. Dutt, Commonwealth Secretary. 5. Shri V. C. Trivedi, Director, Pakistan Division, Ministry of External Affairs. PAKISTAN SIDE: 1. Maj. Gen. Iskander Mirza, Minister for the Interior. 2. Raj Ghazanfar Ali Khan, High Commissioner for Pakistan in India.
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1) Prevention of Border Incidents: It was agreed that all possible steps should be taken to prevent border incidents. A joint committee of representatives of the Governments of India and Pakistan, assisted by representatives of the Governments of the two Punjab‘s, should evolve a plan indicating the measures to be adopted for preventing recurrence of such incidents. The Committee should submit immediately a report for the consideration of the Ministers. 2) Shrines and Holy Places: The Ministers referred to the Agreement reached between the two Governments on this issue in July-August, 1953 and decided that a Joint Committee of the representatives of the two Governments should be formed to work out the details of implementation of the terms of this Agreement. The Committee should, inter alia, prepare a list of important shrines in West Pakistan and certain selected areas in India, the protection and preservation of which should be the special responsibility of the Government concerned. The committee should also consider the question of properties attached to these shrines and the income derived there-from in accordance with the July-August 1953 Agreement. The Committee should submit its report to the Ministers as early as possible and in any case within three months of its formation. If necessary, the Committee might visit the shrines concerned in the two countries. The two Ministers agreed that all facilities and assistance should be given to pilgrims visiting shrines and holy places in the other country either as individual pilgrims or as pilgrim parties. In accordance with the Indo-Pakistan Agreement of the 9th April 1955 on liberalization of travel facilities between the two countries a revised passport and visa scheme was being worked out by the two Governments. Provision should be made in the scheme for free and liberal grant of travel facilities to pilgrims. Agreement includes visits to shrines of Hazrat Moinuddin Chishti (Ajmer), Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya (Delhi), Hazrat Amir Khusro (Delhi), Hazrat Mujaddid Alf Sani (Sirhind Sharif) and Hazrat Khwaja Alauddin Ali Ahmed Sabir (Kalyar Sharif) in India and Shadani Darbar (Hyat Pitafi), Shri Katasraj Dham (Lahore), Gurudwaras of Shri Nankana Sahib (Rawalpindi), Shri Panja Sahib (Rawalpindi) and Shri Dera Sahib (Lahore) in Pakistan. Under the Protocol it is the obligation of the concerned country to make every effort to ensure that the places of worship in the agreed list of shrines under the Protocol are properly maintained and their sanctity preserved. Government of India ensures that these Shrines in India are properly maintained and their sanctity preserved. INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INSURANCE SUPERVISORS
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The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for IRDAI‘s admission as a signatory to International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS). The International Association of Insurance Supervisors is a global framework for cooperation and information exchange between insurance supervisors. International Association of Insurance Supervisors, Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding is a statement of its signatories‘ intent to cooperate in the Field of information exchange as well as procedure for handling information requests. With increasing integration of financial market and growing number of internationally active insurance companies there is an increased need for mutual cooperation and information exchange between insurance industry supervisors. In this background the IRDAI had become a signatory member of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors, Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding. In the absence of any bilateral agreements the IAIS, MMoU provides a formal basis for cooperation and information exchange between the Signatory Authorities regarding the supervision of insurance companies where cross-border aspects arise. The scope of the IAIS MMoU is wider than the existing agreements as this agreement also provides for supervision of other regulated entities such as insurance intermediaries under Anti Money Laundering, (AML) and Combating the Finance of Terrorism (CFT).
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INDIA-NETHERLANDS COOPERATION IN SPACE TECHNOLOGY
The Union Cabinet has been apprised of the MoU between India and Netherlands on cooperation in the exploration and uses of outer space for peaceful purposes. The MoU was signed on May 11 & 22, 2017 at Bangalore and The Hague respectively. This MoU shall enable the following areas of cooperation such as, space science, technology and applications including remote sensing of the earth; satellite communication and satellite based navigation; Space science and planetary exploration; use of spacecraft and space systems and ground system; and application of space technology. The MoU would lead to set up a Joint Working Group, drawing members from Department of Space/ Indian Space Research Organisation (DOS/ISRO), and the Netherlands Space Office (NSO), which will further work out the plan of action including the time-frame and the means of implementing this MoU. It will provide impetus to explore newer research activities and application possibilities in the field of remote sensing of the earth; satellite communication; satellite navigation; space science and exploration of outer space. The MoU would lead to develop a joint activity in the field of application of space technologies for the benefit of humanity. Thus all sections and regions of the country will get benefited.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com DOS/ISRO Centres have long association with ITC (International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente) Netherlands on capacity building; and with the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) for carrying out calibration/ validation experiments on earth observation. Antrix Corporation, the Commercial arm of Department of Space (DOS) launched a satellite belonging to the Netherlands (DELFI-C3) in April 2008.
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MOU ON TAX COOPERATION BETWEEN BRICS NATIONS
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Union Cabinet has given the approval for the signing of Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) in respect of tax matters between India and the Revenue administrations of BRICS countries namely, Brazil, Russian Federation, China and South Africa. The MoC aims to further promote cooperation amongst the BRICS Revenue administrations in international forum on common areas of interest in tax matters and in the area of capacity building and knowledge sharing. It envisages regular interaction amongst the heads of Revenue administration of BRICS countries to continue discussion on common areas of interest and strive towards convergence of views and meeting of the Experts on tax matters to discuss the contemporary issues in areas of international tax. In addition, the MoC accords confidentiality and protection to information exchanged under this MoC. The MoC will stimulate effective cooperation in tax matters. The collective stand of BRICS countries can prove to be beneficial not only to these countries but also to other developing countries in the long run in tax matters being steered by the G20. Background: The Heads of Revenue of the BRICS countries have been meeting regularly to discuss the potential areas of cooperation in tax matters and to exchange opinions and views based on the existing commitment to openness, solidarity, equality, mutual understanding, inclusiveness and mutually beneficial cooperation, as stated in the Goa Declaration issued on October 16, 2016. The BRICS countries have identified four areas of mutual interest on which understanding and cooperation can be further strengthened. The heads of Revenue of BRICS countries in their meeting held on the sidelines of FTA plenary at Beijing, China in May, 2016 decided to sign a MoC outlining these areas of cooperation.
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INDIA-SRILANKA COOPERATION IN SOLAR POWER
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India is providing support to Srilanka in setting of a solar power plant. Sri Lanka will soon start the process of setting up a solar power plant in eastern port town Trincomalee. In April 2017, India and Srilanka signed a MOU for cooperation in a host of development projects including the setting up of a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plant in suburban Colombo and a solar power plant in Sampur, Trincomalee. Sampur, where the solar plant is set to come up, is located in the strategically important port town of Trincomalee, on the north-eastern coast of the island. India and Sri Lanka have agreed to jointly operate a world war-era oil storage facility in the town, with the aim of developing it into a regional petroleum hub. The proposed solar power plant is in line with Soorya Bala Sangramaya (Battle for Solar Energy), an initiative that President Sirisena launched last year to add 220 MW of solar power to Sri Lanka‘s energy grid by 2020.
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HAGUE CONVENTION ON CIVIL ASPECTS OF CHILD ABDUCTION The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction or Hague Abduction Convention is a multilateral treaty developed by the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) that provides an expeditious method to return a child internationally abducted by a parent from one member country to another. The Convention was concluded 25 October 1980 and entered into force between the signatories on 1 December 1983. The Convention was drafted to ensure the prompt return of children who have been abducted from their country of habitual residence or wrongfully retained in a contracting state not their country of habitual residence. The primary intention of the Convention is to preserve whatever status quo child custody arrangement existed immediately before an alleged wrongful removal or retention thereby deterring a parent from crossing international boundaries in search of a more sympathetic court. The Convention applies only to children under the age of 16. As of May 2017, 97 states are party to the convention. In 2016, Philippines and Pakistan acceded to the convention.
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India Refused to Sign this Convention: Union government has decided that India will not ratify the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (1980). The decision was taken by Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi and has been agreed to by the Ministry of External Affairs.
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The government‘s view is contrary to the recommendations given by the Law Commission, which endorsed acceding to the Hague convention. The Law Commission has in its March 2009 report titled ‗Need to accede to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction 2009‘ advised that the Union government should be a signatory to the treaty. The Indian government‘s refusal to ratify the Hague convention centers on the argument that in most cases, it is the mother — often a victim of domestic abuse — who returns to India with the child (considered an act of ―abduction‖ under the convention). And so adhering to the treaty would be tantamount to victimizing women who are trying to escape a bad marriage. A report by India‘s Law Commission shows that 68 percent of the parents who took their child away were mothers, where 85 percent of these mothers are the primary caregivers of their children across the globe. WCD Ministry stated that signing it would be to the disadvantage of Indian women in that there were far more cases of Indian women escaping bad marriages abroad and returning ―to the safety of their homes‖ in India than non-Indian women who are married to Indian men leaving India with their children, and that the majority of such cases involved women fleeing, not men. Some Indian women who left the U.S. with their children have claimed that they and/or their children were subjected to routine, psychologically traumatic abuse by their husbands and in-laws. When they made complaints to the authorities, either no action was taken, they were forced to move into shelters, or their children were removed by child protective services.
GLOBAL TECHNICAL STRATEGY FOR MALARIA 2016-2030
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The Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016–2030 was adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2015. It provides a comprehensive framework to guide countries in their efforts to accelerate progress towards malaria elimination. The strategy sets the target of reducing global malaria incidence and mortality rates by at least 90% by 2030. It emphasizes the need for universal coverage of core malaria interventions for all populations at risk and highlights the importance of using high-quality surveillance data for decision-making. It also identifies areas where innovative solutions will be essential for attaining the goals, and summarizes the estimated global costs of implementation. The WHO strategy was developed in close alignment with the Roll Back Malaria Partnership‘s Action and Investment to defeat Malaria 2016-2030 – for a malaria-free world to ensure shared goals and complementarity. In consonance with Global Technical Strategy (GTS) of World Health Organization (WHO), the National Frame Work for Malaria Elimination (NFME), 2016-2030 in India was launched by Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare in February 2016 to eliminate malaria in a phased manner by 2027 and to sustain thereafter till 2030 and beyond.
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The Govt. of India has accordingly advised the States for the following: Malaria to be made a notifiable disease and all cases from private and other formal and non-Govt. sectors to be reported. All states/UTs and their respective districts have to reduce Annual Parasite Incidence (API) to less than 1 case per 1000 population at risk and sustain zero deaths due to malaria while maintaining fully functional malaria surveillance to track, investigate and respond to each case throughout the country. Strengthening of routine surveillance for reducing malaria transmission in high transmission areas, and establishing case-based surveillance as a core intervention for elimination areas. Although guidelines and policies are in place, active surveillance for malaria is not being undertaken effectively because of non- filling of vacancies for last many years by the States especially Multi-Purpose Health Workers, responsible for active surveillance. Passive surveillance being done by all health facilities upto sub-centre level has been extended upto the community level through Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs)/Community Health Volunteers. Sentinel Surveillance for malaria for management of severe cases and preventing deaths has been strengthened by identifying more sentinel sites and to make all of them functional. Presently 419 sentinel sites have been identified and made functional. Considering the malaria elimination target, electronic up-gradation of surveillance system explored for faster communication, early detection of cases and rapid response. Presently, no vaccine for prevention of Malaria for Public health use or commercially is available. RTS,S/AS01 is the most advanced vaccine against the most deadly form of human malaria, P. falciparum. It is the first malaria vaccine to complete pivotal Phase 3 testing and obtain a positive scientific opinion from a stringent medicines regulatory authority. It is being considered as a complementary malaria control tool in Africa that could potentially be added to and not replace the core package of proven malaria preventive, diagnostic and treatment interventions. As per information received from WHO country office, the joint review and advice from Malaria Policy Advisory Committee Meeting (MPAC)and the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) in October 2015, WHO recommends pilot implementation of the RTS,S vaccine in distinct settings in sub-Saharan Africa in order to generate the evidence necessary for an updated WHO policy recommendation on the use of the vaccine in children in sub-Saharan Africa.
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The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO) announced on April 24, 2017, that Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi will partner with WHO in the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme (MVIP) that will make the RTS,S vaccine available in selected areas of the three countries, beginning in 2018.
India participated in the fourth Joint International Taskforce on Shared Intelligence and Collaboration (JITSIC) meeting reconvened in Paris to pursue the work on the Panama Papers in the last week of June 2017. Based on legal instruments under the OECD and Council of Europe Multilateral Convention and tax treaties, a number of countries shared information in confidential Competent Authorities sessions, on structures that facilitate, enable and promote tax avoidance / evasion. India also shared its experience in this regard. Demonstrating the value and strength of JITSIC, 30 project participant countries have continued to exchange, analyse and act on information about taxpayers and intermediaries connected to Mossack Fonseca. In the past six months, more than 570 requests for information have been sent to 32 countries. India has also sent several requests for information to various jurisdictions in the Panama Paper cases since the last meeting in January 2017. JITSIC members have established the capability to allow for fast, effective and coordinated multilateral responses to any future data leaks and are sharing the same. JITSIC will continue to identify more arrangements as countries continue their investigations and share intelligence and new data comes to light. Collaboration with JITSIC has been useful for India in its fight against offshore tax evasion.
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The India-UN Development Partnership Fund has been to help the poorest countries achieve the world organisation‘s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to reduce poverty and raise the quality of life. The fund will be managed by the UN Office of South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), and will focus on least developed countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Fund will start with an initial contribution of $1 million for its first project, Climate Early Warning System in Pacific Island Countries (CEWSPIC). The inaugural project, CEWSPIC, seeks to develop for Pacific island countries an early warning system for extreme weather conditions related to el Nino, the periodic warm ocean currents that seriously impact the climate system. The project was developed jointly by India and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) for seven countries — the Cook Islands, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, the Solomon Islands and Tonga. India enlarged its support to sustainable development through the multilateral system by making a supplemental contribution of one million dollars to the fund. Managed by UNOSSC, the India-UN Development Partnership Fund will support Southern-owned and led, demand-driven, and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world. Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), United Nations agencies will implement the Fund‘s projects in close collaboration with partnering governments. The Government of India made an initial one million dollars contribution when the fund was created, which was allocated for the implementation of a project benefiting seven Small Island Developing States in the South Pacific. This project was formulated by India and UNDP in consultation with the Governments of the Cook Islands, the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Nauru, the Solomon Islands and the Kingdom of Tonga. It will increase resilience to natural disasters in these seven Pacific island countries, and as such contribute toward Sustainable Development Goal 12, Climate Action. The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote, coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system.
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INDIA-UN DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP FUND SETUP
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JOINT INTERNATIONAL TASKFORCE ON SHARED INTELLIGENCE
ABOUT UNOSSC: UNOSSC, hosted by UNDP since 1974, was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis. UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body, the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation. UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding. About South-South and Triangular Cooperation: South-South cooperation is a broad framework of collaboration among countries of the South in the political, economic, social, cultural, environmental and technical domains. Involving two or more developing countries, it can take place on a bilateral, regional, intraregional or interregional basis. Developing countries share knowledge, skills, expertise and resources to meet their development goals through concerted efforts.
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Objectives of South-South Cooperation: The basic objectives of South-South collaboration, according to the Buenos Aires Plan of Action (BAPA) for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries endorsed by the General Assembly in 1978 (resolution 33/134), are to: foster the self-reliance of developing countries by enhancing their creative capacity to find solutions to their development problems in keeping with their own aspirations, values and specif needs; promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among developing countries through the exchange of experiences; the pooling, sharing and use of their technical and other resources; and the development of their complementary capacities; strengthen the capacity of developing countries to identify and analyse together their main development issues and formulate the requisite strategies to address them; increase the quantity and enhance the quality of international development cooperation through the pooling of capacities to improve the effectiveness of the resources devoted to such cooperation; create and strengthen existing technological capacities in the developing countries in order to improve the effectiveness with which such capacities are used and to improve the capacity of developing countries to absorb and adapt technology and skills to meet their specific developmental needs; increase and improve communications among developing countries, leading to a greater awareness of common problems and wider access to available knowledge and experience as well as the creation of new knowledge in tackling development problems; recognize and respond to the problems and requirements of the least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, small island developing States and the countries most seriously affected by, for example, natural disasters and other crises; and Enable developing countries to achieve a greater degree of participation in international economic activities and to expand international cooperation for development.
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Guiding Principles of South-South Cooperation: South-South cooperation is a manifestation of solidarity among peoples and countries of the South that contributes to their national well-being, their national and collective self-reliance and the attainment of internationally agreed development goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The South-South cooperation agenda and South-South cooperation initiatives must be determined by the countries of the South, guided by the principles of respect for national sovereignty, national ownership and independence, equality, non-conditionality, non-interference in domestic affairs and mutual benefit.
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Recent developments in South-South cooperation have taken the form of increased volume of South-South trade, South-South flows of foreign direct investment, movements towards regional integration, technology transfers, sharing of solutions and experts, and other forms of exchanges. Triangular cooperation is collaboration in which traditional donor countries and multilateral organizations facilitate South-South initiatives through the provision of funding, training, management and technological systems as well as other forms of support.
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INDIA-USA STEEL IMPORT DISPUTE IN WTO
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India has moved World Trade Organisation against the US as it has not yet complied with the rulings of WTO body related to Indian steel products. USA is not complying with the WTO dispute settlement body‘s ruling against countervailing duties imposed on Indian steel imports by the US. On December 19, 2014, the DSB had found that the US imposed countervailing duties on Indian exports of certain hot-rolled carbon steel flat products in a manner that breached the obligations of the US under the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM Agreement). The WTO body recommended that the US bring its measures into conformity with its obligations under the SCM Agreement. The implication of this ruling is that the USA needs to amend its domestic law to be WTO compliant.
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INDIA BUILDS KALADAN PROJECT IN MYANMAR
The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project is a project that will connect the eastern Indian seaport of Kolkata with Sittwe seaport in Myanmar by sea; it will then link Sittwe seaport to Paletwa in Myanmar via Kaladan river boat route and then from Paletwa on to Mizoram by road transport. Kaladan is the first major project taken up by India in Myanmar. ₹1,600-crore contract has been awarded for building 109-km road connecting Paletwa river terminal to Zorinpui in Mizoram border. India completed the construction of Sittwe port, at the estuary of Kaladan river in Myanmar. At the Indian side, extension of the Aizawl-Saiha National Highway by 90 km to the international border at Zorinpui, at the southern tip of Mizoram is almost over. $484-million Kaladan multi-modal project will offer connectivity to Mizoram in India. Mooted in 2003, India entered a framework agreement with Myanmar for Kaladan project in 2008. Construction began in 2010.
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The project has several sections/legs: 539 km shipping route from seaport of Kolkata in India to Sittwe seaport in Myanmar via Bay of Bengal 158 km river boat route from Sittwe seaport to Paletwa jetty via Kaladan river in Myanmar 110 km road route from Paletwa jetty to Indo-Myanmar border in Myanmar 100 km route from Indo-Myanmar border to Lawngtlai in Mizoram in India by road on National Highway 54 (India) (NH-54), which then continues further to Dabaka in Assam via -850 km long NH-54 which in turn is part of the larger East-West Corridor connecting North East India with the rest of India. As per the framework agreement, India should also set up an SEZ at Sittwe which is located closer to the Chinese port and SEZ at Kyaukphyu.
INDIA-PALESTINE COOPERATION IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
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Background: India has strong political support to the Palestinian cause at international and bilateral levels. India has been contributing material and technical assistance to the Palestinian people. The MOU on cooperation in the field of IT&E was initiated during the 1st Session of JCM in November, 2016. After several negotiations draft MoU was finalised and signed during the VVIP visit from Palestine in May 2017.
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The Union Cabinet has been apprised of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Palestine on Cooperation in the field of Information Technology and Electronics (IT&E) The MoU intends to promote closer co-operation in the areas of e-Governance, m-Governance, e-Public Services Delivery, cyber security, software technology parks, start-ups ecosystem etc. The MoU shall come into effect from date of signature of the parties and shall remain in force for a period of 5 years. The MoU shall be implemented by establishing a Working Group on IT&E composed of representatives of the two Parties. Bilateral Cooperation in ICT domain both B2B and G2G will be enhanced. It envisages improving B2B collaboration leading to employment opportunities.
INDIA-BANGLADESH COOPERATION ON CYBER SECURITY
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Background: CERT-In is a national nodal agency under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, with the objective of securing Indian cyber space. Hence, CERT-In is collaborating with overseas Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) for incident response and resolution. The agreement comes in the backdrop of Governments, business and consumers are increasingly faced with a variety of cyber threats. Besides, there is a need to further improve cyber security readiness and raise awareness around the importance of keeping systems secure and security practices and procedures current and recognizing the importance of cooperation by the two organizations in the area of cyber security.
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The Union Cabinet has been apprised of the MoU between India and Bangladesh on cyber security cooperation. This MoU was signed between Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of India and Bangladesh Government Computer Incident Response Team (BGD e-Gov CIRT) Bangladesh Computer Council of Information and Communication Technology Division under the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology of Bangladesh. The MoU was signed on 8th April, 2.017. The MoU intends to promote cooperation between CERT-In and BGD e-Gov CIRT and includes exchange of information on Cyber attacks and cyber security incidents; Cyber security technology cooperation; exchange cyber security policies and best practices and Human Resource Development in this field in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of each country and on the basis of equality, reciprocity and mutual benefits. The MoU between CERT-In and BGD e-Gov CIRT would be implemented through a duly set up Joint Committee on Cyber Security.
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INDIA-BANGLADESH AGREEMENT ON PROTECTION OF INVESTMENTS
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for the Joint Interpretative Notes (JIN) on the Agreement between India and Bangladesh for the Promotion and Protection of Investments. The JIN would impart clarity to the interpretation of the existing Agreement between India and Bangladesh for the Promotion and Protection of Investments (BIPA). The JIN includes interpretative notes to be jointly adopted for many clauses, including, the definition of investor, definition of investment, exclusion of taxation measures, Fair and Equitable Treatment (FET), National Treatment (NT) and Most Favoured Nation (MFN) treatment, expropriation, essential security interests and Settlement of Disputes between an Investor-and a Contracting Party. Joint Interpretative Statements in general play an important supplementary role in strengthening the investment treaty regime.
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With increasing Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) disputes, issuance of such statements is likely to have strong persuasive value before tribunals. Such pro-active approach by States can foster a more predictable and coherent reading of treaty terms by arbitration tribunals.
The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for signing a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) between India and Germany on cooperation in the field of Health. The JDI was signed on 1st June, 2017. The JDI covers the following areas of cooperation :a) postgraduate education; b) training of medical personnel; c) pharmaceuticals and pharmacoeconomics; and d) health economics. A Working Group will be set up to further elaborate the details of cooperation and to oversee the implementation of this JDI.
INDIA-PALESTINE MOU IN HEALTH AND MEDICINE
The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for signing a MoU between India and Palestine on cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine. The MoU was signed on 16th May, 2017. The MoU covers the following areas of cooperation: – (i) Capacity building of health staff; (ii) Prevention and control of communicable diseases; (iii) Physiotherapy and rehabilitation; (iv) Drugs, pharmaceuticals and Medical Equipments; and (v) Any other area of mutual interest. A Working Group will.be set up to further elaborate the details of cooperation and to oversee the implementation of this MoU.
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INDIA-GERMANY COOPERATION IN HEALTH SECTOR
INDIA-EU SETUP INVESTMENT FACILITATION MECHANISM
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European Union (EU) and India has established the Investment Facilitation Mechanism (IFM) for EU Investments in India. The mechanism will allow for a close coordination between the European Union and the Government of India with an aim to promote and facilitate EU investment in India. This agreement builds on the Joint Statement of the 13th EU-India Summit held in Brussels in March 2016, where the EU had welcomed India‘s readiness to establish such a mechanism and leaders from both sides had reaffirmed their shared commitment to oppose protectionism and to work in favour of a fair, transparent and rulebased trade and investment environment. As part of the IFM, the EU Delegation to India and the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, agreed to hold regular high level meetings to assess and facilitate ―ease of doing business‖ for EU investors in India. This will include identifying and putting in place solutions to procedural impediments faced by EU companies and investors in establishing or running their operations in India. The IFM has been established with the key objectives of paving the way for identifying and solving problems faced by EU companies and investors with regard to their operations in India. The IFM will cover new investors as well as those already established in India. The IFM is also going to serve as a platform for discussing general suggestions from the point of view of EU companies and investors with regard to ease of doing business in India. Invest India, the official Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency of the Government of India, will also be part of the Mechanism. It will create a single-window entry point for EU companies that need assistance for their investments at the central or state level. The DIPP will also facilitate participation of other relevant ministries and authorities on a case-to-case basis. Trade and Investment are key elements of the EU-India Strategic Partnership launched in 2004. Along with being the first trade partner in goods and services, EU is one of the biggest provider of foreign investment in India, with a stock exceeding US$ 81.52 billion (more than 4.4 lakh crores INR) as of March 2017. There are currently more than 6,000 EU companies present in India, providing direct and indirect employment to over 6 million people. The establishment of the Investment Facilitation Mechanism is a right step in the direction of strengthening the trade and investment ties between the EU and India. The EU is the largest foreign investor in India and this initiative helps ensuring a more robust, effective and predictable business environment for the EU investors.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com JAPAN LOAN FOR DAIRY PROJECT IN INDIA
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India ranks first among the world‘s milk producing Nations since 1998 and has the largest bovine population in the World. Milk production in India during the period 1950-51 to 2014-15, has increased from 17 million tonnes to 146.31 million tonnes. The milk production during 2015-16 is 155.49 million tonnes. About 54% of the milk produced in the country is surplus for marketing in the domestic market, of which only 20.5% is procured/processed by the organised sector being equally, shared by Cooperatives and Private dairy organizations. To meet the growing demand which is estimated to be in the range of 200 – 210 million MT by 2021-22, the country needs to upgrade its infrastructure at the village level particularly for milk procurement and production of high valued milk products. Government is mandated to double milk producers‘ income at farm level by providing rural milk producers with greater access to the organised milk processing sector. Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries has formulated a Draft National Action Plan for Dairy Development which includes creation of milk chilling facilities including bulk milk cooling, processing infrastructure, Value added products (VAP), organisation of milk collection centres/dairy cooperative societies, milk transportation facility and marketing infrastructure to meet the requirement of increased milk handling. Government has therefore submitted a proposal for availing loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency for ‗Dairying through Cooperatives-National Dairy Infrastructure Plan‘‘ in line with the mandate of Government to double farmers income in next five years. The total outlay of the proposal is Rs 20,057 crores. The proposal primarily aims to cover additional 1.28 lakh villages, 121.83 lakh additional milk producers, setting up of 1.05 Lakh bulk milk coolers at village level creating 524.20 lakh Kg milk per day capacity of milk chilling and creation of milk & milk product processing infrastructure of 76.5 lakh Kg per day capacity. Besides, the programme will modify/expand old milk and milk product plants created 20-30 years ago under Operation Flood and also create milk & milk products plants for value added products which will benefit 160 lakh existing farmers. The fund will be routed through National Dairy Development Board for the development of dairy sector. The proposal has been forwarded by Department of Economic Affairs to Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
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INDIA- JORDAN TRADE AND ECONOMIC JOINT COMMITTEE
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The 10TH India-Jordan Trade and Economic Joint Committee (TEJC) Meeting was held in New Delhi in July 2017. On this occasion, the two countries emphasized the need for diversification of bilateral trade and deepening their engagements for greater cooperation in investment sector. During the TEJC meeting, the two sides also reaffirmed their mutual interest and discussed the roadmap for cooperation in various fields such as Fertilizer Sector, Customs, Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement, Visa and Consular issues, Health and Pharmaceuticals, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Maritime Transport, Rail Transport, and Air Transport, Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Smart Grid development, Information Technology, Higher Education and Vocational Training, Agriculture sector etc. The two leaders also inked the revised Economic and Trade Cooperation Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India, and the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, aiming at boosting and diversifying bilateral trade relations, in addition to promote economic, trade and investment cooperation based on the principle of equity, non-discrimination. On the sidelines of the TEJC, business federations from both sides also met and discussed the roadmap for promotion of trade and investment through B2B mechanism.
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PM MODI GIFTS UNIQUE ITEMS TO ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented Prime Minister of Israel Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu replicas of 2 sets of relics from Kerala that are regarded as key artifacts in the long Jewish history in India. They comprise two different sets of copper plates that are believed to have been inscribed in 9-10th century C.E. The first set of copper plates is a cherished relic for the Cochini Jews in India. It is regarded as a charter describing the grant of hereditary royal privileges and prerogatives by the Hindu King, Cheraman Perumal (often identified as Bhaskara Ravi Varma) to the Jewish leader Joseph Rabban. According to traditional Jewish accounts, Joseph Rabban was later crowned as the Prince of Shingli, a place in or equated with Cranganore. Cranganore is where Jews enjoyed religious and cultural autonomy for centuries, before they moved to Cochin and other places in Malabar. Local Jews once placed in each coffin a handful of earth from Shingli/Cranganore that was remembered as a holy place & a ―second Jerusalem‖. The replica of these plates was made possible with the cooperation of the Paradesi Synagogue in Mattancherry, Kochi. The second set of copper plates is believed to be the earliest documentation of the history of Jewish trade with India. These plates describe the grant of land and tax privileges by the local Hindu ruler to a church and oversight of trade in Kollam to West Asian and Indian trading associations.
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West Asian association included Muslims, Christians, Zoroastrians, as also a group of Jews who signed in JudeoPersian and possibly also in Arabic and Pahlavi (Middle Persian). The plates bear their signatures that appear to have been cut into the plates by a local workman unfamiliar with the script. The replica of these plates was made possible with the cooperation of Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church in Thiruvalla, Kerala. In addition, Prime Minister also presented PM Netanyahu a Torah scroll donated by the Paradesi Jewish community in Kerala. Handwritten over a hundred years ago, the scroll had been dedicated to the Paradesi Synagogue in Kochi that had been built in 1568. The Torah is enclosed on wooden staves in a wooden case adorned with silver sheets and a metal crown covered in gold sheets in floral ornament style, bearing motifs typical of lamps and decorations of south India.
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NINTH EDITION OF DELHI DIALOGUE
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Recognising the need for greater engagement with the ASEAN region, India‘s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) supported the first Delhi Dialogue I, on 21-22 January, 2009. This was organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the SAEA Group Research (SAEA) with the institutional support of esteemed Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) and Economic Research Institute of ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), as an international conference to chart the issues and dynamics facing the Asia Pacific Region for leaders and business investors. Delhi Dialogue is an annual Track 1.5 forum for discussing politico-security, economic and social-cultural issues between ASEAN and India. The ninth edition of Delhi Dialogue was held recently. It is being held annually since 2009 and is a premier event to discuss politico-security, economic and socio-cultural engagement between ASEAN and India. The theme of Delhi Dialogue this year was ―ASEAN-India Relations: Charting the Course for the Next 25 Years‖. ASEAN countries that participated are: Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand. This conference has emerged as an important forum in which political leaders, policy makers, researchers, academicians, business leaders and media persons converge for brainstorming on a range of issues pertaining to ASEAN-India relations. The meet provides an opportunity to leaders to explore ways to boost cooperation in these key areas and also in the field of connectivity and tourism. Delhi Dialogue over the past decade has been an important tool to push partnership with ASEAN. Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj inaugurating the Delhi Dialogue stressed on the importance of focussing on three ‗C‘s – commonalities, connectivity and culture – to further strengthen the relationship between India and the ASEAN nations. India and ASEAN are natural partners and their relationship can provide rich dividends to the region and the world, India‘s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj emphasised on the need to improve connectivity between both the sides and within the ASEAN as they emerge top economies and largest economic space. This, she said, could provide immense opportunities and invited businesspersons from the ASEAN countries to invest in India as it is one of the top economies of the world. Talking about the common security challenges, the Indian Minister also stressed on the need to ensure freedom of navigation and the need for cooperation to check terrorism, piracy and cyber security. Mrs. Swaraj also launched the electronic version of India-ASEAN Women Business Forum (IAWBF) in the presence of Indian and ASEAN co-chairs. Observer Research Foundation (ORF) organised the Academic Session which featured panel discussions on the themes Regional Geopolitics: Great Power Politics in the Asia-Pacific; New Connectivity Paradigms in the AsiaPacific; Technology, Innovation and Big Data; and Socio-Cultural Engagement and Diaspora Links. A Concluding Plenary titled Looking Ahead which was held with focus on key takeaways from Delhi Dialogue 9 to chart the course for India-ASEAN relations for the next 25 years. The 10-member Committee of Permanent Representatives of ASEAN countries and 15 senior media personnel from ASEAN attended the event. ASEAN-India dialogue relations have grown rapidly from a sectoral dialogue partnership in 1992 to a full dialogue partnership in December 1995. The relationship was further elevated with the convening of the ASEAN-India Summit in 2002 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Since then the ASEAN-India Summit has been held annually.
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Significance of Delhi Dialouge: The Delhi Dialogue is a key element of India‘s ‗Act East‘ policy. India shares extremely cordial cultural and commercial links with countries of ASEAN. The Dialogue provides a platform for experts from various fields in India and ASEAN countries to exchange views on a wide variety of subjects. UN PEACE BUILDING FUND: INDIA GIVES $500,000
India has contributed five lakh US Dollars to the UN Peace Building Fund. India has been a Member of the Peace Building Commission since its inception and has so far contributed five million US Dollars to the Peacebuilding Fund.
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The United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) is a multi-year standing trust fund for post-conflict peacebuilding, established in 2006 by the UN Secretary General at the request of the UN General Assembly with an initial funding target of $250 million. The fund was established out of the recognition that among the impediments to successful peacebuilding is the scarcity of resources, most notably financial resources. The fund aims therefore to extend critical support during the early stages of a peace process. Since its establishment in October 2006, the Peacebuilding Fund facility has been activated for the two countries currently under consideration by the Peacebuilding Commission, Burundi and Sierra Leone. The Secretary-General allocated US$ 35 million each for these two countries earlier this year.
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PBF provides this support through two financing tracks: The Immediate Response Facility (IRF) is the project-based financing mechanism of the PBF that was created to address critical peacebuilding needs in the immediate aftermath of conflict or as a result of a dramatic change in the country situation. It provides rapid funding to address urgent peacebuilding needs to support critical transition moments. With small, catalytic resources, the Fund demonstrates to governments and citizens that new paths to sustainable peace are possible. The Peacebuilding and Recovery Facility (PRF) is the programme-based financing mechanism of the PBF, typically aimed at countries within several years following the end of a conflict. The PRF requires the elaboration of a strategic plan for peacebuilding, called the Peacebuilding Priority Plan, which supports national efforts at peacebuilding. While PBSO has final approval of the Priority Plan, project-level approval is delegated to a Joint Steering Committee (JSC) that is established at country level and co-led by the United Nations and the partner government. In this way, PRF provides conflict-affected countries that have made clear commitments to addressing post-conflict fragility with longer-term support for initiatives that consolidate peace. It also creates mechanisms for effective partnerships between national authorities, the UN, donors, and civil society organizations (CSOs) at the country level to support governments with strong commitments to peacebuilding.
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The activities with a specific scope to be funded by the Peacebuilding Fund will include: (a) Activities designed to respond to imminent threats to the peace process, support for the implementation of peace agreements and political dialogue, in particular in relation to strengthening of national institutions and processes set up under those agreements; (b) Activities undertaken to build and/or strengthen national capacities to promote coexistence and peaceful resolution of conflict and to carry out peacebuilding activities; (c) Activities undertaken in support of efforts to revitalize the economy and generate immediate peace dividends for the population at large; (d) Establishment or re-establishment of essential administrative services and related human and technical capacities which may include, in exceptional circumstances and over a limited period of time, the payment of civil service salaries and other recurrent costs.
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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $220 million loan for improving connectivity as well as transport efficiency and safety on State Highways of Rajasthan. The loan is the first tranche of the $500 million Rajasthan State Highways Investment Program, approved by ADB Board in May this year, that will upgrade about 2,000 kilometers of state highways and major district roads to twolane or intermediate-lane standards to meet road safety requirements. The project will help improve State Highways and major district roads in Rajasthan. It will also enhance the capacity of the State public works department in the areas of road asset management, road safety and project management. One of the focus areas of the program is to attract private sector financing through government capacity building on public private partnership (PPP) development. ADB will finance part of the construction costs for the annuity-based PPP concessions and engineering procurement construction (EPC) contracts, enhance the stability of contract regime, and ensure good governance during project implementation. The first tranche loan will improve about 1,000 kilometers of State Highways and major district roads. It will have a 25-year term, including a grace period of 8 years, and carry an annual interest rate determined in accordance with ADB‘s London interbank offered rate-based (LIBOR) lending facility. The total cost of the project is $1.415 billion, with the government contributing $465 million and $450 million coming from the private sector and other concessionaries.
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ADB LOAN FOR HIGHWAYS CONSTRUCTION IN RAJASTHAN
INDIA-THAILAND MOU IN CONTROLLING NARCOTIC DRUGS
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Thailand was signed in the presence of Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir and Minister of Justice of Thailand, Mr. Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana, on Cooperation in Controlling Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances, their Precursors and Chemicals and Drug Abuse.
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The MoU will enhance the mutual cooperation between India and Thailand in regulation of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and combating drug trafficking. It will facilitate the exchange of information of new trends and modus operandi of drug traffickers, sharing the list of smugglers/syndicates in operation, sharing of best practices in the field of supply and demand reduction and help to provide mutual assistance & cooperation in investigation of drug offences.
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MEETINGS BRICS MINISTERS OF FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET IN CHINA
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The Foreign Ministers of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, met in June 2017 in Beijing, China. The Ministers commend the fruitful cooperation forged in the past and look forward to continued and positive cooperation among BRICS countries. They reiterate their commitment to the success of the Ninth BRICS Summit under the theme of ―BRICS: Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future‖. The Ministers welcome the 2nd BRICS Consultation on UN Peacekeeping Affairs held in Beijing in July 2017. The Ministers agree to enhance coordination and cooperation among BRICS on international and regional issues, safeguard justice at the United Nations and other international fora. The Ministers reiterate that the only lasting solution to the Syria crisis is an inclusive ―Syrian-led, Syrian-owned‖ political process which safeguard the state sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Syria, in pursuance of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254(2015). The Ministers strongly support the Geneva Peace Talks and the Astana process, and welcome the creation of the de-escalation areas in Syria. They oppose the use of chemical weapons by anyone, for any purpose and under any circumstance. The Ministers reaffirm their support to the process of ―Afghan-led and Afghan-owned‖ national reconciliation, the ongoing international efforts in support of achieving practical results in that regard, combating terrorism and drugthreat, and support the national reconstruction efforts. The Ministers look forward to their meeting on the margins of the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, and welcome South Africa‘s offer to host the next stand-alone meeting in 2018.
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GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON CYBER SPACE 2017
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India is hosting the 5th Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS) in 2017, one of the world‘s largest conference on Cyber Space and related issues. Theme of the conference is ―Cyber4All: An Inclusive, Sustainable, Developmental, Safe and Secure Cyberspace‖. Goal of GCCS 2017 is to promote an inclusive Cyber Space with focus on policies and frameworks for inclusivity, sustainability, development, security, safety & freedom, technology and partnerships for upholding digital democracy, maximizing collaboration for strengthening security and safety and advocating dialogue for digital diplomacy. The GCCS 2017 will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi. To be held in India for the first time, the two-day conference will see participation of around 2000 delegates from senior Government officials, industry leaders, academia and civil society from over 100 countries. GCCS will congregate and deliberate on issues relating to promotion of cooperation in cyberspace, norms for responsible behaviour in cyberspace and to enhance cyber capacity building. Many of these delegations will be headed at Ministerial level delegates thereby making it an important forum of global consultation of various issues of cyber space. The GCCS 2017 will take place on the 23rd and 24th of November, 2017 in Aero City, New Delhi. Multiple run-up events are planned across India and abroad to create awareness about GCCS 2017, along with 2 days of preevent activities right before the conference. GCCS is a prestigious international conference that aims at encouraging dialogue among stakeholders of cyberspace, which has been taking place since 2011. Incepted in 2011 in London, GCCS witnessed a participation of 700 global delegates. It helped in setting up rules and guidelines for the editions to follow. The second conference was held in 2012 in Budapest with focus on relationship between internet rights and internet security and was attended by 700 delegates from nearly 60 countries. The third edition of GCCS was held in 2013 in Seoul with participation from 1600 delegates. The conference built on the themes such as Economic Growth and Development, Social and Cultural Benefits, a Safe and Secure Cyberspace, Cybercrime and International Security. The fourth version GCCS 2015 was held on April 16-17, 2015 in The Hague, Netherlands. Nearly 1800 members from nearly 100 countries participated in this conference and over 60 countries participated with delegations led at Ministerial level. The conference focused on Freedom, Security and Growth in cyber space. GCCS 2015 was a program designed as high level stock taking exercise and to generate input for other ongoing processes rather than an independent norm setting initiative. The launch of Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE) was main deliverable of the conference for capacity building in cyber space.
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WTO AID FOR TRADE GLOBAL REVIEW
The sixth Aid for Trade Global Review was heldat the WTO on 11-13 July 2017. The Aid for Trade initiative was launched in 2005 with the aim of addressing the supply side and trade-related infrastructure constraints that often hamper developing countries‘ participation in global trade. The 2017 Global Review is dedicated to the theme of ―Promoting Trade, Inclusiveness and Connectivity for Sustainable Development‖, and provided an opportunity for stakeholders to look at how Aid for Trade can
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contribute to the integration of developing countries and least developed countries into the multilateral trading system and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Aid for Trade Global Review 2015 highlighted how high trade costs slow growth and development by pricing many suppliers in developing and least developed countries out of global markets. The 2017 Global Review develops this theme further by extending analysis of trade costs into the area of digital connectivity. The Review discussed the economic consequences of the digital divide and strategies to help policymakers, firms, women and SMEs to bridge this divide. Many countries including India have emphasized that the definitions of digital trade and e-commerce require further deliberation at various bodies of the WTO to bring clarity on the scope of the subject. FDI policy in different sectors including on e-commerce sector is formulated after extensive consultations with stakeholders including concerned Ministries/Departments, apex industry chambers and other organisation. India has been working with WTO members especially the developing countries to ensure that its interests in the WTO negotiations are protected. Implementation of Bali and Nairobi Ministerial Decisions, especially on public stockholding for food security purposes is a priority for India in the negotiations and India is working for a permanent solution in this area.
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The Codex Alimentarius Commission is a joint intergovernmental body of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and WHO with 187 Member States and one Member Organization (EU). Codex has worked since 1963 to create harmonized international food standards to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair trade practices. WHO works on the provision of independent international scientific advice on microbiological and chemical hazards. Scientific advice is the basis for the development of international Food Standards by Codex. Recently it has adopted a number of decisions to ensure food safety, including maximum residue limits for a range of drugs used in cattle and other animals, as well as revisions to guidance on agricultural and hygienic practices to minimize microbial, chemical and physical hazards to fresh fruits and vegetables. The Codex Alimentarius Commission, charged with protecting consumer health and ensuring fair practices in the food trade has met in Geneva in July 2017. In this session, the Commission set maximum residue limits for medicines Ivermectin, which is used to kill parasites in tissues from cattle; Lasalocid sodium, which is used for a similar purpose in tissues from chicken, turkey, quail and pheasant; and insecticide Teflubenzuron used in salmon. The Commission also adopted revisions to its risk-based Code of Hygienic Practice for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables to provide detailed guidance to stakeholders along fresh fruit and vegetable value chains – from producers through to final consumers. The aim is to minimize microbial hazards, avoid risks to health, and maximize the safety of these nutritious food products, which are also of major economic importance for many countries in global trade. The Commission also adopted the Nutrient Reference Values for vitamins D and E to be used for nutrient content labelling that would help consumers make informed choices to support healthy diets. On spices and culinary herbs, the Commission adopted commodity standards, such as tolerances for defects, permitted levels of food additives and labelling, for cumin, dried thyme and pepper, which are among the world‘s most widely used seasonings. The Codex Alimentarius is a collection of international food standards that have been adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). Codex Standards cover all the main foods, whether processed, semi-processed or raw. In addition, materials used in the further processing of food products are included to the extent necessary for achieving the principal objectives of the code. Codex provisions concern the hygienic and nutritional quality of food, including microbiological norms, food additives, pesticide and veterinary drug residues, contaminants, labelling and presentation, and methods of sampling and risk analysis.
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CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION MEET: OUTCOMES
BRICS MEDIA FORUM MEET HELD: OUTCOMES
The inaugural session of the BRICS Media Forum has been held in the Chinese capital, Beijing (Cai Mingzhao). The BRICS media forum is the result of a joint initiative by Xinhua News Agency, Brazil‘s CMA Group, Russia‘s Sputnik News Agency and Radio, The Hindu group of publications from India, and South Africa‘s Independent Media. The theme of the meet was: ―Deepening BRICS Media Cooperation, Promoting Fair and Just International Public Opinion‖. During the event, the president of Xinhua News Agency and executive president of the Forum, announced that the news agency will invest $1 million for boosting media cooperation in the five-nation grouping. The plan will promote six objectives, including ―balanced reporting‖. The proposal would also focus on joint development of BRICS digital media, financial information services and promoting people- to-people contacts. Leaders of 27 organizations attended the meet.
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The BRICS Media Forum agreed on an action plan to boost media cooperation. The Action Plan Promoting BRICS Media Cooperation noted that the content, depth and breadth of BRICS media cooperation should be expanded and deepened in accordance to the needs of BRICS nations. Xinhua will provide 1 million U.S. dollars to establish the BRICS Media Fund for the implementation of the action plan and carrying out pragmatic cooperation, including exchanges of visits, professional training and joint interviews. Participating organizations agreed to maintain balanced international public opinion and to strengthen the media‘s social responsibility. The participating media agreed to boost people-to-people ties and to expand cooperation fields. There is a need to jointly develop digital media and provide financial information services among BRICS countries. BRICS media also agreed to explore new channels and new spaces in international communication.
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WTO AID FOR TRADE GLOBAL REVIEW 2017
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Global Review 2017 of Aid for Trade, ―Promoting Trade, Inclusiveness and Connectivity For Sustainable Development‖ was held at the WTO in Geneva in July 2017. Underpinning the Review is a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) exercise. Theme of ‗The Aid for Trade Global Review 2017‘ is ―Promoting Trade, Inclusiveness and Connectivity for Sustainable Development‖. The aim of the M&E exercise is to survey: Aid-for-Trade priorities and how these have changed; the status of Trade Facilitation Agreement implementation and support; engagement in, and support to, the development of ecommerce; and infrastructure investment, the development of related services markets and related investment climate reforms. One cross-cutting theme that was examined by the M&E exercise is how Aid-for-Trade support is contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, notably the targets on poverty eradication and women‘s economic empowerment. To collect this information, self-assessment questionnaires and requests for case stories were circulated widely: to donors (bilateral and multilateral agencies), regional economic communities/transport corridors, South-South partners and developing and least-developed countries. A call for case stories is also being addressed to the private sector, academia and NGOs. Responses to the questionnaires and information provided in the case stories was analysed and conclusions drawn in a joint publication by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Trade Organization (WTO): ―Aid for Trade at a Glance: Promoting Connectivity‖, that also will feature contributions from other international organizations. The publication will be launched and discussed at the Sixth Global Review of Aid for Trade. The Global Review is influential in galvanizing support and directing strategies to help developing countries derive the maximum development benefit from trade.
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22ND WORLD PETROLEUM CONGRESS
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The 22nd World Petroleum Congress was held in İstanbul (Turkey) on 9-13 July, 2017. World Petroleum Council conducts the triennial World Petroleum Congress, covering all aspects of the industry including management of the industry and its social, economic and environmental impact. In addition, outside stakeholders such as governments, other industry sectors, NGOs and international institutions have also joined in the dialogue. Under the theme of ―Bridges to Our Energy Future‖, the Congress also stressed Turkey‘s unique place in global energy policies and the importance of Turkey‘s energy corridor and terminal role. Indian Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan chaired a Ministerial Session on the subject ―Current Economic Strategies in Indian Oil & Gas Sector‖. He also chaired a Plenary Session on ‗Supply and Demand Challenges for Oil, Gas and Products‘ at the 22nd World Petroleum Congress at Istanbul, Turkey. He flagged the importance of ―Responsible Price‖ for crude oil for countries like India which would allow it to provide energy to the common people. He underlined that in today‘s oversupplied market, it is important for producers to understand the perspective of consumers and demand centres and the changes that have taken place in these demand centres. As the security of supplies is an important factor for consumers, security of demand is equally important for producers. Shri Pradhan held bilateral talks with Turkish Energy Minister Mr Berat Albayrak during which issues of bilateral energy cooperation including in renewable energy were discussed. The two Ministers agreed that they need to work together on few concrete projects in coming period in areas like E&P and downstream sectors. They also agreed to work together in third countries. Later, the Minister launched an event on Hydrocarbon Exploration & Licensing Policy (HELP) as a part of process of promoting the upcoming oil & gas bidding rounds in India. Rising middle class of emerging Asian countries like India will drive the demand for energy both in terms of electricity and cooking and transportation fuel. As incomes rise, demand for petrochemicals the raw materials for several of the lifestyle products will also increase. For example in India the energy consumption is expected to grow to almost double by 2035. India is the only country where the demand will continue to rise for more than a decade.
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As India grows and aspires to become a world leader, India represents a robust consumption and a market with ready market access. Global primary energy consumption increased by just 1% in 2016. The growth in energy consumption in 2016 in India has been 5.4% and the total primary energy consumption was 723.9 million ton of energy equivalent. As per estimates, India is poised to account for one fourth of the incremental global energy demand between 2013 and 2040. Coming to oil and gas consumption, India is the third largest consumer of oil and petroleum products in the world. At present, India imports about 80% of its total oil and gas requirement. India needs to cut down this number by increasing our production substantially. Prime Minister has given a target of reducing import dependence by 10% by 2022 and government is working towards that.
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INDIA HOSTS 8TH EDITION OF THEATRE OLYMPICS
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Background: The Theatre Olympics was established in 1993 in Delphi, Greece, as the first international theatre festival. With the tagline ‗Crossing Millennia‘, this is an initiative to connect the cultural past with the present and future, bringing the richness and diversity of theatre heritage to the experiments and research of contemporary theatre. The first country to host the Theatre Olympics was Greece in 1995. Japan hosted the second edition in Shizuoka in 1999, followed by Russia in 2001. In 2006 the Olympics were held in Istanbul, Turkey and four years later, in 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. China hosted them in Beijing in 2014 and in 2016 the 7th Theatre Olympics were held in Wroclaw, Poland. India is all set to join this illustrious list as it plays host to the 8th edition of this global event.
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Dr Mahesh Sharma, Minister for Culture and Tourism announced that 8th edition of the greatest carnival of Theatre in the World will take place in India for the first time ever from February 17 – April 08, 2018 simultaneously in various cities across the country. There will be 500 plays & 700 ambience performances from across the world and Allied activities like exhibitions, seminars, symposia, interactive discussions and workshops with well-known academicians, authors, actors, designers and directors will be held. The Leading luminaries of world theatre will take part. In a development that puts India firmly among the top nations in the world theatre map, the country is all set to host the next edition of the prestigious Theatre Olympics. Established in 1993, the Theatre Olympics is the foremost international theatre festival, presenting the finest productions of well-known theatre practitioners from around the world. The Theatre Olympics, being held in India for the first time, is being organised by National School of Drama, under the aegis of Ministry of Culture. The country‘s tryst with the biggest celebration of theatre in the world will take place from February 17 till April 08, 2018 and will be held in 15 cities across India. It was also announced that the inaugural ceremony of the Theatre Olympics will take place in New Delhi, in a gala function with performances by hundreds of artistes while the closing ceremony will take place in Mumbai. The Theatre Olympics 2018 will be the 8th edition of the event and will feature maximum number of Indian & International theatre groups, invitee eminent theatre personalities along with their performances. In addition, there will be ambience performances with allied activities like exhibitions, seminars, symposia, interactive discussions and workshops with well-known academicians, authors, actors, designers and directors. Shri Ratan Thiyam: Chairperson, NSD Society Prof. Waman Kendre: Director, National School of Drama.
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G20 MEET: FULL EXPLANATION OF OUTCOMES The Group of Twenty (G20) is the central forum for international cooperation on financial and economic issues. The G20 countries account for more than four-fifths of gross world product and three-quarters of global trade, and are home to almost two-thirds of the world‘s population. Its decisions are influential and help to bring about reform at national and multinational levels. The G20 comprises 19 countries plus the EU. These countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (US). International organisations also participate regularly in the G20 summits, that is, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank (WB), the Financial Stability Board (FSB), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations (UN). Furthermore, each Presidency can invite other countries, regional organisations and international organisations to the summit.
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G20 Summits: The group has met annually at Head of State and Government level since 2008. G20 Summits have been held in the following places: Washington, US, in 2008 London, UK, in 2009
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Pittsburgh, US, in 2009 Toronto, Canada, in 2010 Seoul, South Korea, in 2010 Cannes, France, in 2011 Los Cabos, Mexico, in 2012 St Petersburg, Russia, in 2013 Brisbane, Australia, 2014 Antalya, Turkey, in 2015 Hangzhou, China, in 2016 In 2017, the G20 Summit was held in Hamburg by the German Presidency. During 2017 summit G20 leaders discussed countering terrorism and issued a joint statement focused on enhancing cooperation, cutting off funding that supports terrorism and preventing the use of the internet for terrorist purposes. The theme of this year‘s G20 summit was ‗shaping an interconnected world‘. G20 leaders adopted the following documents at 2017 G20 Summit: Summit Declaration of the Heads of State and Government G20 Leaders‘ Statement on Countering Terrorism Hamburg Action Plan G20 Hamburg Climate and Energy Action Plan for Growth Hamburg Update: Taking forward the G20 Action Plan on the 2030 Agenda Annual Progress Report 2017 G20 Marine Litter Action Plan Partnership with Africa G20 Initiative for Rural Youth Employment High Level Principles on the Liability of Legal Persons High Level Principles on Organizing against Corruption High Level Principles on Countering Corruption in Customs High Level Principles on Combatting Corruption related to Illegal Trade in Wildlife and Wildlife Products G20 Initiative #eSkills4Girls Women‘s Entrepreneurship Facility Resource Efficiency Dialogue
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Main Outcomes of the G20 Summit 2017: G20 leaders agreed to facilitate swift action and targeted exchange of information on terrorism and it‘s financing. The information exchange that will include operational information-sharing, preventive measures and criminal justice response will happen between intelligence and law enforcement and judicial authorities
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G20 Leaders adopted a declaration focusing on: sharing the benefits of globalisation building resilience improving sustainable livelihood assuming responsibility G20 member countries decided to take concrete steps to stop funding of the terror activities. For this, they called for strengthening measures against the financing of international terrorist organisations in particular ISIL/ISIS/Daesh, Al Qaida and their affiliates. Regarding energy and climate, leaders took note of the United States‘ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. The leaders of the other G20 members stated that the Paris Agreement is irreversible and they endorsed the G20 Hamburg climate and energy action plan for growth. The G20 leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to tackle all sources, techniques and channels of terrorist financing and calls for a swift and effective implementation of UNSCR and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards worldwide. On the migration and refugee crisis, leaders agreed to step up coordination and act against people smugglers and traffickers. Addressing the root causes of migration and supporting countries of origin and transit are also priorities for the leaders. In addition to this, the leaders also decided that the private sector will be involved in the global efforts to counter terror-financing. Seeking to fight radicalization, the G20 group will take measures to counter terrorist propaganda. Simultaneously, the countries will also seek to promote political and religious tolerance and social inclusiveness to facilitate reintegration. Leaders stressed the need to better help people seize the opportunities and benefits of economic globalisation. They also discussed how to continue building an open and resilient financial system. Leaders committed to increase international tax cooperation and financial transparency, as well as to address the issue of excess steel capacity. Africa‘s development remained a high priority for the G20. Leaders launched the G20 Africa partnership to boost growth and jobs in the continent. This includes the G20 initiative for rural youth employment which will contribute to creating 1.1 million new jobs by 2022.
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The leaders of G-20 also underlined to fight exploitation of internet and social media for propaganda inciting terrorism and radicalization. Steps would be taken to filter, detect and remove content that incites terrorists‘ activities. Leaders stressed the importance of harnessing digitalisation to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth. Promoting digital literacy and skills is essential to better prepare people for the future of work. Leaders also agreed to take further action to achieve gender equality. They stressed the role of digitalisation and ICT to support women‘s empowerment. In addition, leaders emphasised the value of international health cooperation, in particular to better combat antimicrobial resistance. The G-20 leaders also resolved to exchange best practices on preventing and countering terrorism. The leaders of the G20 asserted that terrorism is a global scourge. The statement asserted that the terrorist safe havens must be eliminated in all parts of the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the action plan to counter terrorism. It included the following points: A deterrent action against countries supporting terrorism. The representatives of those countries should be barred from entering G20 nations. List of suspected terrorists should be shared between G20 nations. Stern action should be taken against ―designated terrorists.‖ The legal and expedition process for extradition of terrorists should be simplified. Comprehensive convention on International terrorism should be adopted. United Nations Security Council resolutions and other global proceedings should be implemented effectively. G20 nations should come together for combined efforts and exchange of best practices for de-radicalisation programmes. Terror funding sources and other media should be blocked. On the lines of FATF (Financial Action Task Force), a Weapons and Explosive Action Task Force (WEATF) should be formed so that sources of ammunition to terrorists can be blocked. G20 nations should cooperate on central cybersecurity to monitor activities of terrorists. A mechanism on National Security Advisors on counter terrorism should be formed by G20 member nations. India‘s Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited Norwegian pension funds to invest in his country‘s National Infrastructure Investment platform as he met Norway‘s Prime Minister Erna Solberg, who, in a gesture symbolising renewed cooperation towards the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals, offered him a round leather ball embroidered with the initials ‗SDGs‘. The World Bank Group and USA confirmed they would soon roll out a new fund that aims to help female entrepreneurs access capital, financing and managerial support in the developing world. World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim said the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative fund had so far raised $325 million from various governments, and that he hoped to leverage that into a multibillion-dollar investment framework. President Trump lent his personal support by pledging $50 million from the United States to jump-start the fund. The 13th edition of the G20 summit will be hosted by Argentina in 2018.
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The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) jointly with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has organised a two-day national-level conference on ‗Crowd Management‘ at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The conference aimed to strengthen the capacity of all the stakeholders to organise safe mass gathering events. Conference stressed upon the need to understand risks related to crowded assemblies and to develop specific guidelines for planning and inter-agency coordination. Crowd disasters are essentially man-made and can be prevented with holistic planning and efficient execution. He further underlined the need to improve preparedness and capacity of all stakeholders. Two technical sessions- Understanding Risk (Causes and Triggers) and Lessons Learnt/Experience Sharing and Best Practices- were held. These sessions discussed the nuances of developing Crowd Management Plans and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for religious and festival gatherings. The importance of adopting best practices and integrating modern technology for managing crowds was also discussed. As India is highly vulnerable to crowd-related disasters, it is essential to enhance awareness on causes and triggers of crowd disasters among all stakeholders. This conference will enable stakeholders to assess and reduce the potential risks related to crowded gatherings.
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NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CROWD MANAGEMENT
AVIATION SECTOR MEET „WINGS 2017‟ HELD
India is one of the fastest growing aviation markets and currently the ninth largest civil aviation market in the world. It is projected to be the third largest aviation market by 2020. The 33 unserved airports are being added for scheduled flights in one year as compared to 75 operational airports during last 70 years. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) plans to revive and operationalize around 50 airports in India over the next 2 years to improve regional and remote air connectivity.
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In this background, the First edition of WINGS 2017 – ―Sab Uden, Sab Juden‖- Expanding Regional Connectivity was hosted in New Delhi by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The Plenary session was chaired by the Union Minister of Civil Aviation, P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju and the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha was also present on this occasion. Around 338 delegates from Government and Civil Aviation sector participated in the first edition of WINGS-2017. This event brought together the key stakeholders of the Aviation Sector such as States, Tourism Departments and Tour Operators as a Group representing airline consumers to facilitate interaction with various airlines, airport operators, cargo operators and other ecosystem players at a common forum. The event saw participation from 28 States and Union Territories and out of this 19 states and Union Territory made presentation emphasizing the incentives or special packages to the airlines other than the support offered by Government of India under RCS- UDAN. During the Wings-2017, Interactive sessions with Stakeholders of entire Ecosystem such as Tourism Departments, Tour Operators, Airport Operators, Cargo Operators, Aircraft Manufacturers, Engine Manufacturers and other players in the value chain was convened. The States enthusiastically capitalized upon the unique platform provided by the ministry, wherein they had 112 one to one discussions (G2B meetings) with the Airlines operators in an attempt to showcase their destinations and routes as viable business market for the airlines. The closed room discussion broadly entailed Incentives to the Airlines Operators such as Underwriting of seats, reducing the tax on ATF, additional VGF, Night parking, concessional electricity and water charges, infrastructural support etc. and Routes & Airport wise benefits. The WINGS-2017 lived upon the expectations and served as a unique outcome oriented platform for the stakeholders of the entire ecosystem in the Civil Aviation sector. Some outcomes of the meet are: identification, marketing of new routes, destination and most importantly making flying accessible to the citizens across the country.
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NATIONAL CONVENTION ON DIGITAL INITIATIVES HELD
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National Convention on Digital Initiatives was held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. 700 Vice Chancellors from across the Country and Heads of IISc/IITs/IIMs/NITs/IIITs participated in this event. The function was organised on the eve of the Guru Poornima, a day for salutation to the teachers. In this Convention, President of India, Pranab Mukherjee launched the three initiatives of Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India: These are: SWAYAM 32 SWAYAM Prabha DTH Channels National Academic Depository SWAYAM: India has become one of the few countries in the World which has its own online interactive learning platform that provides, not only video lectures, reading material but also assignments/quizzes that could end up in securing credits after completing the assessment system. More than 400 Courses are available on SWAYAM covering all the engineering and non-engineering subjects at undergraduate and post-graduate levels. The UGC has already issued Regulation that allows transfer of credits earned through the courses done through SWAYAM into the academic record of the students. It is now possible for the students and others to take courses of the prestigious IITs or IIMs without formally studying there. The platform has been constructed by Microsoft with totally indigenous efforts. The courses are available on www.swayam.gov.in The SWAYAM Prabha channels are available for free for anyone who has a set top box to receive either DD Free Dish or DishTV. These channels transmit 4 hours of fresh content every day, and contain lectures from the best teachers in the Country. There is no monthly charge for viewing these channels. These channels include the IIT-PAL channels which were intended to help students taking the prestigious JEE examination, taught by the IIT faculty. National Academic Depository would help in easy authentication of the credentials issued by the institutions. This would also help in increasing transparency and ease of operation. This was the biggest ever gathering of heads of all the higher educational institutions in the Country. Many digital initiatives taken under the National Mission for Education through ICT was showcased in the meeting. The meeting ended with adoption of ― Programme 17 for 17‖ : – A 17 point action plan for 2017 – for building digital campuses and high quality education. The action plan covers measures like universal adoption of digital education, digital financial transactions in the campuses from the current academic year. Three Books were launched on the occasion – account of NMEICT initiatives, list of 323 courses which are on offer in the current academic semester and a eBook of presentation of digital best practices by more than 500 institutions.
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PM PRESENTS AGENDA TO COUNTER TERRORISM
Leaders of the G20 countries representing two-thirds of the world‘s population met in Germany‘s Hamburg to discuss the important issues like terrorism, sustainable development, climate change etc. The main agenda of this 2-day conference is ‗Theme Shaping an inter-connected world‘.
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World leaders debated issues ranging from global trade to terrorism. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed G20 plan of action to counter global terrorism. He also presented a 10-point agenda to counter the menace. PM MODI‟S 10 POINT AGENDA Deterrent action against nations supporting terrorism must be made compulsory, such nations should be barred from G20 G20 nations must exchange lists of suspected terrorists and their supporters Legal processes such extradition should be simplified and expedited Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism should be adopted soon UNSC resolutions and other international processes should be effectively implemented G20 nations should give emphasis to de-radicalisation programmes and exchange best practices Terror financing should be curtailed by means of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and other means Weapons and Explosive Action Task Force (WEATF) should be constituted on lines of FATF so that source of weapons to the terrorists is stopped G20 nations should cooperate in cyber security, with a focus on terrorist activities National Security Advisors on Counter Terrorism mechanism should be constituted.
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AWARDS 2017 WINNERS OF RAMON MAGSAYSAY AWARDS
The Ramon Magsaysay Awards‘ is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay‘s example of integrity in governance, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society. The prize was established in April 1957 by the trustees of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund based in New York City with the concurrence of the Philippine government. The award has been critically-acclaimed as the most pretigious continental award in Asia, in par with the West‘s Nobel Prize.
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V.O. Chidambaranar Port has bagged National Award for Excellence in Cost Management for the year 2016 from ‗The Institute of Cost Accountants of India‘ under the category ―Transportation and Logistics‖. The Port is has received this award thrice earlier, during the years 2008, 2012 and 2015 under the category ―Service Sector‖. The award has been given for exemplary performance and initiatives of V.O. Chidambaranar Port towards reduction of cost per tonne, optimization of manpower, savings in electricity by installation of energy efficient LED lightings, implementation of solar energy systems, reduction of overall cost of handling by mechanization in port operation which resulted in improved efficiency, quick evacuation of cargo and reduction in logistics cost to the EXIM Trade. It is also pertinent to note that during the financial year 2016-17, the operating ratio of the Port was 41.46%, the best among the Major Ports of India.
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NATIONAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN COST MANAGEMENT
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List of 2017 Awardees: 1. De Lima, Lilia (PHILIPPINES): For harnessing sustained, non-stop and credible public service. 2. Ishizawa, Yoshiaki (JAPAN): For restoring Cambodia‘s treasured gift to world culture. 3. Nababan, Abdon (INDONESIA): For giving compelling face and voice to Adat communities and their rights. 4. Philippine Educational Theater Association (PHILIPPINES): For empowering communities for development action through theater arts. 5. Shanmugam, Gethsie (SRI LANKA): For rebuilding lives from the psychosocial wounds of war and violence. 6. Tay, Tony (SINGAPORE): For mobilizing collective goodwill to address hidden hunger.
BASQUE CULINARY WORLD PRIZE WINNER ANNOUNCED
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Leonor Espinosa, a (Colombian chef) has won the Basque Culinary World Prize, a €100,000 prize for chefs who make a difference. Ms. Espinosa, the head chef at LEO in Bogota and founder of the Funleo foundation, received the award in Mexico City. Ms. Espinosa is known for sourcing local ingredients and giving back to the communities that supply them. The prize was launched last year by the Basque Culinary Centre and the Basque government in northern Spain.
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IIM BANGALORE GETS AWARD FROM PRESIDENT President of India Pranab Mukherjee honored the IIM Bangalore for making management education accessible to all through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), during the launch of the Government‘s SWAYAM platform at Vignan Bhavan. President Mukherjee presented the award to Prof. P.D. Jose, Chairperson, IIMB Digital Learning, who accepted the award on behalf of IIM Bangalore. IIM Bangalore is also the National Coordinator for management education on SWAYAM and has completed five MOOCs on the SWAYAM platform to date. The IIMBx MOOCs Programme is IIMB‘s digital learning gateway and has offered MOOCs to more than 5 lakh global learners in various core and specialized management subjects.
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UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME EQUATOR PRIZE
The UN Development Programme (UNDP) announced the winners of the Equator Prize 2017, recognizing 15 local and indigenous communities from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The winning organizations, which showcase innovative solutions for tackling poverty, environment, and climate challenges. The 15 Equator Prize 2017 winners are protecting, restoring and sustainably managing marine, forest, grassland, dryland and wetland ecosystems. In the process, they have created several thousand jobs and livelihoods, improved food and water security for hundreds of communities, protected endangered wildlife, and decreased
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risks from natural disasters. The communities reinvest revenues generated by their initiatives into water supply, education, women‘s economic training and other development goals. This is the first time the Equator Prize has been awarded to groups from Kazakhstan and Pakistan. Winners are also based in Belize, Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mali and Thailand. Equator Prize winners receive US$10,000 and the opportunity for a community representative to join a week-long summit in New York during the 72nd United Nations General Assembly. The Equator Prize has been supported by former Heads of State Gro Harlem Brundtland and Oscar Arias, Nobel Prize winners Al Gore and Elinor Ostrom, thought leaders Jane Goodall and Jeffrey Sachs, indigenous rights leader Vicky Tauli-Corpuz, philanthropists Richard Branson and Ted Turner, and celebrities Edward Norton, Alec Baldwin, Gisele Bündchen, and many more. The Equator Prize 2017 marks the 15th anniversary of the Equator Initiative, a partnership that advances local, nature-based sustainable development solutions. Partners of the Equator Initiative include the governments of Germany, Norway, and Sweden, as well as Conservation International, the Convention on Biological Diversity, EcoAgriculture Partners, Fordham University, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, The Nature Conservancy, PCI Media Impact, Rainforest Foundation Norway, Rare, UN Environment, UNDP, UN Foundation, USAID, and the Wildlife Conservation Society.
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Equator Prize 2017 winners: Community Baboon Sanctuary Women‟s Conservation Group – CBSWG, Belize Led by women from seven communities in the northern coastal plain of Belize, CBSWG has improved local livelihoods and market access while safeguarding critical populations of black howler monkeys (locally called baboons) and other vulnerable wildlife populations. Associação Ashaninka do Rio Amônia Apiwtxa (Association of Ashaninka People of the Amônia River), Brazil Located in the heart of the Amazonian rainforest, Associação Ashaninka do Rio Amônia Apiwtxa uses participatory 3D mapping, advocacy, education, and cultural exchange to ensure healthy forests and communities. Associação Terra Indígena Xingu – ATIX (Xingu Indigenous Land Association), Brazil The first community-based organization to achieve organic certification in Brazil, ATIX produces two tons of certified organic honey each year to generate income, maintain vibrant indigenous culture, and promote traditional sustainable livelihoods in the 27,000 km² Terra Indígena Xingu. Organización para la Defensa y Conservación Ecológica de Intag – DECOIN (Organization for the Defense and Ecological Conservation of Intag), Ecuador DECOIN, an organization active in the Intag Valley for over 20 years, provides essential support to communities resisting mining interests, conserving over 12,000 hectares of Andean biodiversity and advancing alternative livelihood options for 38 communities. Alianza Internacional de Reforestación – AIRES (International Alliance for Reforestation), Guatemala Led by indigenous Maya women, over the past 24 years AIRES has created a network of community practitioners engaged in reforestation and agroforestry for food security, disaster risk reduction, and better incomes. Federación Tribus Pech de Honduras – FETRIPH (Tribal Pech Federation of Honduras), Honduras In northeastern Honduras, FETRIPH has created a successful access and benefit sharing project integrating sustainable liquidambar production and government-sanctioned indigenous land management in order to sustain livelihoods, maintain healthy forests, and protect traditional knowledge, while providing the global fragrance industry with an essential ingredient. Swayam Shikshan Prayog, India Operating at the nexus of nutrition, sustainable agriculture, and gender, Swayam Shikshan Prayog (Pune based) empowers 72,000 women in the drought-prone state of Maharashtra to act as agricultural decision-makers, improving their health, food security, and economic well-being. Asosiasi Usaha Homestay Lokal Kabupaten Raja Ampat (Local Homestay Business Association of the Raja Ampat District), Indonesia This association of 86 community-owned businesses has created a homestay web portal for sustainable jobs through ecotourism, guaranteeing hospitality standards and environmental sustainability while enhancing community well-being and conserving fragile ecosystems. Yayasan Planet Indonesia (Planet Indonesia Foundation), Indonesia Under the leadership of local Dayak communities, Yayasan Planet Indonesia creates conservation compacts and community businesses that provide sustainable livelihoods, enhance local resilience, and protect intact native ecosystems. Obschestvennyj Fond “Zhassyl Azyk” (Public Foundation “Zhassyl Azyk”), Kazakhstan The Public Foundation ―Zhassyl Azyk‖ utilizes sustainable alfalfa production to restore soil fertility, conserve water, and improve agricultural yields in a drought-prone region of Kazakstan, providing scalable solutions that address global challenges of food security, land degradation, water scarcity, and adaptation to climate change. Mikoko Pamoja (Mangroves Together), Kenya Mikoko Pamoja is a community-based initiative that has pioneered carbon credit payments for mangrove restoration, and is reinvesting the profits into local community development. The Kuruwitu Conservation & Welfare Association, Kenya
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The Kuruwitu Conservation and Welfare Association is the first locally managed marine area in Kenya, a ‗small but beautiful‘ initiative grounded in local community needs that has become a nation-wide model for sustainable fisheries, sea turtle protection, and small-scale business for improved livelihoods. The Mali Elephant Project, Mali The Mali Elephant Project promotes social cohesion, reduces violent extremism, and protects a critical population of the endangered African elephant through community-led natural resource management, support for alternative livelihoods, and a youth ‗eco-guardian‘ initiative in a conflict zone. Baltistan Wildlife Conservation and Development Organization – BWCDO, Pakistan Tackling acute human-snow leopard conflicts in northern Pakistan, BWCDO works in 17 villages to protect Baltistan‘s snow leopards through insurance schemes and financial compensation against livestock losses following snow leopard attacks. Community Mangrove Forest Conservation of Baan Bang La, Thailand After their 192-hectare mangrove forest protected them from a devastating tsunami, the community of Baan Bang La rallied to secure forest management rights, a process which has ensured long-term mangrove protection, increased populations of endangered species, strengthened disaster resilience, and generated opportunities for small-scale business owners.
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The Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari has presented the Lokmat Parliamentary Awards 2017. Lokmat was founded by a group of Indian freedom fighters, in 1918, in Yavatmal, Maharashtra. From a small regional newspaper, it has now grown into one of the largest circulated regional dailies and has diversified into practically every aspect of media from print to television to digital segment. Lokmat Parliamentary Awards – Winners (Lok Sabha) Lifetime Achievement Award – LK Advani, Hon‘ble Former Dy PM & MP, Lok Sabha Best Parliamentarian Award 2016 – NK Premachandran, Hon‘ble MP & Leader, RSP, Lok Sabha Best Woman Parliamentarian Award 2016 – Kumari Sushmita Dev, Hon‘ble MP, Lok Sabha, Best Debut Woman Parliamentarian Award 2016 – Meenakshi Lekhi, Hon‘ble MP Lok Sabha & National Spokesperson, BJP Lokmat Parliamentary Awards – Winners (Lok Sabha) Lifetime Achievement Award – Sharad Yadav, Hon‘ble Leader, Janata Dal, MP, Rajya Sabha Best Parliamentarian Award 2016 – Sitaram Yechury, Hon‘ble Leader, CPM, MP, Rajya Sabha Best Woman Parliamentarian Award 2016 – Jaya Bachchan, Samajwadi Party, MP, Rajya Sabha Best Debut Woman Parliamentarian Award 2016 – Rajani Patil, Hon‘ble MP, Rajya Sabha
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LOKMAT PARLIAMENTARY AWARDS PRESENTED
PRANAB MUKHERJEE AWARD FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
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The President of India Pranab Mukherjee presented the ‗Pranab Mukherjee Award for Academic Excellence‘ to Shri Aman Aggarwal for scoring the highest aggregate in Class XII CBSE Examination, 2017 among the students of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Sarvodaya Vidyalaya located in the President‘s Estate at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Both the ‗Omita Paul Award for Academic Excellence‘ for scoring highest aggregate marks amongst girls in Class XII CBSE Examination, 2017 as well as the ‗Kunjannamma Mathew Award‘ for Academic Excellence‘ for scoring highest marks in Mathematics amongst the girls in Class XII CBSE Examination, 2017 were presented to Kumari Muskan Sharma by Smt. Omita Paul, Secretary to the President and Dr. Thomas Mathew, Additional Secretary to the President respectively.
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“KANYASHREE PRAKALPA” GETS UN AWARD Kanyashree Prakalpa, the scheme launched by Mamata Banerjee in October 2013, won the United Nations Public Service Award. The United Nations has awarded the West Bengal government the first place for Public Service for its ―Kanyashree‖ scheme. The ―Kanyashree Prakalpa‖ is a targeted conditional cash transfer scheme aimed at retaining girls in schools and other educational institutions. It also aims towards skill development and prevent child marriage. Over 4 million adolescent girls have already enrolled in the scheme and about $ 500 million handed over to the beneficiaries through their bank accounts. The scheme is being implemented through 16000 institutes and schools. India was named first in the Asia-Pacific group for the category: ‗Reaching the Poorest and Most Vulnerable through Inclusive Services and Participation‘. The award ceremony was held at the World Forum, The Hague.
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GOLDEN GLOBE TIGERS AWARDS
UST Global has won the Golden Globe Tigers Award, 2017, for the third consecutive year for ‗excellence and leadership in corporate social responsibility (CSR)‘.
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The award also recognises the role of the company‘s smart solutions in transforming lives through technology. The Golden Globe Tigers Awards is an international platform to recognise organisations and industry leaders across Asia for their commitment to excellence in the realms of marketing, quality, branding, CSR and social innovation, education and academics.
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SKOCH AWARDS 2017
Vijaya Bank has bagged nine Skoch Awards. The bank received awards in the following categories — Best Bank in Public Sector; Best Bank for NPA Management – Organization Category; Retail Lending; Inclusive Wallet – VPAYQWIK; Digital Inclusion; IT Security; e-Surveillance of ATMs and branches; and 100 Digital Villages – Financial Inclusion.
AIMA – JRD TATA CORPORATE LEADERSHIP AWARD
The Vice President of India M. Hamid Ansari has given the AIMA – JRD Tata Corporate Leadership Award to N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons Ltd. This Award has been established as one of the most prestigious awards in the country. The Award carries a beautiful rolling trophy along with a citation and a cash component of Rs.2 lakhs. The ward has been instituted by Tata Chemicals Limited.
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LITERARY AWARD TO MARGARET ATWOOD
77-year-old author Margaret Atwood received the lifetime achievement award from world‘s oldest literary organizations PEN Center of USA. Atwood has written more than 40 books of fiction, poetry and essays.
DAVID GROSSMAN WINS MAN BOOKER PRIZE
Israeli author David Grossman won the Man Booker International Prize for his novel A Horse Walks Into a Bar. He will share the £50,000 ($64,000) award with translator Jessica Cohen. Grossman is the first Israeli writer to win the prize. he book unfolds over the course of a stand-up show during which comedian Dovelah Gee exposes a wound he has been living with for years and the difficult choice he had to make between the two people who were dearest to him. Grossman‘s works have been translated into more than 30 languages and he was also decorated with France‘s Chevalier de l‘Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1998.
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Awards/Honours of David Grossman: 1984: Prime Minister‘s Prize for Creative Work 1985: Bernstein Prize (original Hebrew novel category) 1993: Bernstein Prize (original Hebrew novel category) 2001: Sapir Prize for Someone to Run With 2004: JQ Wingate Prize (fiction) for Someone to Run With 2004: Italian prize Premio Flaiano; 2004: Bialik Prize for literature (with Haya Shenhav and Ephraim Sidon) 2007: Emet Prize 2007: Ischia International Journalism Award 2007: honorary Doctor Honoris Causa by the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium 2008: Geschwister-Scholl-Preis 2010: Albatros Literaturpreis for To the End of the Land, with German translator Anne Birch Hauer 2010: Peace Prize of the German Book Trade 2011: JQ Wingate Prize for To the End of the Land 2015: St. Louis Literary Award from the Saint Louis University Library Associates 2017: Man Booker International Prize WRITTEN WORKS OF DAVID: Works translated into English Duel The Smile of the Lamb See Under: Love The Book of Intimate Grammar The Zigzag Kid Be My Knife Someone to Run With Her Body Knows: two novellas To the End of the Land
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Falling Out of Time A Horse Walks Into a Bar: A novel. Nonfiction The Yellow Wind Sleeping on a Wire: Conversations with Palestinians in Israel Death as a Way of Life: Israel Ten Years after Oslo Lion‘s honey : the myth of Samson Writing in the Dark: Films The Smile of the Lamb Someone to Run With The Book of Intimate Grammar The Zigzag Kid The international edition of Britain‘s Man Booker Prize was introduced in 2005 and up to last year was awarded in recognition of a body of work by a living author whose work was written or available in English. From 2016, the prize has been given for a single work of fiction that has been translated into English and published in Britain. The prize was won last year by South Korean author Han Kang for The Vegetarian.
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ARUN NETRAVALI WINS MARCONI PRIZE
Indian American Dr Arun N Netravali won this year‘s $100000 Marconi Prize. Netravali is a HDTV tech pioneer and the former President of Bell Labs. The Marconi Prize is awarded to recognize scientists who pursue advances in communication and information technology for the social, economic, and cultural development of all humanity. Netravali from Mumbai, is an IIT Bombay alumnus. He arrived in the USA in 1967 to attend Rice University as a graduate student. He conducted seminal research in digital compression, signal processing and other fields. The Marconi Society was established by Gioia Marconi Braga, daughter of Nobel Laureate Guglielmo Marconi who invented radio, in 1974. It promotes awareness of key technology and policy issues in telecommunications and the internet, and recognizes significant individual achievements through the Marconi Prize and Young Scholar Awards. Past winners of Marconi Prize includes Dr. Robert Kahn, Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Dr. Robert Metcalfe etc.
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The RedInk Award for Lifetime Achievement in Journalism for 2017 was presented to veteran journalist Vinod Dua in Mumbai. The award is a part of the National RedInk Awards for Excellence in Journalism instituted by the Mumbai Press Club. The RedInk Award for the ‗Journalist of the Year‘ 2017 was presented to Raj Kamal Jha, Chief Editor, Indian Express. Vinod Mehta, Kuldip Nayar, N. Ram, Mrinal Pande, Prannoy Roy and T.N. Ninan have received the ‗RedInk Award for Lifetime Achievement‘ in the past.
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REDINK AWARD IN JOURNALISM
Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd has won six Raksha Mantri‘s awards for Excellence for the years 2014-15 and 2015-16. MV Gowtama, Chairman and Managing Director received the awards from Defence Minister Arun Jaitley. BEL‘s six awards are for: ―Indigenisation‖ for 2014-15 under the category On Order Projects for Doppler Weather Radar (S Band Doppler Weather Radar & C Band Polarimetric Doppler Weather Radar). For ―Design Effort‖ for 2014-15 under the category On Order Projects for LYNX U2 Naval Gun Fire Control System. For Best Performance in Export for 2015-16. For Best Performing Division/Factory/Shipyard Award for the ―Best Performing Division‖ among DPSUs for Naval Systems 2 SBU. For Indigenisation for 2015-16 under the category On Order Projects for the Light Weight Portable Laser Target Designator. For Design Effort for the year 2015-16 under the category On Order Projects for the Test Bed for Automated Air Defence Control and Reporting System (ADC&RS).
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BHARAT ELECTRONICS LTD GETS 6 AWARDS
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29TH NATIONAL YOUTH PARLIAMENT COMPETITION
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Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs S.S. Ahluwalia, presided over the Prize Distribution Function of the 29th National Youth Parliament Competition 2016-17, for Kendriya Vidyalayas and 51st Youth Parliament Competition, 2016-17 for Delhi Schools. He distributed the prizes to students and Vidyalayas for their meritorious performance in the competition which was held during the academic year. On this occasion, the students of Kendriya Vidyalaya No.1, GCF, Jabalpur which was declared first in the 29th National Youth Parliament Competition 2016-17, for Kendriya Vidyalayas, presented a short sitting of ―Youth Parliament‖. Winner of the 51st Youth Parliament Competition, 2016-17 among Delhi Schools was Rukmini Devi Public School, CD Block, Pitampura, Delhi-34. From a modest beginning in 1966 when the first Competition was organized by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs in 16 schools of the Delhi Administration, the Youth Parliament Scheme now covers 1200 schools in NCT of Delhi, 1200 Kendriya Vidyalayas, 600 Jawahar Navodaya Vidayalayas and 300 Universities/Colleges all over country. The Youth Parliament Scheme aims at inculcating among the younger generations the spirit of self-discipline, tolerance of diverse opinion, righteous expression of views and other virtues of a democratic way of life. Besides, the scheme also acquaints the students with the practices and procedures of Parliament, techniques of discussion and debate and develops in them self-confidence, quality of leadership and the art and skill of effective oratory – the hallmarks of democracy.
RAILWAYS ORGANIZATION WON GOLDEN PEACOCK AWARD
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Indian Railways achieves a major landmark in the field of Eco friendly fuel technologies at Indian Railways Organization for Alternate Fuel (IROAF) which has been awarded the coveted National level ―Golden Peacock Award for the Year 2017 for Eco-Innovation‖ for substitution of fossil fuels (Diesel) by environment friendly CNG in DEMU passenger train services. Use of CNG in Train Sets for passenger transportation has been done for the first time in the world. The CNG based dual fuel 1400 HP engine used in DEMU trains developed by IROAF has successfully substituted diesel fuel with CNG upto 20%. This innovation will reduce emissions considerably by bringing down NOx by 16%, CO2 by 6% and Particulate Matter by 18% besides achieving economy in fuel cost by 8%. So far, 19 Engines of DEMUs have been successfully converted into CNG based dual fuel engines with this technology. Golden Peacock Awards, instituted by the Institute Of Directors (IOD), India in 1991, are now regarded as a benchmark of Corporate Excellence worldwide. Golden Peacock awards have become a hallmark of excellence, both locally & globally. Based on internationally recognised criteria, the credibility of these awards lies in the transparency depth & impartiality of the assessment process. Present technology of 20% substitution of diesel by CNG, has potential to save upto Rs. 1360 crores annually if implemented over entire fleet of Diesel Locomotives of Indian Railways. An improved technology of 40% substitution is at present being developed by IROAF. This will enhance the potential of saving of fuel cost of IR to about Rs. 3400 crore per annum. The environmental benefits will also double with this improved approach, if successful. IROAF is a unique organization in the Government space which was established by Ministry of Railways to explore new environment friendly fuels/ renewable energy and eco- friendly technologies like substitution of diesel with CNG/LNG in train sets, replacing acetylene/LPG by CNG/LNG for metal cutting in Railway Workshops, proliferating and promoting use of Bio-Diesel in Railway Locomotives, roof top solar generation systems in Railway Workshops, use of solar energy on roof top of passenger and freight trains, setting up of waste to energy plants for converting Bio-Waste into Bio gas/electrical energy, Hydrogen based fuel cell technologies, GeoThermal Technologies and converting waste/bio mass to fuel. The organization is a premier single window agency of Indian Railways to work as a knowledge base and explore and prove out new fuels and technologies for Indian Railways with a view to being down Indian Railways fuel bill and at the same time achieve a shift towards greener fuels / renewable energy sources for a sustainable future.
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INDIANS GET GREAT USA IMMIGRANTS AWARD
Indian-Americans, Adobe chief Shantanu Narayen and former US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy was honoured with the prestigious ‗Great Immigrants‘ annual award on US‘s independence day on July 4. Murthy, 39, born in the UK and a Harvard and Yale alumnus, was appointed by former President Barack Obama in 2014, becoming the first-ever Indian-American to occupy the post and also the youngest ever Surgeon General of the country. Narayen, 54, a native of Hyderabad has an undergraduate degree in electronics engineering, a master‘s degree in computer science, and an MBA from UC Berkeley. He is a board member of Pfizer and US-India Business Council (USIBC).
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DEFENCE THE ROYAL EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO
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The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is an international event of military music performance undertaken by the Armed Forces. In fact, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is the largest tattoo performed in the world in the majestic, sprawling stretch of Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, Scotland. The invitation to the Indian Navy Band to participate and perform in this prestigious event scheduled from 01 to 26 Aug 17 is indeed a matter of pride and befitting recognition of the professional prowess of the Naval band. The participation of the Naval Band would further cement the ties between the two countries, more so, when the Govt of India and UK have announced 2017 as the India-UK Year of Culture to celebrate cultural ties and the 70th year of Indian independence. The Indian Navy Band has been practicing hard in the last few months to further hone their skills to capture the hearts and minds of the music enthusiasts in this international event. The band comprising of 01 officer and 65 musician sailors would perform under the leadership of Commander Vijay Charles D‘Cruz, Director of Music (Navy) who would be the Principal Conductor during the event. The Indian Navy band is scheduled to depart for London from Mumbai on 30 Jul 17. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is well renowned event with over 50 bands participating, and nearly 8500 visitors attending the daily performances. A total audience of nearly 2.5 lakh attends the event over the period of 26 days. Apart from India, bands from countries like Australia, France, Germany, Japan, etc, would also be performing at the tattoo this year.
Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited (RDEL) launched the first two Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPVs) Shachi and Shruti at their shipyard in Pipavav, Gujarat. The ships are part of a five ship project being constructed for the Indian Navy. The primary role of NOPVs is to undertake surveillance of the country‘s vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) besides operational tasks such as anti-piracy patrols, fleet support operations, maritime security of offshore assets, coastal security operations, and protection of shipping lanes. The NOPVs would increase the ocean surveillance and patrolling capabilities of the Indian Navy. The NOPVs being constructed at RDEL are patrol ships and are armed with 76mm Super Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM) system along with two 30mm AK-630M guns which provide medium range and short range offensive and defensive capabilities. The armament is remotely controlled through an electronic Fire Control System. The ships are fitted with diesel engine driven propulsion systems and can deliver speeds upto 25 knots. All ship operations are controlled by an intelligent Integrated Platform Management System which has interfaces for all operational activities onboard the ship.
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NAVAL OFFSHORE PATROL VESSELS „SHACHI‟ AND „SHRUTI‟
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China has recently started the commercial production of its CH-5 Rainbow drone. CASC Rainbow (Cai Hong, abbreviated as CH) is the name of a series Chinese UAVs developed by China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), also known as the 11th Academy of CASC, or 701st Research Institute. There are more than ten versions of this Chinese drones: 1. CH-1 2. CH-2 3. CH-3 4. CH-3A 5. CH-4 6. CH-5 7. CH-91 8. CH-92 9. CH-802 10. CH-803 11. CH-901 Latest (CH-5) UCAV of the Rainbow series with a wingspan of 21 metres, a payload of 1,000 kg, a maximum takeoff weight of over 3 tons, a service ceiling of 9 km, an endurance of up to 120 hours and a range of 10,000 km. China conducted its maiden flight in August 2015 and its first airshow flight (in northern Hebei province) in July 2017. The drone can carry 16 missiles at a single time. There were also plans to extend its range up to 20,000 km. Chinese officials claimed the CH-5 Rainbow was similar in performance to the US MQ-9 Reaper and may come in at less than half the price.
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„CH-5 RAINBOW DRONES‟ OF CHINA IN NEWS
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United States Reaper, or Predator B, was the world‘s first unmanned aerial vehicle that could attack targets on the ground. At $16.9 million, it is the world‘s most expensive drone.
„M-777 A-2 ULTRA-LIGHT HOWITZERS‟ IN NEWS
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The field trials are being carried out on two long-range ultra-light howitzers in Pokhran which the Indian Army received from the USA. The M777 howitzer is a towed 155 mm artillery piece. It succeeded the M198 howitzer in the United States Marine Corps and United States Army in 2005. The M777 is also used by the ground forces of Australia, Canada, India and Saudi Arabia. It made its combat debut in the War in Afghanistan. The M777 is manufactured by BAE Systems‘ Global Combat Systems division. Prime contract management is based in Barrow-in-Furness in the United Kingdom as well as manufacture and assembly of the titanium structures and associated recoil components. Final integration and testing of the weapon is undertaken at BAE‘s facility in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The test-firing of the guns is primarily aimed at collating and determining various critical data like trajectory, speed and frequency of fire of the M-777 A-2 ultra-light howitzers (ULH) which are expected to be mostly deployed along the border with China.
ISRAELI FOURTH GENERATION MISSILE „SPIKE‟
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Spike is an Israeli fourth generation man-portable fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile and anti-personnel missile with a tandem-charge HEAT warhead, developed and designed by the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. As well as engaging and destroying targets within the line-of-sight of the launcher (―fire-and-forget‖), some variants of the missile are capable of making a top-attack profile through a ―fire, observe and update‖ guidance method; the operator tracking the target, or switching to another target, optically through the trailing fiber-optic wire (or RF link in the case of the vehicle-mounted, long-range NLOS variant) while the missile is climbing to altitude after launch. This is similar to the lofted trajectory flight profile of the US FGM-148 Javelin. The Indian government is looking to purchase Spike from Rafael Advanced Defence Systems. India is Israel‘s biggest arms market. The purchase of Spike missiles was approved by the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC), which is responsible for purchases for the Indian Army, back in 2014, but negotiations have been stuck over disagreements on cost and technology transfer.
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CHINA LAUNCHES „TYPE 055‟ GUIDED-MISSILE DESTROYER
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China has launched a new 10,000-ton warship at Shanghai‘s Jiangnan Shipyard. Measuring about 180 meters long and over 20 meters wide, the new Type 055 guided-missile destroyer is the lead vessel of a new class of PLAN surface warships. Equipped with new types of air defense, anti-missile, anti-ship and anti-submarine weapon systems, the new destroyer has strong capabilities of information detection, air and missile defense, and maritime target attacking. Chinese navy is slated to receive four ships of the class divided into two groups, although some sources indicate that the PLAN could commission up to eight Type 055 ships. The warship, featuring a stealth shaped superstructure, is fitted with two 64-cell vertical launch system capable of firing anti-ship (e.g., YJ-18) and land attack cruise missiles; as well medium and long-range air defense missiles (such as the HHQ-9). The ship will also be armed with a 130 millimeter main gun and will be able to accommodate two Z-18 antisubmarine warfare helicopters. The ship also boasts two Type 1130 close-in weapons systems (CIWS) and four powerful Type 346x naval active phased array radar systems for the detection of aircraft, missiles, and ships.
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LIST OF DEFENCE AGREEMENTS SIGNED WITH RUSSIA
Details of defence agreements signed with Russia over the past five years is as under: Agreement for training of Indian armed forces personnel in the military educational establishments of the Defence Ministry of the Russian Federation. (Date of signing 11.12.2014). Agreement between the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation on cooperation in Aircraft flight safety. (Date of signing 21.01.2015). Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Russian Federation on cooperation in the field of Helicopter Engineering. (Date of signing 24.12.2015). Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of India on supply of S-400 Triumph Air Defence Missile systems to the Republic of India. (Date of signing 15.10.2016). Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of India for construction of follow-on-ships of project 11356 in Russia and in India (Date of signing 15.10.2016).
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The Government makes all efforts to encourage greater manufacturing of defence equipment in India through the ‗Make in India‘ framework, including through transfer of technology arrangements. Several licensed production agreements have been implemented with Russian companies in India, such as for Sukhoi-30 aircraft, T-90 tanks, BMP-2 armoured personnel carriers etc. Divulging the texts of such Agreements will not be in the interest of national security.
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BASIC TRAINER AIRCRAFT HTT-40 IN NEWS
The maiden flight of 2nd Prototype (PT-2) of Basic Trainer Aircraft (HTT-40) has been successfully completed on 19th May 2017 without any glitch. The aircraft flew for one hour carrying out important manoeuvres, touching altitude of 20000 ft and maximum speed of 185 kmph. Presently, the project is in advanced stage of development. Two prototypes have been developed and produced till date and both prototypes are under flight trials. Additionally, one more prototype will be manufactured to further speed up the development process. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) aims to get the aircraft certified by December 2018 which will be followed by series production. In February 2015, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved procurement of 70 Basic Trainer Aircraft from HAL. Considering this, HAL has planned to set up facility for manufacturing of 15-20 aircraft per annum. HTT-40 is funded by HAL with its own resources.
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The Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping (CUNPK) is conducting jointly with the US, the second edition of United Nations Peacekeeping Course for African Partners (UNPCAP-02) in New Delhi. The opening session for this course was conducted at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi. The course is aimed to build and enhance the capacity of the African Troop Contributing Countries to the UN and to further train the trainers from these countries. The course, which revolves around the concept of training the trainers, as stated by the UN, is one of the many steps that India has initiated towards active contribution to peace support activities. Course is being attended by officers from 19 countries including India. The students include officers who are currently employed in their respective peacekeeping training centres in African peacekeeping training institutions. The training incorporates topics on operational and logistical matters, humanitarian issues, thematic topics, Blackboard and table Top exercises and mission briefs. The course is also targeted to assist the student officers to further train officers in their respective countries on the nuances of peacekeeping. Internationally the course is already being seen as a milestone in many ways.
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UN PEACEKEEPING COURSE IN INDIA
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The ₹60,000-crore P75(I) submarine programme will be the first defence deal to be announced under the ‗Strategic Partnership‘ (SP) policy announced by Union Cabinet in May 2017. The P75(I) or ‗Project 75 India‘ is a programme of the Indian Navy to the already undergoing construction of six Scorpene class diesel-electric submarines that are being built at the Mazagon Dock Ltd through technology transfer from France‘s DCNS. The P75(I) was announced in October 2014. The submarines to be built under this programme will be technologically more enhanced than the ones that are nearing completion under P75. India has plans to build a fleet of 24 submarines for the navy. Under P75(I), the submarines will have Air Independent Propulsion (AIP), under which these can stay longer inside water. Besides, it will also have a vertical launch system that will enable these submarines to have multiple Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles for land attack. Additionally, a brand new cruise missile will be fitted as the main anti-ship missile.
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PROJECT 75 INDIA IN NEWS
LATEST INDO-SRI LANKAN JOINT EXERCISE
The IAF has recently participated in a joint exercise with Sri Lankan forces. A transport aircraft of IAF had ferried a contingent of 65 members of IAF personnel to Sri Lanka with an aim of carrying out joint training. The contingent included a sky diving team along with the Air Warrior Drill Team. While at Colombo, joint para drops were carried out along with Sri Lankan troops. This exercise offered an opportunity to both, the IAF and SLAF contingent members, to observe each others‘ Standard Operating Procedures as well as exchange ideas on joint operations. The Air Warrior Drill Team also displayed its immaculate coordinated weapons drill at Colombo. The team would arrive at Trivandrum after a very satisfying joint exercise.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com MALABAR SERIES OF EXERCISES IN NEWS
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Naval co-operation between India, US and Japan epitomises the strong and resilient relationship between the three democracies. The MALABAR series of exercises, initiated in 1992 between the Indian and US Navies, have steadily grown in scope, complexity and participation into a multifaceted exercise with the participation of Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF). The 21st edition of the exercise, MALABAR-17 was conducted in the Bay of Bengal from 10 to 17 July 2017. The primary aim of this exercise was to increase interoperability amongst the three navies as well as develop common understanding and procedures for maritime security operations. The scope of MALABAR-17 includes wide-ranging professional interactions during the Harbour Phase at Chennai from 10 to 13 July 2017 and a diverse range of operational activities at sea during the Sea Phase from 14 to 17 July 17. The thrust of exercises at sea this year were on Aircraft Carrier operations, Air Defence, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Surface Warfare, Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS), Search and Rescue, Joint Manoeuvres and Tactical procedures. The Indian Navy was represented by the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya with its air wing, guided missile destroyer Ranvir, indigenous stealth frigates Shivalik and Sahyadri, indigenous ASW corvette Kamorta, missile corvettes Kora and Kirpan, one Sindhughosh class submarine, fleet tanker INS Jyoti and Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft P8I. The US Navy was represented by the ships from the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group and other units from the US 7th Fleet. The US Navy forces included the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier Nimitz with its air wing, Ticonderoga-class cruiser Princeton, Arleigh Burke-class destroyers Kidd, Howard and Shoup along with integral helicopters, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine and one Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft P8A. The exercise also witnessed a separate interaction between IN and USN Special Forces and Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams at the IN MARCOS training base INS Karna at Visakhapatnam. The JMSDF was represented by JS Izumo, a helicopter carrier with SH 60K helicopters and JS Sazanami, a missile destroyer with SH 60K integral helicopter. MALABAR-17 was another milestone with participation of 16 ships, two submarines and more than 95 aircraft, towards strengthening mutual confidence and inter-operability as well as sharing of best practices between the Indian, Japanese and US Navies. The exercise was a demonstration of the joint commitment of all three nations to address common maritime challenges across the spectrum of operations and will go a long way in enhancing maritime security in the IndoPacific region, for the benefit of the global maritime community.
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QUICK REACTION SURFACE TO AIR MISSILE TESTED
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Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) developed Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM) was successfully flight tested from ITR Chandipur, off the Odisha Coast. All the technologies and subsystems incorporated in the missile have performed well, meeting all the mission requirements. All the Radars, Electro Optical Systems, Telemetry Systems and other stations have tracked the Missile and monitored all the Parameters. The Missile test met all the objectives. The state-of-the-art missile has a strike range of 20-30 km and is capable of engaging multiple targets.
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STATES PRIME MINISTER IN RAMESWARAM
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam memorial at Rameswaram. He unveiled a statue of Dr. Kalam, and offered floral tributes at Kalam Sthal. The Prime Minister flagged off the Kalam Sandesh Vahini, an exhibition bus which shall travel across various States of the country and reach Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on October 15, which marks the birth anniversary of the former President. At a large public meeting, the Prime Minister distributed sanction letters to select beneficiaries of Long Line Trawlers under the Blue Revolution Scheme. He flagged off a new Express train from Rameswaram to Ayodhya – named Shraddha Setu – via video conference. He released the synopsis of the Green Rameswaram Project; and unveiled a plaque to mark the dedication to the nation of a 9.5 km Link Road on NH-87, between Mukundarayar Chathiram, and Arichalmunai.
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Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma launched ‗Mission Football‘ at a grand ceremony in Shillong. Mission Football is an initiative to help develop skills of football enthusiasts and develop young footballers for the country. It is a dedicated programme for talent identification and nurturing of talents to develop national and international players. The programme is aimed at honing the skills of young footballers in the state who now see football as a very viable career option. The initiative will hope to improve not just facilities and infrastructure but also appoint coaches and staff who will help to develop the wide array of talent that is evident in the state.
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MEGHALAYA LAUNCHES „MISSION FOOTBALL‟
FREE POWER CONNECTION TO BPL FAMILIES IN UP
Uttar Pradesh government has launched free power connection scheme for the BPL card holders in the state. The scheme would also benefit the poor people who do not have BPL cards at present. Such people would have to pay between Rs. 80 to Rs. 120 for getting the power connection. The scheme would also provide relief to the middle class people as the instalment payment facility would be admissible for them.
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KOCHI GETS DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR
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Mr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Science and Technology has inaugurated the indigenous doppler weather radar at at Palluruthy in West Kochi (Kerala). The S-Band doppler weather radar in Kochi was made with support from ISRO and Bharat Electronics. This radar is capable of predicting with increased accuracy weather events such as cyclone occurring in 500-km radius from Kochi. A chain of 27 such advanced radars already installed in various parts of the country, and 25 more, in the Himalayan and northeast, are in the offing. The whole country will have such advanced weather forecast and warning systems in the next two to three years. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had already extended weather forecast while it heralded several changes in the farming sector. As many as 22 million farmers in the country received weather-related information through SMS daily. The Minister said a Rs.400-crore national monsoon mission was under way. A major step is being taken in earthquake prediction, with the IMD and the Department of Science working on systems to give earthquake forecast. Sensors had been set up some 5 km underground at Koyna in Maharashtra where the government was setting up an earthquake forecast centre.
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TAMILNADU GETS FIRST CASE OF ZIKA VIRUS
Tamil Nadu has reported its first case of Zika virus in a 27-year-old man in N. Puttur, Natrampalayam Panchayat, Denkanikottai Taluk in Krishnagiri district. Subsequent tests at the National Institute of Virology, Pune, found the urine sample positive for Zika. Earlier three cases of Zika had been detected in Ahmedabad, Gujarat in January. Zika virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in monkeys through a network that monitored yellow fever. It was later identified in humans in 1952 in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. The first large outbreak of disease caused by Zika infection was reported from the Island of Yap (Federated States of Micronesia) in 2007.
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In July 2015 Brazil reported an association between Zika virus infection and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Zika virus is primarily transmitted to people through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, which can also transmit chikungunya, dengue and yellow fever. Zika virus can also be transmitted through sex and has been detected in semen, blood, urine, amniotic fluids, saliva as well as body fluids found in the brain and spinal cord. Zika virus may present a risk to blood safety. People who have donated blood are encouraged to report to the blood transfusion service if they subsequently get symptoms of Zika virus infection, or if they are diagnosed with recent Zika virus infection within 14 days after blood donation. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is considered the main vector of Zika virus transmission because it sustains most Zika virus outbreaks. Zika virus may be imported by infected travellers into an area that may not have Zika virus transmission at that point of time. If those travellers are bitten by local Aedes aegypti mosquitoes the mosquitoes can transmit the virus to others, potentially setting off a cycle of transmission. Zika virus and its complications such as microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome represent a new type of public health threat with long-term consequences for families, communities and countries. Microcephaly is a condition where a baby‘s head is smaller than those of other babies of the same age and sex. Microcephaly happens when there is either a problem in utero, causing the baby‘s brain to stop growing properly, or after birth when the head stops growing properly. Children born with microcephaly often have developmental challenges as they grow older. In some cases, children with microcephaly develop entirely normally. Microcephaly can be caused by a variety of environmental and genetic factors such as Down syndrome; exposure to drugs, alcohol or other toxins in the womb; and rubella infection during pregnancy. Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rare condition in which a person‘s immune system attacks his or her nerves. People of all ages can be affected, but it is more common in adult men.
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Categories in the Zika virus country classification scheme (WHO): Category 1: Area with new introduction of Zika virus since 2015 or area where the virus has been re-introduced, with ongoing transmission. Category 2: Area either with evidence of Zika virus circulation before 2015 or with transmission but the area does not satisfy the criteria for 1 or 3. Areas in category 2 may also experience an outbreak of Zika. Category 3: Area with interrupted transmission but with potential for future transmission. Category 4: Area with established Aedes aegypti mosquitoes but no known documented past or current transmission.
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The Punjab Cabinet has approved the Punjab Goods Carriages (Regulation and Prevention of Cartelisation Rules), 2017 that completely bars goods carriage operators from forming cartels or unions in the State. The proposed new rules will be placed in the public domain for 30 days for any comments or objections. The move was aimed at fighting the mafia of good transporters who had cartelised the business over the past several years, obstructing the free and fair movement of goods transport, thereby also impacting industrial development of the State. It was also decided that the government should fix the minimum and maximum fares and freight for goods carriers. This will be done from time to time in respect of different kinds of goods carriers on a per kilo-meter basis for wet and dry loads and for the transportation of livestock, keeping in view the different terrains to be traversed, the cost of fuel and maintenance, salaries and expenditure, and all other relevant factors pertaining to the different kinds of goods carriages.
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PUNJAB ABOLISHES TRANSPORT UNIONS IN STATE
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HARYANA LAUNCHES „VISION DOCUMENT 2030′
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar launched the ‗Vision Document 2030‘. It has set the objective of increasing the State GDP growth rate to 9.8%. This document has been divided into three broad categories of economic, environmental and social targets. Economic targets: the focus areas are increasing the per capita income to ₹8,34,351 and ensuring 30 per cent women in the workforce. Environmental targets include: waste and garbage collection and arrangement of 100 per cent toilets and sewerage, 20 e-waste and solid waste management plant, renewable energy of 14.5 per cent of the total energy, complete ban on stubble burning, establishment of 400 climate smart villages and to check the depletion of watertable. Social targets aims for no malnutrition among children, housing for all, bringing down maternal mortality rate to 70 per one lakh live births, neonatal mortality rate to 12 per 1,000 live births and under-five mortality rate to 25 per 1,000 live births, 100 per cent net enrolment ratio at pre-primary level, 97 per cent at primary level and 95 per cent at secondary level, bringing down the dropout rate to nil and reducing crime against women. It also aims to create 18 lakh new jobs, raise skilled manpower of 5 lakh and provide 24-hour electricity etc.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com FIRST AUTOMATIC COASTAL WARNING SYSTEM
Odisha has installed the India‘s first automatic coastal warning system. This system can warn the population residing along its 480 km-long coast by pressing a single button in the event of the occurrence of natural disasters like a tsunami or a cyclone. This Early Warning Dissemination System (EWDS) enable loud sirens go off simultaneously from towers at 122 locations in 22 blocks under six coastal districts such as Balasore, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Puri and Ganjam. The sound emanating from the towers can be heard in localities up to a radius of 1.5 km. The EWDS comprises of technologies like Satellite-Based Mobile Data Voice Terminals (SBMDVT), Digital Mobile Radio (DMR), Mass Messaging System (MMS) and Universal Communication Interface (UCI) for inter-operability among different communication technologies. This project was implemented with assistance from the World Bank. The new system will also enable authorities to alert people in smaller pockets, depending on the severity of the disaster. Neighbouring Andhra Pradesh is also building up such capability to face natural calamities.
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The Punjab government has decided to collaborate with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to root out the drug menace in the State. A Memorandum of Understanding will be signed soon between the State‘s Health Department, a Special Task Force (STF) and the UNODC. UNODC has offered to help improve law enforcement and policing, pointing out that the agency‘s programmes involving mothers had proved successful in other countries and could be emulated in Punjab.
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PUNJAB AND UN COLLABORATION ON DRUG MENACE
AUTOMATED FERTILIZER HANDLING SYSTEM IN PORTS
Automated Fertilizer Handling System has been introduced in Krishnapatnam Port in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. This facility is equipped to handle fertilizer cargo operations right from the cargo discharge from vessel till evacuation by road/rail. This all weather cargo handling solution will enable the port to meet the increasing demand of imported fertilizers. The system integrates multiple processes to augment the fertilizer handling capacity at Krishnapatnam Port while offering customised solutions to fertilizer importers.
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ZOJILA TUNNEL PROJECT IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR
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Zoji-la Tunnel is a 14 km (8.7 mi) upcoming road tunnel built near in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The tunnel along with Z-Morh Tunnel (which is 22 kilometers from Zoji-la tunnel towards Srinagar ) will ensure year long road connectivity between Srinagar and Leh which currently remains closed for about seven months due to snow. The tunnel will be build under EPC mode (engineering, procurement, construction) wherein Govt of India will provide the money and the executing agency will do the construction and will later hand over the project to Govt of India. National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) had invited tenders for the Zojila tunnel project. The tunnel having a length of 14.15 km is single-tube and bi-directional. There is also a parallel escape tunnel 14.2-km long and three vertical shafts for providing ventilation system and the estimated cost of the project is Rs 8,000-10,000 crore. Conditions for constructing the project are expected to be challenging in terms of adverse weather: Extremely low temperatures (minus 45-degree celsius), avalanches, low oxygen, wind, chill factor, and others. The project was put up for bidding for the first time in April 2013. Zojila tunnel is a complex project aimed at establishing year-round connectivity between Srinagar and the LehLadakh region. Currently, Leh-Ladakh is cut off from the rest of India for almost six months due to heavy snowfall. The project site is located at an altitude of 11,578 feet on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh National Highway, which makes it challenging for execution because of extreme temperatures (up to -45°C), winds, avalanches and low oxygen levels.
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RAIPUR AIRPORT RANKED FIRST IN CUSTOMER INDEX
Raipur‘s Swami Vivekananda Airport was once again ranked first in Customer Satisfaction among 49 airports in the country. Swami Vivekananda Airport, formerly known as Raipur Airport, is the primary airport serving the state of Chhattisgarh, India.
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Raipur Airport achieved 4.84 score on a five point scale index in the latest CSI survey conducted by an independent agency for the period of January-June 2017, followed by Udaipur, Amritsar and Dehradun airports which have scored 4.75, 4.74 and 4.73 respectively. Airport Authority of India makes continuous efforts to improve the services and passenger facilities at its airports, and this has placed it amongst the best service providers in the world. Customer Satisfaction is one of the key performance objectives of AAI which is evaluated through Customer Satisfaction Survey conducted by an independent agency commissioned by AAI. The survey covers a wide range of parameters like transportation, parking, passenger facilities and cleanliness etc. The integrated terminal building of Raipur was inaugurated in 2012. High level maintenance of infrastructure and passenger facilities, the green ambience, state-of -the- art technology and courteous staff ensuring passenger satisfaction has resulted in Raipur getting this recognition for the third consecutive time in the past two years.
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CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN TRANSFUSION MEDICINE
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Ministry of Health and Family Welfare signed a memorandum of understanding with Government of West Bengal to formalize its support to set up a state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence in Transfusion Medicine at Kolkata. Government of India has approved this important initiative with an outlay of approximately Rs.200 Crores towards equipment, manpower and running costs. The land for this initiative will be provided free of cost by the State government. The move intends to strengthen the blood transfusion services in the State and the surrounding region. Metro Blood Bank Project is conceived to be a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to set up state-of-the-art Centres of Excellence in transfusion medicine in the four metro cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. These centres are high volume blood collection centres where there is state-of-the-art technology in transfusion medicine for component separation, processing of blood and quality systems. Facilities for screening of collected blood by NAT would be made available at these centres and also extended to the other blood banks of the State. Approval of Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare has been accorded for the first phase, wherein these facilities are to come up in Chennai and Kolkata. National Blood Transfusion Council under National AIDS Control Organization will be the implementing division of the Ministry for this project. The MoU for setting up the Metro Blood Bank in Chennai has already been signed on 14th June 2016. India collects near about 11 million blood units every year. Nearly 71% of these blood donations are collected through voluntary non-remunerated donors. A recently concluded assessment of licensed Blood Banks of India revealed that the average blood donation rate in India is 0.8, which is lower than many high income countries leading to a shortfall in quantum and access to safe blood in select hard-to-reach areas of the country. Rational use of blood also needs to be ensured to enhance utilization, as one unit of blood can benefit more than one beneficiary through separation into red cells, plasma, platelets.
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FIRST MAIZE BASED MEGA FOOD PARK LAUNCHED
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Union Minister of Food Processing Industry Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur laid the foundation stone for First Maize based Mega Food Park in Kapurthala, Punjab. The Mega Food Park is being developed by Sukhjit Mega Food park & Infra Limited at village Rehana Jattan, Phagwara, District Kapurthala, Punjab. The Mega Food Park will leverage an additional investment of about Rs.250 crores in 25-30 food processing units in the park and generate turnover of Rs.450-500 crores annually. The Park will provide direct and indirect employment to 5,000 persons and benefit about 25,000 farmers. Set up in an area of 55 acres, the first Maize based Park is being built with an investment of Rs. 123.7 crores with a grant of Rs.50 crores by Union Food Processing Industries Ministry to have Multipurpose Cold Storage of 3, 000 Metric tonnes, Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) and Deep Freezer 1 Metric Tonne/Hour capacity, Sorting and Grading Yard of 2,000 sqm and Food Testing Lab. In addition to that promoter is also set up an Anchor Unit with an investment of Rs.105 crores for Maize Processing with an installed grinding capacity of 500 Metric Tonnes a day. Kapurthala has been declared as a Dark Zone district where slow desertification is happening because of overexploitation of water due to cash crops. So establishment of this Mega Food Park was not allowed. Since this would be a maize based Mega Food Park which will promote crop diversification and water conservation therefore this Mega Food Park approved from Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. Maize is an amazing cereal and is an alternate to Jhona (paddy) and Kanak (wheat). Maize is rich in protein, provides nutritional requirements that India needs and Maize consumes much lesser water and could contain the problem of further water depletion. Establishment of this Mega Food Park will result in the development of this Dark Zone which includes Job opportunities, Environmental Conservation.
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There is an urgent need to turn to Maize and our government would relentlessly work to make Maize as the third viable staple crop of Punjab after Wheat and Rice and growing of maize with enhanced quality of seeds. A Maize based Food Park is like putting an engine to the cart so that cultivation of maize grows leaps and bounds. Enterprises willing to set up maize based food processing units in Sukhjit Mega Food Park would get loan from NABARD at affordable rates. Background: Maize Based Mega Food Park is the first major and serious step in the history of India for containing the desertification problem of Punjab and would make farmers turn to maize cultivation which need less water for more production. Maize is being used by different industries for seed, starch, brewery, food additives, sweeteners etc and it is also a basic raw material to thousands of industrial products like oil, proteins, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, beverages, film, textile, gum, value added foods, paper industries, bio-ethanol etc.
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LAWS AND LEGISLATIONS BANKING REGULATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 2017
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Highlights of the Bill: The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2017 seeks to amend the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 to insert provisions for handling cases related to stressed assets. Stressed assets are loans where the borrower has defaulted in repayment or where the loan has been restructured (such as by changing the repayment schedule). It will replace the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017. The central government may authorise the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to issue directions to banks for initiating proceedings in case of a default in loan repayment. These proceedings would be under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. The RBI may, from time to time, issue directions to banks for resolution of stressed assets. The RBI may specify authorities or committees to advise banks on resolution of stressed assets. The members on such committees will be appointed or approved by the RBI. The Bill inserts a provision to state that it will also be applicable to the State Bank of India, its subsidiaries, and Regional Rural Banks.
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Finance Minister Arun Jaitley introduced a Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2017 in parliament to replace the non-performing assets ordinance, which came into effect earlier this year. The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2017 will amend the Banking Regulation Act 1949 for this purpose. The Constitution requires ordinances to be approved by Parliament within six weeks of the next session. NPA ordinance had conferred powers on the Centre for authorising the Reserve Bank of India to issue directions to banks to initiate insolvency resolution process in respect of a default, under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016. It had also conferred power upon the RBI to issue directions to banking companies for resolution of stressed assets and allow it to specify one or more committees to advise banking companies on resolution of stressed assets.
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MINORITY INSTITUTIONS RIGHT UNDER ARTICLE 30(1) IS ABSOLUTE
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The Supreme Court Bench comprising Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice R. Banumathi held that minority educational institutions have absolute right to appoint qualified persons as Principal from the community ignoring seniority. ―The emerging position is that, once the Management of a minority educational institution makes a conscious choice of a qualified person from the minority community to lead the institution, either as the Headmaster or Principal, the court cannot go into the merits of the choice or the rationality or propriety of the process of choice. In that regard, the right under Article 30(1) is absolute‖ . Article 30. Right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions: 1. All minorities, whether based on religion or language, shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice 1A In making any law providing for the compulsory acquisition of any property of an educational institution established and administered by a minority, referred to in clause (1), the State shall ensure that the amount fixed by or determined under such law for the acquisition of such property is such as would not restrict or abrogate the right guaranteed under that clause 2. The state shall not, in granting aid to educational institutions, discriminate against any educational institution on the ground that it is under the management of a minority, whether based on religion or language In January 2017, the SC had stated that ―while under the constitutional scheme, a ―minority institution‖ is free to select and appoint a principal, without being bound by the principle of seniority alone, whether the appointment has been made fairly and reasonably and whether there is violation of right of an individual eligible candidate by the minority institution by not adopting fair procedure, is liable to be tested in exercise of power of judicial review under Article 226 of the Constitution. SUPREME COURT ON MISUSE OF SECTION 498A OF IPC
The Supreme Court has expressed serious concern over the misuse of Section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code relating to dowry and harassment of men. Supreme Court two Judge Bench of Justices AK Goel and UU Lalit has issued new set of directions to prevent the misuse of Section 498A of Indian Penal Code. ―It is a matter of serious concern that large number of cases continue to be filed under Section 498A alleging harassment of married women. To remedy the situation, we are of the view that involvement of civil society in the aid of administration of justice can be one of the steps, apart from the investigating officers and the concerned trial courts being sensitized. It is also necessary to facilitate closure of proceedings where a genuine settlement has been reached instead of parties being required to move High Court only for that purpose‖.
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Following directions were issued by Supreme Court: Complaints under Section 498A and other connected offences may be investigated only by a designated Investigating Officer of the area. He should undergo training of four months for such duration (not less than one week) as may be considered appropriate. If a bail application is filed with at least one clear day‘s notice to the Public Prosecutor/complainant, the same may be decided as far as possible on the same day. Recovery of disputed dowry items may not by itself be a ground for denial of bail if maintenance or other rights of wife/minor children can otherwise be protected. In respect of persons ordinarily residing out of India impounding of passports or issuance of Red Corner Notice should not be a routine. In every district one or more Family Welfare Committees be constituted by the District Legal Services Authorities preferably comprising of three members. The constitution and working of such committees may be reviewed from time to time and at least once in a year by the District and Sessions Judge of the district who is also the Chairman of the District Legal Services Authority. The Committees may be constituted out of para legal volunteers/social workers/retired persons/wives of working officers/other citizens who may be found suitable and willing. Every complaint under Section 498A received by the police or the Magistrate be referred to and looked into by such committee. Such committee may have interaction with the parties personally or by means of telephone or any other mode of communication including electronic communication. Report of such committee be given to the Authority by whom the complaint is referred to it latest within one month from the date of receipt of complaint. The committee may give its brief report about the factual aspects and its opinion in the matter. Till report of the committee is received, no arrest should normally be effected. The report may be then considered by the Investigating Officer or the Magistrate on its own merit. Members of the committee may be given such basic minimum training as may be considered necessary by the Legal Services Authority from time to time. The Members of the committee may be given such honorarium as may be considered viable. It will be open to the District and Sessions Judge to utilize the cost fund wherever considered necessary and proper. In cases where a settlement is reached, it will be open to the District and Sessions Judge or any other senior Judicial Officer nominated by him in the district to dispose of the proceedings including closing of the criminal case if dispute primarily relates to matrimonial discord; It will be open to the District Judge or a designated senior judicial officer nominated by the District Judge to club all connected cases between the parties arising out of matrimonial disputes so that a holistic view is taken by the Court to whom all such cases are entrusted; and Personal appearance of all family members and particularly outstation members may not be required and the trial court ought to grant exemption from personal appearance or permit appearance by video conferencing without adversely affecting progress of the trial. These directions will not apply to the offences involving tangible physical injuries or death.
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Background: Passed by Indian Parliament in 1983, Indian Penal Code 498A, is a criminal law (not a civil law) which is defined as follows, ‗Whoever, being the husband or the relative of the husband of a woman, subjects such woman to cruelty shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine. The offence is Cognizable, non-compoundable and non-bailable.‘ IIIT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP BILL 2017
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Rajya Sabha passed the Indian Institute of Information Technology Public Private Partnership (IIIT-PPP) Bill 2017. The bill has already been passed in Lok Sabha. This bill is required to grant degrees to the students IIITs set up in PPP mode. It will also grant statutory status to the fifteen IIITs established in PPP mode and declare them Institutes of National Importance. IIITs in PPP mode has the concerned State Government and industry partners as stakeholders and, therefore, have a different governance structure, including composition of Board of Governors, nomination of Chairman, appointment of Director, etc. It is also supposed to be self-sustainable within 5 years of commencement and, therefore, needs to have appropriate financial process in place. The Guiding Principle – Provide autonomy to the Institutes but at the same time maintain a fine balance between autonomy and accountability of the IIITs in PPP mode.
The current scheme: Funding is Centre: State: Industry Partner in the ratio of 50:35:15 (for NER, 57.5:35:7.5). State Government, in addition, provides land. The approved project cost of each IIT-PPP is Rs 128 crore to be shared among the Centre, State and industry partner(s) in the above ratio. In addition, Rs 10 crore to be provided by the central government for recurring expenditure.
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Some important provisions of the Bill: The Board of Governors shall be the principal policy making and executive body (In case of centrally funded IIITs/ IITs/ NITs, important policy decisions are taken by the IIIT Council). All members, other than the Chairperson and nominees of Central / State Govt. and Industry Partners, shall be appointed by the Board (unlike centrally funded IIITs in which IIIT Council nominates 4 members to the BoG). The Chairperson shall be nominated by the Visitor. The BoG has the power to grant degrees, diplomas, fellowships and scholarships. BoG has to put in place policies to make the institute self-sustaining in 5 (five) years. The Board has the power to conduct enquiry against the Director. The process of appointment of Director is initiated by the Board itself. Chairperson of BoG is also the Chairperson of the Search-cum-Selection Committee (ScSC) (In Central Government funded IIITs, chairperson of ScSC is separately nominated by the the Minister of HRD). Two other members of ScSC to be nominated by the Board itself from amongst eminent technocrats, industrialists, administrators, educationists, scientists, etc. (In centrally funded IIITs, one eminent person is nominated by the Minister, HRD). It has only coordination and advisory role and not of policy making (unlike centrally funded IIITs which also have policy making role). Chaired by Minister, HRD. Directors of all institutes are members Three persons having special knowledge in industry, academia etc. Representations provided by rotation- Four each from State Govts., Chairpersons of IIIT PPP and Industry Partners- to keep it at a reasonable size. Official representations are very limited.
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Current Status of IIITs-PPP: Total 15 started so far and covered by the Bill: 5 (five) in 2013-14 at Kota, Chittoor, Guwahati, Vadodara, Tiruchirapalli. 3 (three) in 2014-15 – Sonepat, Kalyani, Una 4 (four) in 2015-16 – Lucknow, Senapati, Dharwad, Kottayam 3 (three) in 2016-17 – Nagpur, Pune, Ranchi 3 (three) to start in 2017-18 – Bhopal, Surat, Bhagalpur
„NITSER ACT‟ AMENDMENT BILL PASSED
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NITSER (National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research) Amendment Bill was passed in Rajya Sabha. The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on 28th March, 2017. The Bill amends the National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research Act, 2007 (NITSER Act). The NITSER Act declares certain institutions of technology, science education and research as Institutes of National Importance and provides for research, training and dissemination of knowledge in these institutions. The Bill proposes to introduce two new Institutions namely Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati and IISER Berhampur in the Second Schedule of the NITSER Act, 2007. Five IISERs at Kolkata (2006), Pune (2006), Mohali (2007), Bhopal (2008) and Thiruvananthapuram (2008) mandated with promoting quality education and research in the sciences were established. With the establishment of the two new IISERs there are now seven IISERs.
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„AMASR ACT‟ OF INDIA IN NEWS
The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (or AMASR Act) is an act of parliament of the government of India that provides for the preservation of ancient and historical monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance, for the regulation of archaeological excavations and for the protection of sculptures, carvings and other like objects. It was passed in 1958. The Archaeological Survey of India functions under the provisions of this act. The proposal for amendment of the Amasr Act, 2010 has been approved by the Cabinet and the pertaining Bill has been moved to Lok Sabha. The proposal is to allow public works or projects essential for public in prohibited area within 100 meter from protected monument but not having substantial impact on preservation, safety, security or access to the monument or its immediate surrounding including visual ambiance. The proposal is aimed to harmonize the existing conflict between provision of sub-section (3) and sub-section (4) of Section 20A of the Act. The draft amendment was published in the ASI website for inviting comments from the public. Concern from the public regarding indiscriminate constructions, vibrations due to construction, gradual erosion of sanctity of protected monument, and others have been received. The Government of India has assured that only public works, essential for public safety or security of public at large will be allowed, that too if no reasonable possibility of any other viable alternative for such construction beyond the limit of prohibited area is available.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com WHAT PRANAB MUKHERJEE SAID ON „ORDINANCE‟?
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Former President of India Pranab Mukherjee during his farewell speech on his last day in office has cautioned the governments in using the ‗Ordinance Route‘ for making legislations in India. In his words,―I am firm in the opinion that the Ordinance route should be used only in compelling circumstances and there should be no recourse to Ordinances on monetary matters. Ordinance route should not be taken on matters which are being considered or have been introduced in the House or a committee of the House. If a matter is deemed urgent, the concerned committee should be made aware of the situation and should be mandated to present its report within the stipulated time.‖ Article 123 of the Constitution enables the President of India to promulgate an ordinance if neither House of Parliament is in session and ―circumstances exist, which render it necessary for him to take immediate action‖. Every ordinance has to be laid before Parliament, and ceases to exist six weeks from the end of the next sitting of Parliament. Since the Constitution mandates that Parliament be called into session at least once every six months, ordinances have a de facto expiration period of approximately seven and a half months. Article 213 gives the same power to the Governor of a State. The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, 2015, popularly known as Land bill was brought into effect through ordinance by three times continuously. But it finally lapsed and government decided not to bring ordinance for it 4th time.
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ADMIRALTY (JURISDICTION AND SETTLEMENT OF MARITIME CLAIMS) BILL
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Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill, 2017 was passed unanimously in the Rajya Sabha. The Bill aims to establish a legal framework for consolidation of related laws to replace the age old archaic laws with modern Indian legislation and to confer admiralty jurisdiction on all High Courts of the coastal states of the country. The bill was earlier passed by the Lok Sabha in March, 2017. The Bill repeals five obsolete British statutes on admiralty jurisdiction in civil matters, namely, (a) Admiralty Court Act, 1840 (b) Admiralty Court Act, 1861, (c) Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act, 1890, (d) Colonial Courts of Admiralty (India) Act, 1891, and (e) the provisions of the Letters Patent, 1865, applicable to the admiralty jurisdiction of the Bombay, Calcutta and Madras High Courts. The Admiralty law governs maritime questions and offenses. It is a body of both domestic law governing maritime activities and private international law governing the relationships between private entities that operate vessels on the oceans. It deals with matters including marine commerce, marine navigation, marine salvaging, shipping, sailors, and the transportation of passengers and goods by sea. The Bill provides for prioritization of maritime claims and maritime liens while providing protection to owners, charterers, operators, crew members and seafarers at the same time. As per the new Bill, High Courts of all the coastal states shall exercise admiralty jurisdiction over maritime claims which include several aspects not limited to goods imported and chattel as earlier, but also other claims such as payment of wages of seamen, loss of life, salvages, mortgage, loss or damage, services and repairs, insurance, ownership and lien, threat of damage to environment etc. The Bill accords highest priority to payment of wages of the seafarers. The Bill also provides for protection against wrongful and unjustified arrest and has provision for transfer of cases from one High Court to other High Court. This law applies to every vessel irrespective of place of residence or domicile of owner. It does not apply to warships and naval auxiliary vessels used for non-commercial purposes. In order to ensure security against a maritime claim, a vessel can be arrested in certain circumstances. The liability in respect of selected maritime claims on a vessel passes on to its new owners by way of maritime lien subject to a stipulated time limit. In respect of aspects on which provisions are not laid down in the Bill, the Civil Procedure Code, 1908 is applicable.
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HUMAN DNA PROFILING BILL IN INDIA
Human DNA Profiling Bill is a proposed legislation in India. The bill will allow the government to establish a National DNA Data Bank and a DNA Profiling Board, and use the data for various specified forensic purposes. DNA profiling (also called DNA fingerprinting, DNA testing, or DNA typing) is a forensic technique used to identify individuals by characteristics of their DNA. A DNA profile is a small set of DNA variations that is very likely to be different in all unrelated individuals, thereby being as unique to individuals as are fingerprints (hence the alternative name for the technique). The bill has raised concerns of privacy among citizen rights groups. The bill was expected to be presented in the parliament sson. The bill was originally proposed in 2007 and in 2012 drafting of the bill began. The draft bill was prepared by the Department of Biotechnology. The bill proposes to form a National DNA Data Bank and a DNA Profiling Board, and use the data for various specified purposes.
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The proposed DNA Profiling Board will consist of molecular biology, human genetics, population biology, bioethics, social sciences, law and criminal justice experts. The Board will define standards and controls for DNA profiling. It will also certify labs and handle access of the data by law enforcement agencies. There will be similar bodies at state levels. The bill will also create a National DNA Data Bank, which will collect data from offenders, suspects, missing persons, unidentified dead bodies and volunteers. It will profile and store DNA data in criminal cases like homicide, sexual assault, adultery and other crimes. The data will be restricted and will be available only to the accused or the suspect. A person facing imprisonment or death sentence can send a request for DNA profiling of related evidence to the court that convicted him. The bill has the provision that any misuse of data will carry a punishment of up to three years imprisonment and also fine. DNA profiling should not be confused with full genome sequencing. First developed and used in 1984, DNA profiling is used in, for example, parentage testing and criminal investigation, to identify a person or to place a person at a crime scene, techniques which are now employed globally in forensic science to facilitate police detective work and help clarify paternity and immigration disputes. DNA fingerprinting has also been widely used in the study of animal and floral populations and has revolutionized the fields of zoology, botany, and agriculture. Although 99.9% of human DNA sequences are the same in every person, enough of the DNA is different that it is possible to distinguish one individual from another, unless they are monozygotic (―identical‖) twins. DNA profiling uses repetitive (―repeat‖) sequences that are highly variable, called variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs), in particular short tandem repeats (STRs), also known as microsatellites, and minisatellites. VNTR loci are very similar between closely related individuals, but are so variable that unrelated individuals are extremely unlikely to have the same VNTRs. The modern process of DNA profiling was developed in 1984 by Sir Alec Jeffreys while working in the Department of Genetics at the University of Leicester. Background: Recently, the Indian Supreme Court was hearing a PIL filed by NGO Lokniti Foundation on this issue. The PIL stated that India does not have a national DNA database to address the issue of thousands of unclaimed dead bodies that are reported annually. It had suggested that maintaining of the DNA profiles of the bodies before their disposal could help in their identification by the family members. In response to this, Indian government Additional Solicitor General, P.S.Narasimha informed the court that the legislative process is in progress to bring in a Human DNA Profiling Bill to enable the authorities to maintain records of unidentified and unclaimed dead bodies or missing persons.
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INSOLVENCY AND BANKRUPTCY BOARD NOTIFIES RULES
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The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (‗IBBI‘) was established under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (‗Code‘). IBBI has notified the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Voluntary Liquidation) Regulations, 2017 (‗Regulation‘). It came into force with effect from 1st April 2017. The Regulation provides for a complete framework for the voluntary liquidation of any corporate person. Corporate person is defined under Section 3(7) of the Code as any company incorporated under the Companies Act and includes limited liability partnership or any other person incorporated with limited liability but does not include any financial service provider. However, the explanation attached to Regulation 3(3) of the Voluntary Liquidation Regulation specifies that the Regulation 3(1) to 3(3) applies to corporate person other than a ‗company‘. The procedure for voluntary liquidation of a company has been provided under Section 59 of the Code. The regulations specify the manner and content of public announcement, receipt and verification of claims of stakeholders, reports and registers to be maintained, preserved and submitted by the liquidator, realization of assets and distribution of proceeds to stakeholders, distribution of residual assets, and finally dissolution of corporate person.
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MAHARASHTRA PROHIBITION OF SOCIAL BOYCOTT BILL
Maharashtra has become the first State in the country to enact a law against social boycott from caste panchayats. President Pranab Mukherjee has given his nod to implement the Prohibition of Social Boycott Bill in the State. The bill was passed by State Assembly. As per the procedure, the bill was forwarded by the Central government to the President for his assent. With growing instances of boycotts of individuals or families by caste panchayats, the need to enact a special law was echoed in the State.
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Main Provisions: The bill provides for prohibition of social boycott of a person or group of persons, including their family members, by an individual or a group like caste panchayat. The bill states that social boycott is prohibited and its commission shall be an offence, the maximum punishment for which will be seven years in prison or fine up to Rs. 5 lakh or both. It also states that maximum punishment for extending aid in relation to the commission of offence will be three years or Rs. 3 lakh or both. As per the bill, the victim or any member of the victim‘s family may file a complaint either through the police or directly to the magistrate. To ensure speedy justice, the trial shall be completed within a period of six months from the date of filing of the charge sheet. The Act provides for 15 examples of social boycott, including expulsion from the community, stopping an individual from taking part in a family function, or religious, social community-based activities or ceremonies, stopping children from playing in certain areas, or disallowing access to educational institutions, burial grounds, crematoria, and other public conveniences, among others. Social Boycott Prohibition Officers will be appointed to detect the commission of offences, to assist the magistrate and police officers in discharge of their duties under the Act. The burden of proving that no offence under this Act have been committed, shall lie on the accused. Recently, eleven families from the Telugu Madelwar Parit community lodged the first FIR under the Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2016 against 17 members of the caste council for boycotting them for varied reasons.
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF PETROLEUM AND ENERGY BILL
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The union government has introduced the Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy Bill 2017 to establish the Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy in Vishakhapatnam as an institution of national importance. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan. The establishment of the institute will require total capital expenditure of ₹ 655.46 crore and an endowment fund of ₹ 400 crore. The budgetary support for capital expenditure has been spread out till 2022-2023 and was scheduled to begin from 2016-2017. The bill seeks to promote education and research in the area of petroleum, hydrocarbons and energy. Promotion of research and development for the benefit of oil, gas, petrochemical industry and the energy sector has also been identified as a focus area for the institution.
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PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS ORDINANCE
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President Pranab Mukherjee has given assent to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance 2017. It has now cleared the way for resuming kambala (slush track buffalo race) in coastal Karnataka. The Union Home Ministry has also issued the order in this regard. Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts organise kambala during the period between November and March. Kambala was banned in 2016 after animal rights activists moved the Karnataka High Court. In February this year, the Karnataka Assembly passed a Bill to put kambala out of the ambit of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Kambala has been criticised by animal lovers as they perpetuate cruelty due to the use of whips on the racing buffaloes. Noted animal-rights activist and now minister in union government Mrs. Maneka Gandhi has expressed serious concerns about the ill treatment of buffaloes during the race. Kambala organisers, on their part, contend that if whips are not used on the buffaloes, they may not run with speed in the race.
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MAJOR PORT AUTHORITIES BILL 2016
The Government has approved the draft Major Port Authorities (MPAs) Bill, 2016 to replace the existing Major Port Trusts Act (MPTA), 1963 to empower the 12 major ports to perform with greater efficiency on account of full autonomy in decision making.
SALIENT FEATURES OF THE BILL: (i) With the growth and development of private ports, the major ports are facing severe competition and difficulties in implementing the changes which may help them compete in the evolving market conditions. The regulation of tariff in the major ports by the Central Government are some of the critical factors hindering their growth and development. To provide greater autonomy, flexibility to the Major Ports and to professionalize their governance, it is proposed to repeal the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963 and to replace it with a new legislation, namely the Major Ports Authorities Bill, 2016.
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(ii) To constitute a Board of Port Authority for each major port in the place of the Board of Trustees. (iii) To enable the Board of Port Authority to use its property, assets and funds in such manner and for such purposes as it may deem fit for the benefit of the major ports (iv) To enter into and perform any contract necessary for the performance of its functions under the proposed legislation. (v) To make regulations for the purposes of operation, development and planning of the major ports. (vi) To frame the scales of rates for assets and services available at major ports. (vii) To claim lien on such goods and to seize and detain the same until such rates and rents are fully paid. (viii) To empower the Board of Port Authority to raise loans and issue securities for the purposes of the capital expenditure and working capital requirements of such port authority. (ix) To constitute an Adjudicatory Board for adjudication of disputes among major ports, Public Private Partnership concessionaries and captive users. This Adjudicatory Board shall consist of a Presiding Officer and such other Members not exceeding two, as may be appointed by the Central Government. (x) To make a provision for Corporate Social Responsibility measures within the port limits. (xi) To provide for regulation, operation and planning of major ports in India and to vest the administration, control and management of such ports upon the Boards of major ports authorities and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.  An Adjudicatory Board has been proposed inter-alia for expeditious disposal of disputes between ports and PPP concessionaries and suggest measures for revival of such stressed to them. This will help boost private investment in port sector and enable faster dispute resolution.
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SPORTS FULL LIST OF OLYMPIC GAMES CITIES
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Olympic Games or Olympics are leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games are considered the world‘s foremost sports competition with more than 200 nations participating. The Olympic Games are held every four years, with the Summer and Winter Games alternating by occurring every four years but two years apart. Their creation was inspired by the ancient Olympic Games, which were held in Olympia, Greece, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894, leading to the first modern Games in Athens in 1896. The IOC is the governing body of the Olympic Movement, with the Olympic Charter defining its structure and authority. City Country Year Athens Greece 1896 Paris France 1900 St. Louis United States 1904 London United Kingdom 1908 Stockholm Sweden 1912 Berlin Germany 1916 Antwerp Belgium 1920 Chamonix France 1924 Paris France St. Moritz Switzerland 1928 Amsterdam Netherlands Lake Placid United States 1932 Los Angeles United States Garmisch-Partenkirchen Nazi Germany 1936 Berlin Nazi Germany Sapporo Japan 1940 Helsinki Finland Cortina d‘Ampezzo Italy 1944 London United Kingdom St. Moritz Switzerland 1948 London United Kingdom Oslo Norway 1952 Helsinki Finland Cortina d‘Ampezzo Italy 1956 Melbourne Australia Stockholm Sweden Squaw Valley United States 1960 Rome Italy Innsbruck Austria 1964 Tokyo Japan Grenoble France 1968 Mexico City Mexico Sapporo Japan 1972 Munich West Germany Innsbruck Austria 1976 Montreal Canada Lake Placid United States 1980 Moscow Soviet Union Sarajevo Yugoslavia 1984 Los Angeles United States Calgary Canada 1988 Seoul South Korea Albertville France 1992 Barcelona Spain Lillehammer Norway 1994 Atlanta United States 1996 Nagano Japan 1998 Sydney Australia 2000
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BestCurrentAffairs.com United States Greece Italy China Canada United Kingdom Russia Brazil South Korea Japan China France or United States (pending the election on September 13, 2017)
2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021
MEN BOXING EVENTS 11. World Championships Belfast, United Kingdom 12. World Championships Bangkok, Thailand 13. World Championships Mianyang, China 14. World Championships Chicago, United States 15. World Championships Milan, Italy 16. World Championships Baku, Azerbaijan 17. World Championships Almaty, Kazakhstan 18. World Championships Doha, Qatar 19. World Championships Hamburg, Germany 20. World Championships Sochi, Russia 21. World Championships New Delhi, India WOMEN BOXING EVENT 1. World Championships Scranton, United States 2. World Championships Antalya, Turkey 3. World Championships Podolsk, Russia 4. World Championships New Delhi, India 5. World Championships Ningbo, China 6. World Championships Bridgetown, Barbados 7. World Championships Qinhuangdao, China 8. World Championships Jeju City, South Korea 9. World Championships Astana, Kazakhstan 10. World Championships New Delhi, India 11. World Championships Trabzon, Turkey
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Indian city New Delhi will host the men‘s World Boxing Championship in 2021 besides conducting the women‘s World Championship for the second time in 2018. The AIBA World Boxing Championships and the AIBA Women‘s World Boxing Championships are biennial amateur boxing competitions organised by the International Boxing Association (AIBA), which is the sport governing body. Alongside the Olympic boxing programme, it is the highest level of competition for the sport. The championships was first held in 1974 Havana, Cuba as a men‘s only event and the first women‘s championships was held over 25 years later in 2001.
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2021 WORLD BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP IN INDIA
2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 2028
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Salt Lake City Athens Turin [f] Beijing Vancouver London Sochi Rio de Janeiro Pyeongchang Tokyo Beijing Paris or Los Angeles (pending the election on September 13, 2017)
NIRUPAMA WINS BRONZE IN WEIGHTLIFTING
Seram Nirupama Devi of Manipur won three bronze medals in the 19th Asian Youth (Boys & Girls) Weightlifting Championships in Kathmandu. She got a total lift of 178kg (79kg snatch + 99kg clean and jerk) to win the gold in the 69kg youth girls‘ category.
COMMONWEALTH YOUTH GAMES IN 2017
India finished at seventh position in the sixth Commonwealth Youth Games at Nassau in Bahamas after winning 11 medals, including four gold. India won four gold, one silver and six bronze medals in the this championship.
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In boxing, India bagged four medals with World Youth champion Sachin Siwach clinching the gold in light flyweight in 49kg category. Muhammed Etash Khan then added a bronze in boys bantamweight, 56kg, category. Among the girl boxers, Jony clinched a silver medal in lightweight in 60kg category after losing 2-3 to Australian Ella Jade Boot in the finals. Ekta took a bronze medal in the flyweight, 51kg, after losing to Chloe Louise Watson 1-4. Soni picked up India‘s first gold medal by winning the 73kg category event, beating Australia‘s Uros Nikolic. The Indian contingent had comprised 28 participants across six disciplines that are athletics, cycling, swimming, judo, boxing and tennis.
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FIRST WOMAN TO WIN 12 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GOLDS
Katie Ledecky, the 20-year-old American swimmer made history by winning 12 gold medals at the swimming world championships. She is a five-time Olympic gold medalist and twelve-time world champion, the most in history for a female swimmer. She holds the record for the most gold medals at the World Championships. She is the current world-record holder in the women‘s 400-, 800-, and 1,500-meter freestyle (long course). She also holds the fastest-ever times in the women‘s 500-, 1000-, and 1,650-yard freestyle events.
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INDIA LOST IN ICC WOMEN‟S WORLD CUP
Indian women cricket team lost to England by a narrow margin of nine runs in the ICC Women‘s World Cup final at Lord‘s in London. Chasing a target of 229, Indian team could only make 219 in 48.4 overs.
KIKI BERTENS WON SWISS WTA TITLE
World No.35 Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands won the Gstaad WTA tennis tournament with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 victory in the final over Estonia‘s Anett Kontaveit.
JORDAN SPIETH WON BRITISH OPEN GOLF
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Jordan Spieth won British Open Golf tournament beating American Matt Kuchar by three strokes.
HS Prannoy won his third grand prix gold title by defeating Parupalli Kashyap in the final of the US Open Grand Prix Gold. Prannoy defeated Vietnam‘s Tien Minh Nguyen in the first semi-final.
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PRANNOY WINS US OPEN BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIP
INDIAN WIN ASIAN SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIP
India beat Pakistan in the final of the Asian Team Snooker championship in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The final results are: India bt Pakistan 3-0 [Pankaj Advani bt Mohammad Bilal 87(83)-5, Laxman Rawat bt Babar Masih 133(73)-0, Advani- & Rawat bt Bilal & Masih 70-55] .
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CHENNAI OPEN RENAMED MAHARASHTRA OPEN The ATP tennis tournament ‗Chennai Open‘ has been renamed as ―Maharashtra Open‖ and will now be held in Pune. Known as previously Gold Flake Open and the Tata Open, it is a professional men‘s tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts. It is currently part of the ATP World Tour 250 series of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) World Tour. It is held annually in January in Pune, India. It is owned by IMG and organized by IMG Reliance.
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FIFA BALLON D‟OR: LIST OF WINNERS
The Ballon d‘Or is an annual association football award presented by France Football. It has been awarded since 1956, although between 2010 and 2015, an agreement was made with FIFA and the award was temporarily merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year, and known as the FIFA Ballon d‘Or. Conceived by sports writer Gabriel Hanot, the Ballon d‘Or award honours the male player deemed to have performed the best over the previous year, based on voting by football journalists. Originally, only European players were in contention for the Ballon d‘Or: in 1995 the award was expanded to include all players at European clubs and in 2007 to all players from around the world.
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Club Real Madrid Barcelona Real Madrid Real Madrid Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona Manchester United Milan Real Madrid Barcelona Milan Juventus Real Madrid Liverpool Real Madrid Barcelona Juventus Internazionale Borussia Dortmund Milan Barcelona Juventus Milan Marseille Internazionale Milan Milan Milan Dynamo Kyiv Juventus Juventus Juventus Juventus Bayern Munich Bayern Munich Hamburg Hamburg Borussia M‖nchengladbach Bayern Munich Dynamo Kyiv Barcelona Barcelona Bayern Munich Ajax Bayern Munich Milan Manchester United Ferencv rosi TC Manchester United Benfica Manchester United Dynamo Moscow Dukla Prague Juventus Barcelona Real Madrid Real Madrid Real Madrid Blackpool
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Nationality Portugal Argentina Portugal Portugal Argentina Argentina Argentina Argentina Portugal Brazil Italy Brazil Ukrain Czech Republic Brazil England Portugal Brazil France Brazil Germany Liberia Bulgaria Italy Netherlands France Germany Netherlands Netherlands Netherlands Soviet Union France France France Italy West Germany West Germany England England Denmark West Germany Soviet Union Netherlands Netherlands West Germany Netherlands West Germany Italy Northern Ireland Hungary England Portugal Scotland Soviet Union Czechoslovakia Italy Spain Spain France Spain England
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Player Cristiano Ronaldo Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo Lionel Messi Lionel Messi Lionel Messi Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Kaká Fabio Cannavaro Ronaldinho Andriy Shevchenko Pavel Nedvěd Ronaldo Michael Owen Luís Figo Rivaldo Zinedine Zidane Ronaldo Matthias Sammer George Weah Hristo Stoichkov Roberto Baggio Marco van Basten Jean-Pierre Papin Lothar Matthäus Marco van Basten Marco van Basten Ruud Gullit Igor Belanov Michel Platini Michel Platini Michel Platini Paolo Rossi Karl-Heinz Rummenigge Karl-Heinz Rummenigge Kevin Keegan Kevin Keegan Allan Simonsen Franz Beckenbauer Oleg Blokhin Johan Cruyff Johan Cruyff Franz Beckenbauer Johan Cruyff Gerd Müller Gianni Rivera George Best Flórián Albert Bobby Charlton Eusébio Denis Law Lev Yashin Josef Masopust Omar Sívori Luis Suárez Alfredo Di Stéfano Raymond Kopa Alfredo Di Stéfano Stanley Matthews
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LEWIS HAMILTON WINS BRITISH GRAND PRIX
Lewis Hamilton achieved fourth consecutive victory in British Grand Prix. Hamilton‘s victory is the 57th of his career. The British Grand Prix is a race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. It is currently held at the Silverstone Circuit near the village of Silverstone in Northamptonshire in England.
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The British and Italian Grands Prix are the oldest continuously staged Formula One World Championship Grands Prix. It was designated the European Grand Prix five times between 1950 and 1977, when this title was an honorary designation given each year to one Grand Prix race in Europe. All British Grands Prix dating back to 1926 have been held in England; where the British motor racing industry is primarily located.
WIMBLEDON CHAMPIONS IN 2017
The 2017 Wimbledon Championships was a Grand Slam tennis tournament that took place at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom. The 2017 tournament was the 131st edition of the championships, the 50th in the Open Era and the third Grand Slam tournament of the year. It is played on grass courts, organised by the All England Lawn Tennis Club and the International Tennis Federation and is part of the ATP World Tour, the WTA Tour, the ITF Junior tour and the NEC Tour. List of Winners and Champions in 2017: Champions Men‟s Singles Roger Federer Women‟s Singles Garbiñe Muguruza Men‟s Doubles Łukasz Kubot / Marcelo Melo Women‟s Doubles Ekaterina Makarova / Elena Vesnina Mixed Doubles Jamie Murray / Martina Hingis Boys‟ Singles Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Girls‟ Singles Claire Liu Boys‟ Doubles Axel Geller / Hsu Yu-hsiou Girls‟ Doubles Olga Danilović / Kaja Juvan Gentlemen‟s Invitation Doubles Lleyton Hewitt / Mark Philippoussis Ladies‟ Invitation Doubles Cara Black / Martina Navratilova Senior Gentlemen‟s Invitation Doubles Jacco Eltingh / Paul Haarhuis Wheelchair Men‟s Singles Stefan Olsson Wheelchair Women‟s Singles Diede de Groot Wheelchair Men‟s Doubles Alfie Hewett / Gordon Reid Wheelchair Women‟s Doubles Yui Kamiji / Jordanne Whiley
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HARINDER PAL WINS VICTORIAN OPEN SQUASH TITLE
Harinder Pal Sandhu beat Rex Hedrick of Australia in the final of Victorian Open squash. He had beaten Piedro Schweertman of the Netherlands to reach the final. Sandhu had won the South Australian Open earlier.
VALTTERI BOTTAS WINS AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX
Valtteri Bottas won the Austrian Grand Prix for Mercedes ahead of Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari. The Austrian Grand Prix is a Fédération Internationale de l‘Automobile sanctioned auto race. Valtteri Viktor Bottas is a Finnish racing driver (Finland) currently competing in Formula One with Mercedes. Bottas previously drove for Williams from 2013 to 2016. In his first four races for Mercedes, Bottas achieved his first Formula One pole position (at the 2017 Bahrain Grand Prix) and took his first victory at the following event, the 2017 Russian Grand Prix.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com SUNDAR SINGH WINS GOLD AT WORLD PARA ATHLETICS
Indian Javelin thrower Sundar Singh Gurjar has won gold medal at the 2017 IPC Para Athletics Championships in London. The 2017 World Para Athletics Championships is a track and field meet for athletes with disabilities, governed by the International Paralympic Committee, being held at Olympic Stadium in London from 14 to 23 July 2017. It is the 8th edition of the event, formerly known as the IPC Athletics World Championship prior to 2017, and will feature 213 medal events. They will precede the 2017 IAAF World Championships also being held in London. It is the first time that a single city is hosting both the IAAF and IPC athletics championships in parallel; London previously hosted the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
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CAPF FOOTBALL TALENT HUNT TOURNAMENT “OORJA”
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Phase-III of ‗Oorja‘ – Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) Under-19 Football Talent Hunt Tournament for Boys and Girls was started at the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium (JLN) Delhi. India is going to host the U-17 FIFA World Cup in the month of October, 2017. ―OORJA‖ by CAPF U-19 Football Talent Hunt Tournament is being organised as a run up to Under-17 FIFA World Cup by CAPFs v.z BSF, SSB, ITBP, CRPF, CISF and Assam Rifles under the aegis of All India Police Sports Control Board (AIPSCB). The tournament has been planned to be organised in three phases separately for boy and girls as per following schedule:1st Phase (01.05.2017 to 10.05.2017) 2nd Phase (08.06.2017 to 25.06.2017) 3rd Phase (12.07.2017 to 19.07.2017) Phase – I and Phase – II have already been completed. During first two phases this tournament has served as a catalyst of change, a tipping point for football in the country and created a mass movement with an objective to give an opportunity to every child of the country to play football. This tournament has successfully become a part of ―Mission XI million‖, a legacy programme of FIFA U-17 World Cup initiated as a school contact initiative drive. The 3rd phase is being jointly organised by SSB and CRPF in Delhi in which Top Six Boys and Girls teams of 2nd phase of the tournament are participating.
SACHIN WINS SILVER IN ASIAN BOXING
Sachin Siwach of India in 49kg category won a silver medal in the Asian Youth Boxing Championship. Sachin was defeated by Uzbekistan‘s Samandar Kholmurodov. Earlier, Ankit Kumar (60kg), Naveen Boora (69kg), Harshpreet Sahrawat (+91kg), Mohammed Etash Khan (56kg) and Sachin (75kg) had lost in the semi-finals to settle for bronze medals.
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The 22nd Asian Athletics Championships was inaugurated at Kalinga Stadium in Odisha capital Bhubaneswar. Mascot of the meet, Olly led the march-past of the athletes into the stadium. Athlete Tintu Luka was the flag bearer for the Indian contingent which received a rousing welcome from the crowd. Odia athlete Srabani Nanda had the honour of taking the oath on behalf of athletes at the inaugural ceremony. Over 1,200 athletes and officials from 43 countries in Asia witnessed the largest sporting event. While, Delhi had hosted the event in 1989, Pune had the opportunity to organise the tournament in 2013.
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22ND ASIAN ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS STARTS
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INDIA WINS ASIAN SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIP
Pankaj Advani and Laxman Rawat beat Pakistan in the final of the Asian Team Snooker Championship in Bishskek, Kyrgyszstan. This title brings up Advani‘s second Asian title this season and 8th overall while it was a first major first international title for Rawat.
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ENERGY WORLD‟S 1ST FLOATING WIND FARM GETS OPERATIONAL
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The world‘s first floating wind farm has been made operational in the north-east coast of Scotland. The Peterhead wind farm, known as Hywind, is presently on a trial which will bring power to 20,000 homes. Once fully completed, it will be the world‘s first floating wind farm and will generate enough electricity to power a staggering 20,000 homes. Successfully creating a floating wind turbine is not only a huge accomplishment in engineering but it also has the potential to revolutionise energy creation through wind power. Unlike conventional wind turbines that are built directly into the seabed, a floating wind turbine can unlock huge swathes of ocean that had previously been considered unusable for wind power. The company behind the technology, Statoil, have been perfecting their design since 2009. Each turbine is a whopping 175m tall (that‘s taller than Big Ben) and weighs over 11,000 tonnes. To prevent these vast towers from tipping over each one uses what‘s called a spar buoy. It‘s essentially a vast floating weight that extends deep below the surface, much like an iceberg. Each buoy is filled with around 3,000 litres of sea water and 5,500 tonnes of solid ballast. Finally each turbine then gets three vast suction anchors that are placed deep into the seabed. The end result is that you have a huge wind turbine that can operate in deep sea conditions of depths up to 105m. Each turbine is being built at shipyards in Norway and then being towed across the North Sea to their final resting place which will be off the coast of Peterhead. This revolutionary technology will allow wind power to be harvested in waters too deep for the current conventional bottom-standing turbines used. The Hornsea Project 2 is a vast network of conventional wind turbines covering an area twice the size of Birmingham in UK. Once finished it will be able to power over 1.8 million homes.
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RAJASTHAN VILLAGE SETUP SOLAR POWER PLANT
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The 20 kV on-grid rooftop solar energy system has been installed in a 2,000 sq. foot area at the cooperative society‘s office in Bandha Colony village in Anupgarh town in Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan. The solar plat has been setup by cooperative society of the village. This is the first-ever solar power plant to serve its own needs and supply surplus electricity to the power grid. An expenditure of Rs. 12.65 lakh was incurred on the solar power project, while the cooperative society received 30% subsidy, amounting to Rs. 3.79 lakh, from the Renewable Energy Department. The plant is likely to produce 33,000 units of electricity annually, of which 23,000 units will be utilised for the cooperative society‘s own needs through uninterrupted power supply. About 10,000 surplus units will be supplied to the power grid, bringing additional revenue to the cooperative society. The initiative has been hailed as a major step for promoting renewable energy and a significant contribution to environment protection.
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Union Minister for Power Mr. Piyush Goyal presided over the signing of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) for purchase of 1050 MW of wind power under Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)‘s first Wind Auction Scheme. The PPAs were signed between PTC India Ltd., the trading company, and the successful wind power developers. As per the PPAs signed, Mytrah Energy, Inox Wind and Ostro Kutch Wind Pvt. Ltd. would supply wind power of capacity 250 MW each. Further, Green Infra would supply 249.9 MW and Adani Green Energy 50 MW from their wind power projects through inter-state transmission system at a tariff of Rs. 3.46 per kWh discovered through the open and transparent competitive bidding process. PTC India has tied-up this wind power for sale to DISCOMS of a number of States. Under this, Uttar Pradesh would get 449.9 MW, Bihar 200 MW, Jharkhand 200 MW, Delhi 100 MW, Assam 50 MW and Odisha 50MW for meeting their Non-Solar Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO). For these projects Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) conducted e-reverse auction on 23rd February 2017 and issued Letter of Award (LoA) to the successful wind power developers on 5th April 2017. The wind power projects under first wind auction are likely to be commissioned by September 2018.
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FIRST POWER AGREEMENT UNDER WIND AUCTION SCHEME
WORLD BANK FINANCE ROOFTOP SOLAR PROJECTS IN INDIA
State Bank of India and the World Bank had financed 100 MW of rooftop solar projects worth ₹400 crore in India. World Bank aid helped the public sector SBI lower the lending rate to project developers. The support from World Bank has helped lowering the interest rate by 3-3.5 per cent from the 11-12 per cent lending rate for a medium-sized solar roof top project.
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SBI has availed of a loan of $625 million from the World Bank for on-lending to viable Grid-Connected Rooftop Solar PV (GRPV) projects undertaken by developers, aggregators and end-users, for installation of rooftop solar systems. These will be installed on the rooftops of commercial, institutional and industrial buildings. Through this programme, SBI will support the installation of more than 600 MW of rooftop solar capacity according to an official statement. SBI expects to fully utilise this corpus in the coming two years.
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MITHIVIRDI NUCLEAR PLANT SHIFTED TO AP
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The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has abandoned its plan to set up a 6000 MW nuclear power plant at Chhaya-Mithivirdi village of Bhavanagar district in Gujarat. The Pune bench of NGT was hearing a petition challenging the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance granted to NPCIL by the Union Ministry of Environment & Forest (MoEF) for the project. The proposed project will be shifted to Kavvada, Andhra Pradesh ‗on account of delay in land acquisition at Chhaya-Mithivirdi site‘. Following the N-Deal between India and United States during the tenure of previous UPA-II Government, the NPCIL had proposed an N-power project in Chhaya-Mithivirdi village. The project authorities had proposed to acquire 777 hectares of land from around 340 agricultural land owners of Bhavnagar district. However, the proposed project witnessed stiff opposition from the local villagers who were not ready to give up their fertile agriculture land for the same. The plant was to be set up by state-owned Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) with technical support from Toshiba Corp‘s Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC), which will build six nuclear reactors at the new site. India has planned to increase its nuclear power generation capacity from the existing 6,780 MW to 63,000 MW by 2032.
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TWO MORE NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS IN TAMIL NADU
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India and Russia has signed an agreement on setting up of two more units of a nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu. Both nations have signed the General Framework Agreement and Credit protocol for Units 5 and 6 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power plant. The two sides signed five agreements, which included one on setting up of Units 5 and 6 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu with the Russian help. India and Russia have agreed in joint plans to erect 12 NPP units of Russian design. The reactors will be built by India‘s Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) and Russia‘s Atomstroyexport company, a subsidiary of Rosatom, the regulatory body of the Russian nuclear complex. Each of the two units will have a capacity to produce 1,000 MW of power. The current nuclear power generation capacity of all 22 nuclear power reactors is 6780 MW. The other pacts included a contract for a high-speed train service between Nagpur and Secunderabad, an MoU for export of precious stones and jewellery and a programme on cultural exchanges. The two countries also decided to hold the first tri- Services exercises, named ‗Indra-2017‘, this year and start joint manufacturing of frigates, adding on to the co- production of Kamov-226 military helicopters. India and Russia is celebrating the 70th anniversary of their relations. India and Russia commit themselves to earnestly implement the ―Programme of Action for Localisation in India‖ signed on December 24, 2015, and to encourage their nuclear industries to engage closely and foster concrete collaborations. The document titled ‗A vision for the 21st Century‘ said economies of India and Russia complement each other in the energy sector and both countries will strive to build an ―energy bridge―.
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FIRST DEMU TRAIN WITH SOLAR POWERED COACHES
Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu dedicated to the nation the first 1600 HP DEMU train with Solar Powered Coaches with a unique facility of Battery Bank in New Delhi. The entire electrical need of the coaches for Lighting, Fans and Information Display System will be met from the Solar Energy produced from the solar panels fitted in the roofs of coaches. While this train has been manufactured by the Coach Factory of Indian Railways namely Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, its Solar panels and Solar systems have been developed and fitted by Indian Railways Organisation of Alternative Fuel (IROAF) Delhi. This first rake has been commissioned and based at Shakurbasti DEMU shed in Delhi of Northern Railway. Twenty-four more coaches will be fitted with this system within the next 6 months. The first rake will be put in the commercial service over the suburban railway system of Delhi division of Northern Railway. Indian Railways has already made a target of 1000 MW Solar Plants in next five-years. Indian Railways is also taking several others environment friendly measures like Tea Plantation, Bio-toilet, Water-Recycling, Waste Disposal, using Bio-fuel CNG and LNG, Wind Energy etc.
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About DEMU Trains: Normally, DEMU trains provide power for its passenger comfort systems – lights and fans – from a diesel driven generator fitted on its Driving Power Car (DPC). IROAF has developed this system with a smart MPPT inverter which optimises power generation on a moving train to cater to full load even during the night. The unique feature of Battery Bank through storage battery ensures sufficient electricity when the sunlight is not available. The system helps in reducing Diesel consumption of the DPC and hence reduces carbon signature of these commuter trains by reducing CO2 generation by 9 Tonnes per coach per year. A solar power DEMU train with six trailer coaches will save about 21,000 Litres of Diesel and thereby bring cost saving of Rs.12 Lac every year. Savings for a 10 coach rake with 8 trailer coaches will increase proportionately. These benefits will continue for entire 25 years life time of the rake. This will help in making DEMU commuter services better, more economical and environment friendly. Solar hotel load (Lighting and Fan) system fitted on each coach is of 4.5 KWp capacity consisting of 16 Solar Panels of 300Wp each. This is adequate to power the fans and lights of the coach. The system is capable of developing up to 20 kWh per day (average) throughout the year. Surplus power generated during peak hours is stored in a 120 AH battery system. The system uses a data acquisition system and interfaces with existing hotel load power system of DEMU train. It will help in generating useful data for research for adapting the system for future rollout on all trains of IR. The system costs about Rs. 9 lakhs per coach at prototype stage. Northern Railway launched the first DEMU service on Indian Railways in 1994. Today, NR has 3 DEMU sheds having highest DEMU holding on Indian Railways. Shakurbasti DEMU shed of Northern Railway has been a pioneer in the field of green powered DEMUs – CNG & Solar powered. The very first CNG fitted DEMUs were run by Shakurbasti. Now the first Solar panel powered DEMU train will also be maintained and operated by DEMU shed, Shakurbasti of Northern Railway. This pioneering effort makes a transition towards clean energy and reduction in the carbon emission.
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IAEA LOW ENRICHED URANIUM BANK IN NEWS
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The IAEA Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) Bank is an assurance of supply mechanism of last resort, and will be a physical reserve of LEU available for eligible IAEA Member States. Owned and controlled by the IAEA, the LEU Bank will host a reserve of LEU, and act as a supplier of last resort for Member States in case the supply of LEU to a nuclear power plant is disrupted due to exceptional circumstances and the Member State is unable to secure LEU from the commercial market or by any other means. The IAEA LEU Bank will be a physical reserve of up to 90 metric tons of low enriched uranium suitable to make fuel for a typical light water reactor, the most widely used type of nuclear power reactor worldwide. The LEU can be used to make enough nuclear fuel to power a large city for three years. This will provide Member States with additional confidence in their ability to obtain nuclear fuel in an assured and predictable manner in the event there is disruption in existing fuel supply arrangements due to exceptional circumstances and when LEU can be obtained by no other means. The IAEA LEU Bank will be located at the Ulba Metallurgical Plant in Oskemen, Kazakhstan. It is anticipated that it will take about two years from the signature of the IAEA LEU Bank agreements to do all the necessary work to bring the IAEA LEU Bank into operation. The Bank is part of global efforts to create an assured supply of nuclear fuel to countries in case of disruption of the open market or of other existing supply arrangements for LEU. Other assurance of supply mechanisms established with IAEA approval include a guaranteed physical reserve of LEU maintained by the Russian Federation at the International Uranium Enrichment Centre in Angarsk, Russia, and an assurance of supply guaranty for supplies of LEU enrichment services in the United Kingdom. The United States also operates its own LEU reserve. A key principle of the IAEA LEU Bank, as an assurance of supply mechanism of last resort, is that it must not distort the commercial market. The availability and operation of the IAEA LEU Bank is consistent with the rights of IAEA Member States to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. A Member State which needs to purchase LEU from the IAEA LEU Bank must have a comprehensive safeguards agreement with the IAEA in force and no issues relating to safeguards implementation in that Member State under consideration by the IAEA Board of Governors.
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LATEST DATA ON INDIAN POWER SECTOR
All India Statistics of Indian Power Sector are released by Central Electricity Authority (CEA). The main highlights are as follows:Generation Capacity Addition target during the period 2012-17 from conventional sources was 99,209.47 MW against a target of 88,537 MW, over achieving the same by 112%. Conventional generation capacity addition achieved in the past 3 years (2014-15, 2015-16 & 2016-17) has been 60,752.6 MW, which is about 61 % of the total capacity addition achieved during this period.
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In 2015-16, conventional generation capacity addition achieved was 23,976.6 MW which is the largest ever capacity addition in a single year. The Renewable Energy Sources installed capacity as on 31.03.2014 was 31,692.14 MW. As on 31.03.2017, India has achieved an Installed Capacity of 57,260.2 MW of RES showing an increase of 80% during 2014-2017. The Peak Demand met increased from 130 GW in 2013-14 to 157 GW in 2016-17, which works out to a CAGR of 6.5 %. Along with this growth in demand, the quantum of ―power not supplied during peak‖ has reduced substantially from 6.1 GW in 2013-14 to only 2.6 GW in 2016-17, a reduction of 57%. The quantum of energy supplied by the State Distribution Utilities increased from 960 BU in 2013-14 to 1135 BU in 2016-17, showing a CAGR of 5.8 %. This increase is, in-spite of energy conservation and efficiency improvement measures. Without the energy efficiency measures, the growth rate would have been much more. Along with this growth in supply of electricity, the quantum of ―energy not supplied‖ has reduced substantially from 42.4 BU in 2013-14 to 7.6 BU in 2016-17, a reduction of 82%. The energy actually used by all the consumers including industries, grew at an even higher rate. The gross generation in the country, which reflects the consumption by consumers (other than about 0.2% growth rate of export to Bangladesh and Nepal), increased from 1020 BUs in 2013-14 to 1242 BUs in 2016-17, showing a CAGR of 6.8 percent. The reason that there is a higher growth in gross generation, vis-à-vis energy supplied by State Distribution Utilities, is that many industries are now purchasing power through open access from IPPs without contracts with the States. Therefore, the consumption of these industries has reduced from the State Utilities and increased through open access, which is reflected as generation increase from IPPs without contracts. This growth rate is, in-spite of energy conservation and efficiency improvement measures. Without the energy efficiency measures, the growth rate would have been much more. Adequate power is available in the country to meet the demand of power of the consumers who are having access to electricity. In 2013-14, the demand-supply gap in terms of Energy and Peak stood at 4.2% and 4.5% respectively. This has now come down to an all-time low of 0.7% and 1.6% respectively in 2016-17. Further, this gap is on account of factors other than inadequacy of power in the country.
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BIODIVERSITY WORLD‟S OLDEST KNOWN „MANATEE‟ DIED
69 year old, world‘s oldest known manatee, Snooty died at Florida in USA. Manatees, sometimes known as sea cows, are large aquatic air-breathing herbivores closely related to elephants. Under constant threat from mankind, whether in American waters, the Amazon or west Africa, manatee are classified as an endangered species by state, federal and world bodies. Manatees generally live into their teens in the wild, with some reaching their 40s or older. Snooty was on record as the oldest manatee in captivity, having spent 68 of his 69 years at the South Florida Museum. He was believed to be the oldest manatee in the world.
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29 LOGS OF „A-1‟ GRADE RED SANDERS SIEZED
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State Police has caught four red sander smugglers and seized 29 logs of ‗A-1‘ grade red sanders worth Rs one crore in the Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh. Smugglers had dumped the red sanders logs three days ago after cutting them. Red Sanders is a rare kind of sandalwood that is in high demand in international market and costs around Rs.1,500 to Rs.2,000 a kg. Pterocarpus santalinus, with the common names red sanders, red sandalwood, and saunderswood, is a species of Pterocarpus endemic to the southern Eastern Ghats mountain range of South India. Its export is banned in India. This wood is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act. In the last three years alone (between 2012-13 to 2014-15), at least 4658 tonnes of read sander wood has been seized in India resulting in arrest of around 11,000 people, mainly across Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh where this kind of wood is primarily found. Its primary use, however, is decorative and ornamental. The major markets for the wood are China, Japan, the Middle East, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal. This tree is valued for the rich red color of its wood. The wood is not aromatic. The tree is not to be confused with the aromatic Santalum sandalwood trees that grow natively in South India.
FRESH WATER TURTLES SPECIES IN NEWS
Batagur is a genus of large turtles from South and Southeast Asia. All members of the genus are seriously threatened. With a recent merger with members from two other genera, this genus has six described species.
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Species: B. affinis – southern river terrapin B. baska – northern river terrapin B. borneoensis – painted terrapin (formerly in Callagur) B. dhongoka – three-striped roofed turtle (formerly in Kachuga) B. kachuga – red-crowned roofed turtle (formerly in Kachuga) B. trivittata – Burmese roofed turtle (formerly in Kachuga) Of six large fresh water turtles of the genus Batagur , three are found in India. Batagur kachuga (Red-crowned roofed turtle) and Batagur dhongoka (Three-striped roofed turtle) are found in the tributaries of the Ganga, such as Chambal. The Northern river terrapin is the most endangered of the three species, and their long-term fortunes depend on an ecologically functional colony getting re-established in the wild.
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TIGER RESERVES AUDIT ON SECURITY PREPAREDNESS
The Ministry of Environment & Forests and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has released the protocols for the audit of Tiger Reserves related to their security preparedness to tackle poaching. Main Highlights of Protocol: Independent teams constituted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) would then carry out field visits to assess the deficiencies on ground and eventually draw up a targetted security plan, along with the tiger reserve administration. The security audit will broadly require tiger reserves to list out the biggest threats to their protected area in the short term and long term, the strength of staff, both trained and untrained, their patrolling exercises, amenities they possess to patrol and even the resources at their disposal to investigate poaching. Once the tiger reserves submit the details, an independent field assessment would follow. The audit protocols were unveiled on the back of a pilot study NTCA carried out in Kanha tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh and Satkosia tiger reserve, Odisha, in January to test the suitability of benchmarks.
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The availability of firearms with forest foresters in combating poaching would form a crucial aspect of the audit. In only select states of the country, such as Assam and Uttar Pradesh, forest guards have limited immunity under sections of the CrPC to combat poaching rings. In states such as Bihar, forest department does not have any firearms to deal with poachers in protected areas. Many states have written to NTCA to give forest staff a status equal to police for combating poachers. The protocols have been developed at a time when the poaching still remains one of the biggest drivers of tiger mortality in the country‘s 50 tiger reserves.
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INDIA-BANGLADESH GROUP ON ELEPHANT CONSERVATION
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Recently, India and Bangladesh has decided to set up a joint working group for the conservation of elephants and manage their movement through corridors in their adjoining border areas. The decision was taken at the second India-Bangladesh Dialogue on Trans-Boundary Conservation of Elephants. Joint coordination groups at the district level will be set up along the international border with Bangladesh, comprising Divisional Forest Officers and Commandants of border guards in each forest division with trans-border migration corridor(s) for elephants, so as to facilitate timely sharing of information and resolution of problems. The district authorities (Deputy Commissioners) concerned in both countries will be empowered to permit transborder movement of elephant rescue teams, apart from the power to provide technical support, early warning systems, technology support, and other infrastructure along the corridors used by wild elephants to move between the two countries. Bangladesh had undertaken a habitat improvement programme wherein nearly seven lakh seedlings of plants eaten by elephants have been planted on over 600 hectares in Sherpur and Chittagong to ensures food sufficiency for the pachyderms. India‘s north-eastern and eastern states bordering Bangladesh are important habitats of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), including Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, West Bengal, and Tripura. These states are home to over 9,000 wild elephants as compared to about 200 in Bangladesh. The working group will develop protocols and standard operating procedures in the matter.
THREE NEW FROGS SPECIES FOUND IN PERU
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Three tiny species of frogs of grape size have been found in the forests of Peru. They were discovered by scientists Dr Edgar Lehr from Illinois Wesleyan University and his colleagues. It raises the total to 95 new species that Dr Lehr and co-authors have found in Peru, Ecuador and Vietnam. The frog species bear the name of the Pui Pui park, the mountain-forest habitat in the park, and a renowned naturalist-explorer. All three species measure an inch (2.5cm) or less in length. They belong to the genus Pristimantis, the most diverse genus of frogs in the tropical Andes, and are part of the family Craugastoridae, commonly known as land-breeding or terrestrial-breeding frogs. About 70 per cent of the protected forest is covered by Andean grasslands, and about 30 per cent is cloud forest. The fleshbelly frog is formally described as Pristimantis attenboroughi, while commonly it is to be referred to as the Attenborough‘s Rubber Frog. The adult males reach sizes of 14.6 to 19.2mms in length, while the females are larger measuring between 19.2 and 23mms. Their colour ranges from pale to dark gray or reddish brown to brownish olive with dark gray scattered flecks.
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MOST ENDANGERED BIRD‟S BREEDING LOCATION FOUND
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Wildlife researchers have found a breeding location for the ‗Masked Finfoot‘ along the Memay river in the Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary in Cambodia. The masked finfoot is an underwater specialist with a long neck, a striking sharp beak and lobed feet which are green. The male and female both have a black mask and eyebrow that contrasts with a white eyering and lateral cervical stripe. The rest of the neck is grey, the breast is pale and the back, wings and tail are rich brown. The males have an all black chin while the females have a white chin. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has placed the bird on its red list of globally endangered species because its worldwide population of less than 1,000 is declining at an alarming rate. It is found only in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Poaching and cutting down the trees where the bird lives are causing the population decline. The Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary is one of several in Cambodia‘s Preah Vihear province that are home to many endangered bird species, including the critically endangered giant ibis and white-shouldered ibis.
GST ON BANNED WILDLIFE PRODUCTS SHOCKED MANY
In the new General Service Tax (GST) regime, there has been a tax imposed on the products that are actually banned under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. It has shocked many environmentalists and experts in wildlife studies.
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Category goods under Harmonized System Nomenclature (HSN: 0507) in GST regime, where 5% GST will be charged refers to ivory, tortoiseshell, whalebone and hair, horns, powder and waste of these products, coral, civet and musk and other wildlife animal products. There is a chance that it may justify the trade by paying the taxes. However, legally it will not by itself override the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. Import of wild animals (including their parts and products) as defined in the Act (as amended from time to time) is prohibited. Imports will be subject to the provisions of Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to which several countries are signatories. Wildlife conservationists have demanded that since these products are banned they should be completely withdrawn from the GST Schedule. The Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, also known as the Harmonized System (HS) of tariff nomenclature is an internationally standardized system of names and numbers to classify traded products. It came into effect in 1988 and has since been developed and maintained by the World Customs Organization (WCO) (formerly the Customs Co-operation Council), an independent intergovernmental organization based in Brussels, Belgium, with over 200 member countries.
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Researchers from University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) have found three new species of chameleons in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The reptile trio, historically thought to be a single species, was found in different parts of the Albertine Rift in Central Africa. Two of the chameleons were named Rugege Highlands Forest Chameleon (Kinyongia rugegensis) and Itombwe Forest Chameleon (Kinyongia itombwensis) — after the mountain ranges in which they were found. The third chameleon, Tolley‘s Forest Chameleon (Kinyongia tolleyae), was named after herpetologist Krystal Tolley, principal scientist at the South African National Biodiversity Institute, who has contributed significantly to chameleon research.
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SCIENTISTS FOUND CHAMELEON SPECIES IN CONGO
WORLD‟S OLDEST FOSSIL MUSHROOM FOUND
The world‘s oldest fossil mushroom has been discovered in Brazil. The mushroom has been named Gondwanagaricites magnificus and belongs to the Agaricales order. According to researchers, around 115 million years ago, when the ancient super-continent Gondwana was breaking apart, the mushroom fell into a river and began an improbable journey.
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SIX NEW SPECIES OF FRESHWATER CRABS FOUND
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Scientists have discovered six new species of freshwater crabs in (Kerala) Western Ghats of India. The Western Ghats in India is a biodiversity hot spot for plants and animals. Now the freshwater crab diversity in Kerala has risen to 34 species, the highest in the country. Nearly 50% of crabs in the Western Ghats (27 of 47 species) occur in this area. One of its species, Karkata ghanarakta , was collected from the Thattekad bird sanctuary in Ernakulam district while the second, Karkata kusumbha was reported from Mankulam in Idukki district. The species name ghanarakta is derived from the Sanskrit for maroon, reflecting the colour of the crab. The word kusumbha (Sanskrit for safflower) refers to the orange-red colours of the creature that resemble the floral hues. The researchers found two new species in the genus Pilarta. While Pilarta aroma inhabits cold water mountain streams in the Agasthyamala Reserve in Thiruvananthapuram, Pilarta punctatissima was collected from Ovumkal in the Thattekad sanctuary. One new species, Cylindrotelphusa longiphallus, came from deep burrows along paddy fields at Kuzhikattusseri, Thrissur. Another new discovery, Cylindrotelphusa breviphallus, is from Ponmudi in Thiruvananthapuram. Of the 34 species of freshwater crabs in Kerala, 23 are endemic.
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NEW SPECIES OF FLYING SQUIRREL DISCOVERED
Scientists have discovered a new species of flying squirrel in North America. They are distributed from Alaska to Honduras. It is known as Humboldt‘s flying squirrel, or Glaucomys oregonensis. It inhabits in the Pacific Coast region of North America. The Humboldt‘s flying squirrel is known as a ―cryptic‖ species — a species that was previously thought to be another, known species because the two look similar. This new discovery is the 45th known species of flying squirrel in the world. The other, the northern flying squirrel (G. sabrinus), inhabits the boreal coniferous forests of the northeastern U.S., Canada, and Alaska.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com NEW SPECIES ADDED TO INDIAN BIODIVERSITY
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Indian government has released a information about the new species of Plants and Animals that has been found in last year. Animal Discoveries, New Species and Records 2016 is booklet brought out by the Zoological Survey of India and Plant Discoveries 2016, by the Botanical Survey of India. Of the new animal species, 258 are invertebrates and 55 vertebrates. As many as 97 species of insects, 27 of fish, 12 species of amphibians, 10 of Platyhelminthes, nine of Crustacea and six of reptiles have been discovered and described by the scientists. There are 61 species of moths and butterflies (order Lepidoptera) and 38 of beetles (Coloeptera). Most of the new species were from the four biological hotspots of the country — the Himalayas, the Northeast, the Western Ghats and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Animal Discoveries 2016 says that for the first time, the number of animal species in the country, including protozoa, has crossed one lakh — 1,00,693 is the exact count. Till last year, India was home to 97,514 species of animals. India is one of the 17 megadiversity countries and it has about 6.42 per cent of the global fauna. Plant Discoveries 2016 says that along with 186 new species, scientists have discovered seven new genera, four subspecies and nine new varieties from India, taking the number to 206. The publication lists 113 new records from India. The geographical distribution of the new plant species reveals that most discoveries were made in the Western Ghats (17%), followed by the Eastern Himalayas (15%), the Western Himalayas (13%), the Eastern Ghats (12%) and the west coast (8%).
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Other Measures Taken by Punjab Government: The state government has also approved sterilisation of bulls by animal husbandry department to control the menace of stray cattle. Other conservation measures approved at the meeting include creation of Ranjit Sagar Dam Wildlife Sanctuary to promote eco-tourism, such as angling and river cruise. The meeting also gave in-principle approval to release of Gharials or fish-eating crocodiles (17 hatchlings of which are ready at Chhatbir Zoo) into Sutlej-Beas. The state government also approved a proposal to convert Siswan village panchayat land into a community reserve by declaring 3,199 acres of land as forest area under the Land Preservation Act 1990. The Punjab State Wildlife Board has also been empowered to decide on fishing seasons as against the earlier practice of fishing being a part of the irrigation and drainage departments domain. A proposal to ban commercial netting was also discussed. The meeting discussed the low occupancy at forest and canal guest houses in the state and decided to hand the infrastructure over to the control of the Wildlife Development Corporation. It was also decided to declare Ropar Wetland as a wildlife sanctuary/conservation reserve. Allowing horse and camel safaris and eco trails were some ideas to boost eco-tourism. The meeting also decided on various initiatives to promote ecological preservation, including creating a conservation reserve along 185 kms of the River Beas, starting from 52 head Talwara to Harike. Selective fishing has also been allowed with the Punjab State Wildlife Board empowered to decide the fishing season instead of the Irrigation and Drainage Department.
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Punjab State Wildlife Board meeting chaired by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has allowed short-term permits for shooting crop-damaging animals like wild boar and roz. Punjab government has decided to simplify the procedure for sanctioning 45-day permits for shooting these cropdamaging animals. It was also decided to put the permit process online and on WhatsApp platform to ensure ease of procedure for grant of permits. These permits for limited hunting are confined to privately owned land and are meant only for crop-damaging animals. It will now don‘t require resolutions by Gram Panchayats.
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PUNJAB ALLOWS SHOOTING OF CROP-DAMAGING ANIMALS
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NEW BUSTARD BREEDING CENTRE IN INDIA
The Gujarat state government is setting up a breeding centre for great Indian bustards (GIB) at Naliya in Kutch. This will be the first breeding centre in the Gujarat for the great Indian bustards. Great Indian bustards are currently on the Red List of threatened species maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and UAE is collaborating on this breeding centre. United Arab Emirates (UAE) is world known for bustard conservation and it has brought back the houbara bustard from the brink of extinction with successful breeding centres. According to IUCN, there are less than 200 GIB left in India and in Gujarat only 20 are left.
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In Gujarat, GIB are found only in Kutch. They have disappeared from Haryana, Punjab, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, while there are still some in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Rajasthan.
NEW FISH SPECIES NAMED AFTER SINGER ENYA
Scientists have named a new species of fish from the Orinoco River after Irish singer and songwriter Enya. Leporinus enyae is the name given to new fish species. Leporinus is the largest and most diverse genus in the characiform family Anostomidae and includes roughly 90 species across most of South America. New species are described yearly and the genus includes many ―poorly understood‖ species complexes.
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EARTH IS ENTERING SIXTH MASS EXTINCTION
Main Highlights of Report: The researchers wrote that numerous species around the world are experiencing an ―extremely high degree of population decay.‖ For instance, nearly one-third of the 27,600 land-based mammals, bird, amphibian and reptile species are shrinking in terms of territorial range and their numbers. After looking at a well-documented group of 177 mammal species, the researchers also determined that all had their territories reduced by at least 30 percent between the years of 1900 and 2015. Furthermore, more than 40 percent of the species lost at least 80 percent of their geographic range during this time. As a result of these findings, the study authors wrote that ―Earth‘s sixth mass extinction is more severe‖ than previously believed. Additionally, the major event is ―ongoing.‖ Scientists have already established that 50 percent of the Earth‘s wildlife has been wiped out in the last 40 years alone, but no one really comprehended the extent to which the numbers have declined. In fact, within twenty years, the African elephant may go extinct. Barn swallows, giraffes, rhinos, pangolins, and jaguars, as well, may only be preserved in zoos if their populations continue to decline. With 37 percent of the Earth‘s land surface now farmland or pasture (according to the World Bank), and humans utilizing polluting resources at a faster rate than they can be replenished, the whole world is in jeopardy unless sustainable initiatives are introduced and implemented.
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For years, scientists have warned that Earth is entering it sixth mass extinction — an era in which three-quarters of all species die off within only a few centuries. Recent finding, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, paints a full picture of ―biological annihilation.‖ Hundreds of species are disappearing at a faster-than-expected rate. And, believe it or not, even humans are atrisk. Earth has supported life for 3.5 billion years, but its hospitality is hardly consistent. Natural disasters have triggered at least five mass extinctions in the past 500 million years, each of which wiped out between 50 and 90 percent of all species on the planet. The most recent occurred about 65 million years ago, when an asteroid ended the reign of dinosaurs and opened new doors for mammals. New study calls the loss of that wildlife a ―biological annihilation‖ and a ―frightening assault on the foundations of human civilization.‖ Researchers from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México found that the rate of population loss is extremely high — even among species that are not considered endangered. They also found that up to half of all individual animals have been lost in the last few decades. A 2016 study published in the journal Science also suggests this sixth mass extinction is killing off large ocean dwellers (like sharks, whales, giant clams, sea turtles and tuna) in disproportionately greater numbers than smaller animals. That‘s a reversal from past extinctions, when there was a slight connection between smaller size and going extinct. And while previous extinctions were often linked to asteroids or volcanoes, this one is an inside job. It‘s caused mainly by one species — a mammal, ironically. The current crisis is the handiwork of humans, and we have a ―unique propensity to cull the largest members of a population.
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POACHING OF ASIAN GECKOS INCREASED IN INDIA
Geckos are lizards belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, found in warm climates throughout the world. They range from 1.6 to 60 cm (0.64 to 24 inches). Most geckos cannot blink, but they often lick their eyes to keep them clean and moist. They have a fixed lens within each iris that enlarges in darkness to let in more light. The common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus), is a reptile native of Southeast Asia. It is also known as the Pacific house gecko, the Asian house gecko, house lizard, or Moon Lizard. North-eastern states of India have now become the hub for selling endangered species of lizards or ‗tokay gecko‘. Each one of the live animal, which are usually 40 centimeter long is sold between 50-80 lakhs in market. These are generally smuggled to China as it uses it for Chinese medicines. Geckos are used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat cancer, asthma, diabetes, skin disorders etc. Geckos are listed in Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, as a ‗highly endangered animal‘.
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The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 is enacted by the Indian Parliament for the protection of the Indian Wildlife. Hunting of the rare animals as well as cutting of the rare plants is banned under this act. This act has six ‗Schedules‘ which give varying grades of protection. Schedule I and Part II of Schedule II give the completesecurity to the animals listed under them. In these Schedules, one has to pay huge penalties for the offense. Schedule III and IV also protect the wildlife species listed under them, but the fines are not as high as the Schedule I and II. Schedule V gives the list of the animals which are allowed to be hunted. The plants listed in Schedule VI are banned from planting and cultivating. Enforcement of the penalties can be performed by the agencies like the Police, Forest Department, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Customs. Forest Department can directly file the charge-sheets.
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LATEST GK ISLAND NAMED AFTER ABDUL KALAM
The Odisha government has named the Outer Wheeler Island under Chandabali tehsil in Bhadrak district as A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Island as a tribute to the former President. Dr. Abdul Kalam Island, formerly known as Wheeler Island, is an island off the coast of Odisha, India, approximately 150 kilometres (93 mi) from the state capital Bhubaneshwar. The Integrated Test Range missile testing facility is located on the island. The island was originally named after English commandant Lieutenant Wheeler. The island was renamed to honour the late Indian president, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Abdul Kalam Island is located close to the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, the world‘s largest rookery of the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles. Abdul Kalam Island‘s sandy beaches are a favoured nesting location for the turtles.
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Yoga was inscribed in UNESCO‘s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during the 11th session of Intergovernmental Committee held from 28th November to 02nd December, 2016 at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The dossier for nomination of Yoga for inclusion in the UNESCO‘s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity was submitted to UNESCO Headquarters before the first International Yoga Day. The inclusion of Yoga on the UNESCO‘s Representative List will contribute to the visibility of intangible cultural heritage in general and raise awareness of its importance at the local, national and international levels as its practice is universal and widespread cutting across community, class, income, gender, faith and age. Additionally, Yoga‘s inscription on the Representative List will promote respect for cultural diversity and human creativity as it will create a commonality and a bond between and across practitioners, transmitters and the diverse communities and individuals that follow the practice.
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YOGA AS INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
INDIA INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DEMOCRACY AND ELECTION MANAGEMENT
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The Election Commission of India has set up the India International Institute of Democracy & Election Management (IIIDEM) as its advance training and resources wing. Springing from the realization of modern India‘s founding fathers and constitutions makers that free, fair, credible and professionally managed elections are the bedrock of democracy, IIIDEM is an initiative of the Commission for fulfilling its high aspiration on democracy and election management. The ECI established the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in June 2011. The establishment of IIIDEMstems from the realization of modern India‘s founding fathers and constitution architects that free, fair credible and professionally managed elections form the bedrock of a vibrant democracy.The Institute is an instrument for the ECI to continually keep its tools of election management and democracy sharp, ready, and up-to-date. Presently, the IIIDEM is housed in the premises of the ECI. The development of a full-fledged campus of the Institute is underway at Dwarka (Delhi) just 5 kms away from the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
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PASSPORT SEVA DIVAS
The Ministry of External affairs celebrated the completion of 50 years of the Passport Act 1967 as the 5th Passport Seva Divas and a Conference of the Regional Passport Officers in New Delhi on 24th June 2017. It was on 24th June, 1967 that the Passport Act came into effect. The Ministry of External Affairs and its subordinate office – the Central Passport Organisation – have good reasons to celebrate as well as mark the event with renewed commitment to provide better passport services in a timely, assured, and efficient manner.
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NEW RECORD FOR SOLO TRANS-ATLANTIC CROSSING
Francis Joyon from France beat his own record for the solo trans-Atlantic crossing. He set a new benchmark of five days two hours and seven minutes. Joyon break his own Atlantic record by some 49 minutes. The Lizard is the official point for validating Atlantic crossing time, with his arrival time confirmed by the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC). The route between Ambrose lighthouse near New York and the Lizard headland is the competitive sailor‘s perfect mix of ocean, powerful weather systems and history.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com VICE PRESIDENT RELEASES BOOK „ISTHMUS OF TIME‟
The Vice President of India M. Hamid Ansari has released the book ‗Isthmus of Time‘ authored by Anshuman Gaur and published by Milap Publications. The Vice President congratulated the author, Anshuman Gaur, an Officer of the Indian Foreign Service and said that the service has that inspirational impact which does produce some good writing apart from good work. The book ‗Isthmus of Time‘ is a collection of poetry.
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EC DISQUALIFIES MLA IN MADHYA PRADESH
The Election Commission disqualified Madhya Pradesh MLA Narottam Mishra for filing wrong accounts of election expenditure. He was disqualified for three years and his election from the Datia Assembly constituency stands void.
NEW GERMANY VISA CENTRE OPENED
The new Germany Visa Application Centre got inaugurated in Langford Town by representatives from the Consulate General of Germany in Bengaluru. Germany visa applicants can avail of separate submission counters, biometric booths, and dedicated services in the Premium Lounge.
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NOBLE SANCTUARY TEMPLE MOUNT IN NEWS
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The Temple Mount, known to Muslims as the Haram esh-Sharif is a hill located in the Old City of Jerusalem, is one of the most important religious sites in the world. It has been venerated as a holy site for thousands of years by Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The present site is dominated by three monumental structures from the early Umayyad period: the al-Aqsa Mosque, the Dome of the Rock and the Dome of the Chain, as well as four minarets. Herodian walls and gates with additions dating back to the late Byzantine and early Islamic periods cut through the flanks of the Mount. Currently it can be reached through eleven gates, ten reserved for Muslims and one for non-Muslims, with guard posts of Israeli police in the vicinity of each. The Temple Mount is the holiest site in Judaism, which regards it as the place where God‘s divine presence is manifested more than in any other place. As the site is part of the Old City, controlled by Israel since 1967, both Israel and the Palestinian Authority claim sovereignty over it, and it remains a major focal point of the Arab–Israeli conflict. In an attempt to keep the status quo, the Israeli government enforces a controversial ban on prayer by nonMuslims. Israel has reopened Jerusalem‘s Noble Sanctuary-Temple Mount compound. It is in the eastern part of Jerusalem captured by Israel in a 1967 Middle East war, houses the Aqsa Mosque and the golden Dome of the Rock.
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BOOK „FUTURE OF INDIAN UNIVERSITIES: PERSPECTIVES‟
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The President of India Pranab Mukherjee received the first copy of the book ‗Future of Indian Universities: Comparative and International Perspectives‘. He received the first copy of this book from Nobel Laureate Professor Amartya Sen who formally released it. The book ‗Future of Indian Universities: Comparative and International Perspectives‘ is the academic and research work of scholars, educationists and practitioners from India and abroad. It aims to provide international and comparative perspectives on higher education and highlights issues being faced by Indian Universities. It has been complied by Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor of JGU University and is published by Oxford University Press.
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NTPC ENERGY TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH ALLIANCE
As a leading player in the world energy sector, NTPC recognized the potential of cutting edge technology in further improving its services and efficiency. The company is fully aligned to the needs of adapting to emerging technologies and upgrading the technologies through research and development. NETRA (NTPC Energy Technology Research Alliance) set up in 2009 is the outcome of this vision. Its core areas of research are: climate change, waste management, carbon capture and Utilization, new & renewable energy, efficiency improvement and cost reduction besides providing scientific support to NTPC and external utilities for improving availability, reliability and efficiency. NETRA‘s emphasis is on developing cutting edge technologies by carrying out applied research which will translate into cost reductions as well as a greener & cleaner tomorrow.
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NETRA has networking with Institutes/organizations for research related to development of cost economic technologies in the field of climate change, new & renewable energy, efficiency & reliability enhancement of thermal power generation and CO2 mitigation/fixation, development of microgrids, etc. It is also in touch with many International institutes/organizations for networking in these areas. Initiatives are taken to develop technologies for reducing forced outages, installing intelligent online monitoring of critical components, understanding the likely damages due to corrosion and providing appropriate solutions etc. Effort is being made for reducing cost of generation by either increasing the overhaul cycle or reducing overhaul duration through correct and proper health assessment of critical components, developing diagnostic tools and ensuring environmental & safety compliances. The prime thrust is towards clean and economic power generation. Patents have been filed in the areas of climate change, waste heat recovery, waste management etc. At National level, NETRA has recently signed MoU with MIDHANI, TERI, IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, NIT Calicut IIT Madrras, BHEL and IGCAR to name a few. NETRA is in the process of development of Advanced Ultra Super Critical technology jointly with BHEL & IGCAR. NTPC has installed an 110 KWp (Kilowatt peak power) solar microgrid project at the NTPC Energy Technology Research Alliance (NETRA) campus in Greater Noida.
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The UNICEF initiative ‗Super Dads‘ comes on Father‘s Day on 18 June. It celebrates fatherhood and highlights the importance of love, play, protection and good nutrition for the healthy development of young children‘s brains. The campaign features stars from the world such as Mahershala Ali, Lewis Hamilton, Hugh Jackman, Sachin Tendulkar, David Beckham, Novak Djokovic etc.
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UNICEF INITIATIVE „SUPER DADS‟
WORLD‟S LARGEST LITHIUM BATTERY IN NEWS
The world‘s largest lithium ion battery is being installed in South Australia. This 100-megawatt battery will produce enough electricity for 30,000 homes. The huge lithium battery is expected to be built by the end of the year. It will be connected to a large wind farm in South Australia, which will charge the battery units. Energy will then be discharged when customers need it the most.
The 41st session of the World Heritage Committee took place on 2 July at the Royal Palace of Wawel in Krakow, Poland. The Committee was in session until 12 July. The Committee held its first ever meeting in Poland. During the session, the World Heritage Committee, chaired by Jacek Purchla examined the state of conservation of 99 sites already on the World Heritage List and of the 55 sites on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Committee also decided on the inscription on the World Heritage List of 33 nominated sites, which include six natural sites, 26 cultural and one that is proposed both as a natural and cultural site.
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NEW WORLD HERITAGE INSCRIBED PROPERTIES 2017
PRESIDENTIAL RETREAT „ASHIANA ANNEXE‟ IN DEHRADUN
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The President of India Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the ‗Ashiana Annexe‘ in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The main restored and renovated building of ‗Ashiana‘ was inaugurated by the President on September 27, 2016. The Annexe of the Presidential Retreat ‗Ashiana‘ at Dehradun comprises of twelve low cost dwelling units which have been constructed to accommodate officers and staff of Rashtrapati Bhavan during Presidential visits to ‗Ashiana‘. The technology used for renovation is sustainable, cost effective, green and environment friendly with provision of disaster resilient features. Treated water is safely discharged for irrigation and non-drinking usage enabling mitigation of disease risk and thus ensuring good health and well – being of residents. The ‗Ashiana‘ situated on Rajpur Road of Dehradun comprises of the main building, Annexe, Upper Stables & Lines and Lower Stables & Lines with associated roads and pathways. Built originally as bungalow of the Commandant of the President‘s Bodyguard, it has been revived by the President after long years of disuse. Shri KR Narayanan was the last President who stayed here in March 1998.
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ISRAELI FLOWER NAMED AFTER PM MODI
A fast-growing Israeli flower has been named after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a special gesture to mark the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Israel. The Israeli crysanthumum flower – a colourful plant that grows fast – was named after PM Modi. Israeli Crysanthumun flower will now be called ―MODI‖.
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Modi visited the Danziger ―Dan‖ flower farm along with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu in Mishmar Hashiva where they discussed the latest technologies being used for floriculture. The Danziger flower farm is one of Israel‘s leading floriculture companies with approximately 80,000 square meters of state-of-the-art greenhouses specialising in reproduction of plants. The farm, founded in 1953, is located in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, about 56 km from Jerusalem, in central Israel.
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JULY MONTH IMPORTANT DAYS
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1 July (first Saturday in July): International Day of Cooperatives 1 July: Canada Day 1 July: Chartered Accountants‘ Day (India) 1 July: International Chicken Wing Day 1 July: International Joke Day 1 July: Van Mahotsav (India) 1 July: National Doctor‘s Day (India) 2 July: World UFO Day 2 July: World Sports Journalists Day 3 July: St Thomas Day 4 July: Independence Day (United States) 6 July: World Kiss Day 6 July: World Zoonoses Day 7 July: World Chocolate Day 7 July: Global Forgiveness Day 11 July: World Population Day (UNDP) 12 July: Malala Day 14 July: Bastille Day 15 July: World Youth Skills Day 17 July: World Day for International Justice 22 July: Pi Approximation Day 26 July: Kargil Vijay Diwas (India) 26 July: International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem (UNESCO) 18 July: Nelson Mandela International Day 28 July: World Hepatitis Day [WHO] 28 July: World Nature Conservation Day 29 July: International Tiger Day 30 July: National Father in Law Day 30 July: National Whistleblower Appreciation Day 30 July: International Day of Friendship 30 July: World Day against Trafficking in Persons Last Friday in July: System Administrator Appreciation Day
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OTHERS TWO NEW INSTITUTES OF AYURVEDA ESTABLISHED
The Central Government has established National Institute of Ayurveda at Jaipur which offers undergraduate and postgraduate and fellowship programme. Further, the Government has also established two new institutes namely (i) All India Institute of Ayurveda, New Delhi for Post-graduate education and (ii) North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda & Homoeopathy, Shillong for Undergraduate education in Ayurveda & Homoeopathy. The criteria/procedures/guidelines to set up new Ayurved, Siddha and Unani medical college are prescribed under section 13A of Indian Medicine Central Council (IMCC) Act, 1970, for Homoeopathy college the details are at section 12A of Homoeopathy Central Council (HCC) Act, 1973.
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EXTRA MURAL RESEARCH SCHEME IN NEWS
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Ministry of AYUSH has set-up two autonomous organisations namely, Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN) and Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY) as apex bodies for Research and Education in the field of Yoga and Naturopathy. Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN) CCRYN is implementing following programmes to strengthen and expedite R&D Projects in Yoga and Naturopathy in the country: (i) Establishment of Post Graduate Institutes of Yoga and Naturopathy Education and Research (PGIYNER). (ii) Establishment of Central Research Institute of Yoga & Naturopathy (CRIYN). (iii) Clinical Research- IMR and Collaborative (Multi-centric collaborative scheme Research Scheme). Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY) MDNIY has completed following four activities:(i) Preparation and dissemination of consumer information guidelines on proper use of Yoga. (ii) Organization of capacity building workshops and training programs on the role, scope, practice and evidencebased use of Yoga in non-communicable diseases. (iii) Development and dissemination of standardized health promotion Yoga modules for various target groups (Children, Adolescents and Women of reproductive age, Geriatric population, and Mental health promotion). (iv) Meta-analysis of Yoga research studies for documentation and promotion of evidence-based uses of Yoga. Extra Mural Research Scheme (EMR) Further, the Ministry of AYUSH runs a scheme, namely Extra Mural Research (EMR) for granting aid to researchers for conducting projects related to AYUSH systems including Yoga & Naturopathy. As a special measure, Ministry of AYUSH invited research proposals under EMR Scheme on the topic of ―Management of Diabetes Mellitus and its complications, through Yoga‖ during 2016-17. The functioning of Extra Mural Scheme has been evaluated by independent agency. Based on the evaluation, the EMR scheme has been revised in November, 2014 with following major changes: Increase in financial assistance- To encourage quality research work, the maximum limit of financial Assistant for the project has been increased from Rs. 30 Lakhs to Rs.70 Lakhs. Introduction of Annual AYUSH Award –An award system has been introduced for each discipline of AYUSH to encourage outstanding research. Increase in Fee- In order to compensate the efforts of the investigators, the prescribed fee has been increased to a range of Rs. 30,000/- to Rs. 90,000/- (for period ranging from 1-3 years)in respect of Principal Investigator. Proportionately, the fee for Co-investigators have been increased to a range of Rs. 15,000/- to Rs. 45,000/- (for period ranging from 1-3 years). Reduction in stages of clearance- In order to expedite clearance to projects, one stage i.e. internal Scrutiny committee has been done away with. Presently, only two committees, viz., Project Screening Committee(PSC) and Project Approval Committee(PAC) have been kept. Simplification of forms:- The application form for EMR scheme has been simplified. The Government has directed all NGOs receiving funds under EMR Scheme to register on NITI Aayog NGO Darpan – Portal and submit PAN and Aadhaar numbers of trustees and office bearers. Further, a Certificate claiming that Organisation/ Institute have not taken grant from more than one source for the same work, is sought from the Head of the Institute.
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AUTONOMOUS RESEARCH COUNCILS IN AYUSH
Ministry of AYUSH has set-up four autonomous Research Councils, namely, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH), Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) and Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) as apex bodies for formulation and development of traditional medicine for various diseases. The details of ongoing Researches on drugs in the Research Councils are as under:CCRAS: Currently CCRAS is developing eight new drugs for various diseases/ problems related to Old age, Bronchial Asthma, Diabetes Mellitus, Lymphatic Filariasis, Ovarian Cancer, Dengue, Wound healing and Migraine.
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CCRAS has commercialized the technology of the formulation namely, AYUSH-82 for diabetes through National Research Development Corporation, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. CCRH: Currently CCRH is developing 12 new drugs for various diseases including Dengue, Malaria, Leishmaniasis and Diarrhoea. CCRUM: Currently CCRUM is developing drugs for various diseases including Diabetes, Vitiligo and Essential Hypertension through Multi-centric Randomized Controlled Trials. CCRS: Currently CCRS is developing a drug which has been proved to be effective in curing Type-II Diabetes.
PROGRAMME ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON PANCHGAVYA
The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India has constituted a National Steering Committee to initiate a National Programme on ―Scientific Validation and Research on Panchgavya‖ (SVAROP). Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), an autonomous Ayurvedic research organization of the Central Government, has undertaken study to evaluate the immune-modulatory activity and safety/toxicity of Panchgavya Ghrita, which is an Ayurvedic formulation made from cow‘s five products (milk, curd, ghee, urine and dung) as mentioned in Ayurvedic classical texts and Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I. Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences has conducted a National Seminar on Panchagavya Chikitsa in the year 2014 for promotion and awareness building and brought out a compilation document of published research papers on Panchagavya and its ingredients. The published research papers on Panchagavya have been uploaded in the ‗AYUSH Research Portal‘ for ready access to the public.
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The Minister of Communications Manoj Sinha said that for provision of seamless services including advanced facilities like 4G, 5G and Internet of Things (IoT), the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) are required to expand their network so as to ensure adequate coverage at all the locations where such services are required to be provided. As on 31-05-2017, there are total 4,48,273 mobile towers installed by different TSPs in the country. On the issue of EMF radiation from the mobile towers, he said that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in the year 2008, adopted the International Commission on Non Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines that are recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) for basic restriction and limiting reference levels of electromagnetic radiation from mobile towers. Based on the recommendations of an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC), with effect from 01.09.2012, these limits have been made ten times more stringent than the limits prescribed by ICNIRP and recommended by WHO. The Minister said that the present limit/level of Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) for Mobile Handsets in India is also one of the most stringent in the world and is 1.6 Watt per Kg averaged over a mass of one-gram human tissue, at par with USA, Canada and Australia, as against the global standards prescribed by ICNIRP of 2 W/kg averaged over a mass of 10 gm tissue and adopted by China, Singapore, Ghana, Brazil, Japan, Nigeria, Republic of Korea etc.
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RADIATION FROM MOBILE PHONES AND ITS TOWERS
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BOOK „EMPOWERING THE MARGINALIZED‟
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The Vice President of India M. Hamid Ansari has released the book ‗Empowering the Marginalized‘ authored by Deepak Dwivedi. The Vice President said that empowering people, to strengthen their capacities has to be the main objective of development, as well as its principal resource. Empowerment requires the full participation of people in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of decisions determining the functioning and well-being of our societies.
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PHARMACOPOEIA COMMISSION FOR INDIAN MEDICINE AND HOMOEOPATHY
The Government has established Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy under the Ministry of AYUSH. Prime mandate of the Pharmacopoeia Commission is to steer the work of developing quality standards of Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathic drugs and publish and revise Ayurvedic & other Pharmacopoeias, Formularies and regulatory compendia of these drugs. Pharmacopoeia Committees and Pharmacopoeia Laboratories of Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy are in place for development of respective standards and to undertake quality analysis of Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathic medicines. National Medicinal Plants Board is established under the aegis of Ministry of AYUSH to coordinate and support cultivation, conservation, resource augmentation and sustainable development of medicinal plants for making available quality raw materials to the AYUSH drug industry. Financial assistance is provided for these activities through Central Sector Scheme and Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission and technical guidelines have been published and disseminated to promote scientific development, cultivation and harvesting of medicinal plants.
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Government has published Pharmacopoeias & Formularies containing standards of drugs and Good Manufacturing Practices are prescribed under the provisions of Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules, 1945, both of which are mandatory for the industry to comply in the manufacturing of Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathic medicines. Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia contains monographs of 645 single drugs and 202 compound formulations; Unani Pharmacopoeia contains monographs of 298 single drugs and 150 compound formulations; Siddha pharmacopoeia contains monographs of 139 single drugs and Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia contains 1117 monographs. Similarly, Ayurvedic Formulary contains 985 standardised formulations, Unani Formulary contains 1229 standardised formulations and Siddha Formulary contains 399 standardised formulations.
„SHE-BOX‟ LAUNCHED FOR SEXUAL HARASSMENT COMPLAINTS
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The Minister of Women & Child Development, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi launched an online complaint management system titled Sexual Harassment electronic–Box (SHe-Box) for registering complaints related to sexual harassment at workplace in New Delhi. The complaint management system has been developed to ensure the effective implementation of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act (the SH Act), 2013. This portal is an initiative to provide a platform to women working or visiting any office of Central Government (Central Ministries, Departments, Public Sector Undertakings, Autonomous Bodies and Institutions etc.) to file complaints related to sexual harassment at workplace under the SH Act. Those who had already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint through this portal. This portal (SHe-Box) is an effort to provide speedier remedy to women facing sexual harassment at workplace as envisaged under the SH Act. Once a complaint is submitted to the portal, it will be directly sent to the ICC of the concerned Ministry/Department/PSU/Autonomous Body etc. having jurisdiction to inquire into the complaint. Through this portal, WCD as well as complainant can monitor the progress of inquiry conducted by the ICC. Government of India is the largest employer in the country employing 30.87 lakh people to carry out its various functions. As per the Census of Central Government employees, 2011, women constitute 10.93% (3.37 lakhs) of the total regular Central Government employees.
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MOBILE APP „AARAMBH‟ LAUNCHED FOR ROAD MAINTENANCE
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The Union Ministry of Rural Development launched Aarambh mobile app for performance based maintenance contracting and community contracting for maintenance of rural roads. Aarambh mobile app aims at use of Geographic Information System (GIS) based mapping for making road inventories, condition surveys and producing cost estimates and other relevant data for preparation and monitoring of annual road maintenance plans. Its usage will help to enhance the service delivery of the state level institutions in planning and implementing performance based rural roads maintenance contracts. In addition, the Ministry also launched a Concept Note and Guidance Note for Mobilizing Funds for Maintenance of Rural Road. The note outlines innovative ways, that can be adopted by State Governments for mobilizing additional funds for road maintenance and also adopt international best practices worldwide. It will help states to overcome challenge of resource mobilization for rural roads maintenance.
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CONVENTIONS THAT INDIA HAS NOT RATIFIED India has ratified six out of the eight core/fundamental International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions. These are the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105), Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100), Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111), Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) and Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182). India has not ratified the core/fundamental Conventions, namely Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) and Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98). The main reason for non-ratification of ILO Conventions No.87 & 98 is due to certain restrictions imposed on the Government servants. As communicated by Department of Personnel & Training (DOPT), the ratification of these conventions would involve granting of certain rights that are prohibited under the statutory rules, for the Government employees, namely, to strike work, to openly criticize Government policies, to freely accept financial contribution, to freely join foreign organizations etc. In India we ratify an ILO Convention only when the national laws are brought fully into conformity with the provisions of the Convention in question. Ratification of ILO Convention is a voluntary process and no time frame has been agreed for the same.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com INDIA BECOMES LARGEST USER OF FACEBOOK
India has become the largest user of facebook in world. India has overtaken USA recently with 241 million active users beating USA‘s 240 million users. The number of active users in India has increased by 27 percent in the past six months alone, compared to the growth of 12 percent in the US over the same period. Despite these strong gains, social media penetration in India remains relatively low, with just 19% of the country‘s total population using Facebook in June. That compares to 73% penetration in the US, and a global average of around 42%. Facebook‘s active users in India also skew young, with more than half of the country‘s users below the age of 25. Top ten countries in terms of Facebook users are: (1st) India > USA > Brazil > Indonesia > Mexico > Philippines > Vietnam > Turkey > Thailand > UK (10th)
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MAIN ORGANIZATIONS FOR YOGA AND NATUROPATHY
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The Ministry of AYUSH has established the following three organizations for the development of Yoga and Naturopathy and also for providing treatment through Yoga and Naturopathy in the country and the details of their activities are as under:1. Central Council for Research in Yoga & Naturopathy (CCRYN), New Delhi : 1) Establishment of Post Graduate Institutes of Yoga and Naturopathy Education and Research (PGIYNER): 2 PGI work has been commenced 2) Running of Central Research Institute of Yoga & Naturopathy (CRIYN): One CRI is functional with OPD and 20 bedded indoor Hospital. 3) Running of OPD of Yoga & Naturopathy : 07 OPDs are functional. 2. Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY), New Delhi :- MDNIY is running Yoga OPD. It is also providing Yoga treatment in 19 CGHS Wellness Centre and 4 Yoga Therapy Centres in Tertiary/Allopathy Hospitals 3. National Institute of Naturopathy (NIN), Pune :- NIN is going to establish ‗Nisarg Gram‘ which consists of Naturopathy Hospital (250 Beds) at new site Yewalewadi, Tal. Haveli, Pune. As part of outreach activities, it is running a sanatorium for HIV+ve patients at Panchagani, Dist.Satara. The National Health Policy-2017 covers the entire health sector, including Yoga & Naturopathy. Further, the Ministry of AYUSH has constituted a National Board for Promotion and Development of Yoga & Naturopathy (NBPDYN), which provides advice on education & practice of Yoga & Naturopathy, as well as formulation of policy for promotion of Yoga & Naturopathy in the country. Central Council for Research in Yoga & Naturopathy (CCRYN) at the behest of Ministry of AYUSH is registering institutionally qualified BNYS/ND Degree holders who registered with State statutory boards. As regard, Yoga personal, the Quality Council of India (QCI) at the behest of Ministry of AYUSH has developed a Scheme for Voluntary Certification of Yoga Professionals. The Focus of the scheme is to certify the competence of Yoga professionals providing Yoga lessons/classes as Yoga Instructors/Yoga Teachers or by any other nomenclature. Scope of certification has been categories as (i) Level 1-Yoga Instructor (ii) Level 2-Yoga Teacher (iii) Level 3-Yoga Master (iv) Level 4-Yoga Acharya (v) Level 5Yoga Guru. Two Levels- Level-1, Level-2 have been launched. At present there are 21 Colleges in the Country which imparts five years and six month Bachelor of Naturopathy & Yogic Sciences course.
Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan in a written reply in Lok Sabha informed that the Ravi & Beas Waters Tribunal was constituted in 1986 for verification of the quantum of usage of water claimed by Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan regarding their shares in remaining waters. The Tribunal forwarded a report in January, 1987. The States of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan and Central Government made references to the tribunal seeking clarification/ guidance on certain points of the report under the provisions of the Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956. The matter is subjudice before Tribunal. Meanwhile, the State of Punjab. enacted the Punjab Termination of-Agreements Act, 2004 (PTAA) on 12.07.2004 terminating and discharging the Government of Punjab from its obligations under the agreement dated 31.12.1981 and all other agreements relating to waters of Ravi-Beas. A Presidential Reference in the matter was filed by Union of India on July 22, 2004 seeking the opinion of the Hon‘ble Supreme Court on Constitutional validity of the PTAA 2004. The Hon‘ble Supreme Court has given its opinion on the Presidential Reference on 10.11.2016 and held that the Punjab Act cannot be said to be in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of India. Further, the matter pertaining to enforcement of decree regarding construction of Sutlej Yamuna link (SYL) canal is under consideration of the Hon‘ble Supreme Court.
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SUTLEJ YAMUNA LINK (SYL) CANAL ISSUE IN PARLIAMENT
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BestCurrentAffairs.com LIST OF SHIP-REPAIRING FACILITIES IN INDIA
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List of Major Ship-repair facilities: Location On Western Coast Cochin Shipyard Limited, under the administrative Kochi (Kerala) control of Ministry of Shipping Goa Shipyard Ltd., under the administrative control of Goa Ministry of Defence Reliance Defence and Engg. Limited (Formerly Gujarat Pipavav Shipyard Ltd.) Larsen & Toubro Shipbuilding Ltd. Katupalli (TN) ABG Shipyard Ltd. Dahej (Gujarat) Vijai Marine Services Goa MandoviDrydocks Ltd. Goa Dempo Shipbuilding Ltd. Goa Modest Infrastructure Ltd. Ramsar (Gujarat) Shoft Shipyard Pvt. Ltd. Bharuch (Gujarat) Tebma Shipyard Ltd. Malpe (Karnataka) TimbloDrydocks Ltd. Goa Alcock Ashdown (Gujarat) Limited, under the Bhavnagar (Gujarat) administrative control of State Government of Gujarat BharatiDefence& Infrastructure Ltd. Mumbai N.N. Shipbuilders & Engineers Pvt. Ltd. Thane, Maharashtra Waterways Shipyard Pvt. Ltd. Goa West Coast Shipyard Ltd. Goa Mazagon Dock Ltd., under the administrative control of Mumbai, Presently MDL is not Ministry of Defence carrying out any ship-repairing work. On Eastern Coast Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd., under Kolkata the administrative control of Ministry of Defence Hindustan Shipyard Ltd., under the administrative Vishakhapatnam control of Ministry of Defence Shalimar Works Ltd., under the administrative control Kolkata of State Government of West Bengal Titagargh Marine Ltd. West Bengal A.C. Roy & Co. Kolkata IL&FS Maritime Infrastructure Company Limited, Chennai Sembmarine Kakinada Ltd. Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh Name of Shipyard
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In order to promote ship building and ship-repair industry in India, the government has formulated a policy of financial assistance for shipbuilding for a period of ten years for contracts signed between 1stApril, 2016 and 31st March, 2026. The Financial assistance at the rate of 20% of the contractual price of a vessel, fair price, or actual payments received by the shipyard is payable after delivery of the vessel and as per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Shipping. The Cochin Shipyard Limited, a Central Public Sector Shipyard under the administrative control of Ministry of Shipping, is building a state of art ship repair facility on leased land from Cochin Port premises consisting of ship lift system of 130 metres length, 25 meters breadth and capacity of 6000 tons, costing Rs. 970 Crore. The details of major ship-repairing facilities at present in the country, location-wise is as below:-
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18 NEW GREENFIELD AIRPORTS IN INDIA
Government of India (GoI), Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has granted ‗in principle‘ approval for setting up of 18 Greenfield Airports in the country. The list of these airport along with the estimated cost is as under: Mopa in Goa (approx. Rs. 3100 cr), Navi Mumbai (approx. Rs. 16704 cr), Shirdi (approx. Rs. 320.54 cr) and Sindhudurg (approx. Rs. 520 cr) in Maharashtra, Bijapur (approx. Rs. 150 cr), Gulbarga (approx. Rs. 13.78 cr in initial phase), Hasan (approx. Rs. 592 cr) and Shimoga (approx. Rs. 38.91 cr) in Karnataka, Kannur in Kerala (approx. Rs. 1892 cr), Durgapur in West Bengal (approx. Rs. 670 cr), Dabra in Madhya Pradesh (approx. Rs. 200 cr), Pakyong in Sikkim (approx. Rs. 553.53 cr), Karaikal in Puducherry (approx. Rs.170 cr), Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh (approx. Rs. 448 cr), Dholera in Gujarat (approx. Rs. 1712 cr) and Dagadarthi Mendal, Nellore Dist. (approx. Rs. 293 cr), Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram District near Visakhapatnam (approx. Rs. 2260 cr) and Oravakallu in Kurnool District (approx. Rs. 200 cr), Andhra Pradesh.
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The timeline for construction of airport projects depends upon many factors such as land acquisition, availability of mandatory clearances, financial closure, etc. by the individual operator.
PAIKA REBELLION OF ODISHA IN NEWS
The President of India Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Paika Rebellion of Odisha on July 20, 2017 in New Delhi. The Paik Rebellion also called the Paika Bidroha was an armed rebellion against the British East India Company‘s rule in Odisha in 1817. The Paiks rose in rebellion under their leader Bakshi Jagabandhu and, projecting Lord Jagannath as the symbol of Odia unity, the rebellion quickly spread across most of Odisha before being ruthlessly put down by the company‘s forces.
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COUNTRIES WHERE INDIA DON‟T HAVE RESIDENT MISSION
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The Government of India is expanding ties with small countries and island nations based on its assessment of various relevant factors. The opening of more Missions in such states is under active consideration. The countries where India does not have resident Mission are: Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Costa Rica, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Gabon, Gambia (Islamic Republic of the), Georgia, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Kiribati, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Micronesia (Federated State of), Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, Nicaragua, Palau, Paraguay, Republic of Moldova, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Swaziland, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, The Holy See, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uruguay and Vanuatu. All these countries are covered by concurrent accreditation. Since 2007, 23 countries have opened new Embassies in India. These are Equatorial Guinea, Honduras, Latvia, Lithuania, Guatemala, Bolivia, Estonia, Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Niger, Togo, Costa Rica, Burundi, Macedonia, Benin, Guinea, Malawi, Malta, Iceland, Botswana, Papua & New Guinea, Bahrain and Georgia. Of these, India does not have resident Mission in Equatorial Guinea, Honduras, Latvia, Lithuania, Bolivia, Estonia, Republic of Congo, Togo, Costa Rica, Burundi, Benin, Macedonia and Georgia. Proposal to open new resident diplomatic Missions on reciprocal basis in countries which have resident diplomatic Missions in India is currently under contemplation.
LATEST INFORMATION ON PASSPORT SEVA KENDRAS
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There are 91 Passport Seva Kendras (PSK) and 55 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSK) working as on 15 July, 2017. There are 38 Passport Offices functioning in the country. There will be 93 PSK and 235 POPSK after the operationalisation of all the POPSK announced in Phases I and II and the PSK at Siliguri (West Bengal) and Solapur (Maharashtra) following which there will be 328 Passport Seva Kendras in the country. The Ministry of External Affairs and the Department of Posts (DOP) have decided to utilize the Head Post Offices (HPO) in the various States as Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) for delivering passport related services to the citizens of the country. The Government intends to open POPSK in the HPO in the country in such a manner that there is a Passport Seva Kendra available within a radius of 50 km of every HPO. The Government has announced on 17 June, 2017 the opening of 149 new Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSK) in Phase-II. The Ministry intends to complete the requisite formalities like preparation of sites, procurement of IT and non-IT equipment for setting up of these POPSK at the earliest. In the recent years, the Ministry has made many quantitative and qualitative improvements in the delivery of passport services in the country. With the implementation of the Passport Seva Project in partnership with its Service Provider M/s TCS, the Ministry has been providing quality service to the people from the Passport Seva Kendras (PSK) established with best in class amenities across the country in PPP mode. Under this system, the applicants are required to apply for their passports online, upload relevant documents, make the payment online through debit/credit card or SBI net-banking/SBI Challan, schedule an appointment and then visit the designated Passport Seva Kendra (PSK). A user friendly portal has been made available. When an applicant visits the PSK, an Electronic Queue Management System (EQMS) working on the principle of First-in First-out is available at all PSKs to monitor the flow of applicants. The applicants can track the status of their applications themselves through portal and also SMS services. In the current system of passport issuance, there is no manual intervention at any stage, and the complete process is digitally flown with re-engineered process through a single visit clearance.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com DBFOT MODEL OF INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE
Total Sixteen number of National Highway Projects have been awarded on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model in Karnataka. Thirteen number of National Highway Projects have been completed having aggregate length of about 840 km and Total Project Cost of about Rs. 6600 crore. The Design, Build, Finance, Operate, Transfer (DBFOT) model under the public-private partnership mode has been mooted for developing Thiruvananthapuram Central, Ernakulam Junction, Kozhikode and Mangalore Central into world class stations.
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NATIONAL BAMBOO MISSION RENAMED
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National Bamboo Mission renamed as National Agro-Forestry & Bamboo Mission (NABM) is being implemented as per the set objectives and targets of the Mission. As per available reports 3,61,791 ha. area have been covered in forest & non-forest land, 91,715 ha. area taken up for improvement of existing stock for higher productivity (forest & non-forest areas) under the Mission against targets of 3,62,848 ha., 69,410 ha. respectively. Under the Mission, 108 nos. of markets (Bamboo wholesale & retail markets near villages, etc.) have been established for providing marketing avenues to bamboo farmers for their raw bamboo as well as finished products. Besides, efforts are being made to popularize bamboo products through participation in domestic/national/international trade fairs. Under the Mission, Steps have already been taken & are being taken to provide assistance to farmers/bamboo growers for nursery establishment, plantations in non-forest area, imparting training for preparation of nurseries & bamboo plantations, establishing of bamboo markets for farmer products, etc.
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UGC NET EXAMINATION: NEW QUALIFYING CRITERIA
University Grants Commission (UGC) has informed that the new qualifying criteria for declaration of result for UGC NET Examination is as follows: Top 6% of the UGC NET candidates who appear in all three papers and secure at least 40% aggregate marks for candidates belonging to General Category and at least 35% aggregate marks for candidates belonging to social groups viz., Scheduled Castes /Scheduled Tribes/Other Backward Classes (Non-creamy layer)/ People with Disabilities will be declared qualified for NET to be eligible for Assistant Professor by following the extant reservation policy of Government of India. Out of the total number of candidates qualifying for NET for Eligibility for Assistant Professor, the candidates who have applied for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), shall form the consideration zone for JRF. The available fellowships will be awarded as per merit by following the extant reservation policy of the Government of India.
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WHO‘s Model list of essential medicines for 2017 has been released. It contains new advice on which antibiotics to use for common infections and which to preserve for the most serious circumstances. It also includes new additions in medicines list for HIV, hepatitis C, tuberculosis and leukaemia. The updated list adds 30 medicines for adults and 25 for children, and specifies new uses for 9 already-listed products, bringing the total to 433 drugs deemed essential for addressing the most important public health needs. The WHO Essential Medicines List (EML) is used by many countries to increase access to medicines and guide decisions about which products they ensure are available for their populations. New WHO Advice: 3 Categories of Antibiotic WHO experts have grouped antibiotics into three categories – ACCESS, WATCH and RESERVE – with recommendations on when each category should be used. Initially, the new categories apply only to antibiotics used to treat 21 of the most common general infections. If shown to be useful, it could be broadened in future versions of the EML to apply to drugs to treat other infections. The change aims to ensure that antibiotics are available when needed, and that the right antibiotics are prescribed for the right infections. It should enhance treatment outcomes, reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria, and preserve the effectiveness of ―last resort‖ antibiotics that are needed when all others fail. These changes support WHO‘s Global action plan on antimicrobial resistance, which aims to fight the development of drug resistance by ensuring the best use of antibiotics. WHO recommends that antibiotics in the ACCESS group be available at all times as treatments for a wide range of common infections. For example, it includes amoxicillin, a widely-used antibiotic to treat infections such as pneumonia. The WATCH group includes antibiotics that are recommended as first- or second-choice treatments for a small number of infections. For example, the use of ciprofloxacin, used to treat cystitis (a type of urinary tract infection) and upper respiratory tract infections (such as bacterial sinusitis and bacterial bronchitis), should be dramatically reduced to avoid further development of resistance.
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WHO MODEL LIST OF ESSENTIAL MEDICINES RELEASED
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Other Additions in WHO List of Medicines: The updated EML also includes several new drugs, such as two oral cancer treatments, a new pill for hepatitis C that combines two medicines, a more effective treatment for HIV as well as an older drug that can be taken to prevent HIV infection in people at high risk, new paediatric formulations of medicines for tuberculosis, and pain relievers. These medicines are: two oral cancer medicines (dasatinib and nilotinib) for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia that has become resistant to standard treatment. In clinical trials, one in two patients taking these medicines achieved a complete and durable remission from the disease; sofosbuvir + velpatasvir as the first combination therapy to treat all six types of hepatitis C (WHO is currently updating its treatment recommendations for hepatitis C); dolutegravir for treatment of HIV infection, in response to the most recent evidence showing the medicine‘s safety, efficacy, and high barrier to resistance; pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with tenofovir alone, or in combination with emtricitabine or lamivudine, to prevent HIV infection; delamanid for the treatment of children and adolescents with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and clofazimine for children and adults with MDR-TB; child-friendly fixed-dose combination formulations of isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide for treating paediatric tuberculosis; and fentanyl skin patches and methadone for pain relief in cancer patients with the aim of increasing access to medicines for end-of-life care.
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The third group, RESERVE, includes antibiotics such as colistin and some cephalosporins that should be considered last-resort options, and used only in the most severe circumstances when all other alternatives have failed, such as for life-threatening infections due to multidrug-resistant bacteria. WHO experts have added 10 antibiotics to the list for adults, and 12 for children.
Background: The WHO Model list of essential medicines was launched in 1977, coinciding with the endorsement by governments at the World Health Assembly of ―Health for all‖ as the guiding principle for WHO and countries‘ health policies. Many countries have adopted the concept of essential medicines and have developed lists of their own, using the EML as a guide. The EML is updated and revised every two years by the WHO Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines.
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COOPERATIVES IN INDIA: LATEST INFORMATION
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The Indian cooperative movement has sustained itself as one of the biggest cooperative movements in the world. The reach of cooperative in India is from village to national level. Recently, Cooperative Conference was organised by Amreli District‗s Milk Producers Association Limited in Amreli, Gujarat. There are more than 7 lakh cooperatives in the country, which extends from village level committees to national level co-operative organisations. The cooperatives membership is over 40 crores and it includes about 97% villages and 71% rural households. Today, 16.9 per cent of agricultural cooperation, 29 percent of fertiliser production, 40 percent of sugar production, and 54 percent of weavers‘ cooperatives etc. are being contributed to the Indian economy. Indian cooperatives have firmly established themselves in many sectors of the economy like dairy, banking, sugar, fertilisers, marketing, handloom, fisheries and construction. The cooperative societies facilitated the way of farmers by providing them with the inputs like loan, fertilisers and seeds. Today, the dairy cooperatives have carved an exclusive identity in the country and abroad. If there has been the growth of sugar mills, credit committees along with dairy in Gujarat and Maharashtra, the southern states witnessed the growth of fisheries and forests based cooperatives. The National Cooperative Development Corporations provides assistance to the cooperatives for their overall development, which includes grants and loans from the Government. In Gujarat, financial assistance has been provided for the computerization of dairies, storage and cold storage cooperatives as well as sugar, textile and consumer cooperatives. Under these schemes, Rs.663.23 crore has been approved during the year 2014-2015, 2015-16 and 2016-17; and Rs.133.45 crore, Rs.272.97 crore and Rs.424.04 crore were released respectively. Rs.15143.76 had been released by National Cooperative Development Cooperation during the three years (2011-14). On the other hand, the NDA Government increased this by 89.98% and released Rs.28117.31 crore during the three years (2014-17). The National Cooperative Development Corporations is making a concerted effort to develop cooperative movement in the country and is playing a significant role in educating, guiding and providing support to the member organisations for strengthening the cooperative sector.
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BestCurrentAffairs.com PRESIDENT DEDICATES NEW UNIVERSITY TO NATION
President of India Pranab Mukherjee dedicated the BML Munjal University to the nation. The event was conducted at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. BML Munjal University (BMU) is an institute offering undergraduate and post-graduate courses in management (MBA & BBA) and undergraduate courses in engineering (BTech) and commerce (BCom (Hons)). This University at Gurgaon was founded by the promoters of the Hero Group and is named after the group‘s chairman and founder Brij Mohan Lall Munjal. The 50-acre, fully residential and co-educational university has been notified under the Haryana State Private Universities Act, 2006. The university is being launched in two phases. The School of Engineering & Technology, School of Management and School of Commerce will be established in phase I, beginning August 2014. In phase II, four additional schools are proposed: School of Liberal Arts, School of Art, Architecture & Design, School of Natural Sciences and School of Law. Sunil Kant Munjal is the Chancellor of this University.
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The Defence Minister Arun Jaitley released a Book titled ‗Ganga Avahan – The Epic Tale of a Historic Swim‘. The ‗Ganga Avahan‘ was a pioneering and historic exploratory open-water swim expedition on the Ganga River. This was the first ever human effort to swim down the entire stretch of the river and also the longest ever social campaign undertaken through an adventure sporting activity for the Swachh Bharat National Mission, Clean Ganga project and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative. A nine-member team of three swimmers led Wg Cdr Paramvir Singh undertook this expedition. Wg Cdr Paramvir began the expedition which continued for 43 days, through Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal and culminating on 19 November 2015 at Bakkhali Beach, Frazerganj covering a total distance of 2,800 kms. Throughout the swim, the team campaigned extensively for Swachh Bharat, Clean Ganga and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, reaching out to the villagers, townsfolk, civic authorities and NGOs, managing to interact with tens of lakhs of people all along the route as they undertook their extraordinary and highly challenging odyssey. This Book chronicles their entire extraordinary and indeed fascinating journey, detailing experiences, outreach and challenges along the vast civilizational cradle that is the Ganga. The Foreword of this epic expedition is written by the Prime Minister.
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BOOK „GANGA AVAHAN-THE EPIC TALE OF A HISTORIC SWIM‟
RECORD PRODUCTION OF FOOD GRAINS IN INDIA
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As per the Third Advance Estimates food grain production in the country has increased to 273 MT in 2016-17, oil seeds to 32.5 MT, and sugarcane to 306 MT. Fruits & Vegetable production has increased to 287 MTs, according to the Second Advance Estimate. According to Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Radha Mohan Singh there has been a record production of food grains in 2016-17 and all previous records were broken. Union government has set a target of doubling farmers‘ income by 2022. Farmers have not been getting the corresponding increase in remuneration. The Government is seized of the urgent requirement of strengthening market systems to reduce post-harvest losses to enable farmers to tide over both situations of bumper production leading to a glut and abrupt price fall and incidences of less production resulting in the availability of meagre marketable surplus. The approach adopted by government encompasses both adoptions of cost effective production and diversifying agriculture towards growing of high-value crops, agroforestry, rearing of livestock, poultry, fisheries, etc, as well as creating accessible and efficient markets to ensure better price realisation to the farmers through a robust value supply chain. In order to address the constraints of present agricultural marketing system promoted by APMCs and assure accessible marketing facilities to farmers, the Government has shared a corrective reform with the States and we have been able to move faster on this front in the last 2-3 years since the circulation of model APMC Act, 2003 to the States. The model Agriculture Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2017 was released to the States on April 24, 2017, and has received a positive response regarding its adoption from all States.
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NEW TAX PAYER SERVICE „AAYKAR SETU‟ LAUNCHED
Union Finance Minister launched a new tax payer service module ‗Aaykar Setu‘. This e-initiative would help in reducing physical interface between assesses and tax assessing authorities and thereby minimizing the chances of any tax harassment. The new step is an effort by the Income Tax Department (ITD) to directly communicate with the taxpayers, on a range of multiple informative and useful tax services aimed at providing tax information at their fingertips.
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The module compiles various tax tools, live chat facility, dynamic updates, and important links to various processes within the Income Tax Department in a single module. The tax payers will also be able to receive regular updates regarding important tax dates, forms and notifications on mobile numbers registered with the ITD. All taxpayers who wish to receive such SMS alerts are advised to register their mobile numbers in the Aaykar Setu module. To enhance mobile access experience, a mobile responsive android version was also released along with the desktop version. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) constantly endeavours to provide better taxpayer services and reduce taxpayer grievances. New schemes and e-initiatives to educate the taxpayers and deliver tax payer services in an effective manner are key to this effort.
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GARIB NAWAZ SKILL DEVELOPMENT CENTRES LAUNCHED
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The Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mr. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi inaugurated the first Gharib Nawaz Skill Development Centre at Vijayanagar Colony in Hyderabad. In this Skill Centre, the youths, after completing about three-months duration Goods and Services Tax course, will not only be able to help small-medium traders and the common people, but they will also immensely benefitted by this course as it will open vast job opportunities in the related sectors. Besides providing various job-oriented skill development courses, Gharib Nawaz Skill Development Centres of Ministry of Minority Affairs also offer certificate course in Goods and Services Tax accounting/programming and other related subjects. Garib Nawaz Skill Development Centres will be established in 100 districts of the country which will effectively ensure employment oriented skill development of youth belonging to Minority communities. In next six months, Garib Nawaz Skill Development Centres, providing job oriented skill training in various fields, will be established in Hyderabad, Noida, Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Bhopal, Indore, Allahabad, Mysore, Chennai, Goa, Gauhati, Kolakata, Patna, Kishanganj, Dehradun, Shahjahanpur, Rampur, Ranchi, Giridih, Mewat, Tijara, Panipat, Delhi, Uddhamsingh Nagar, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Mumbai etc. To provide quality education to each and every child, Ministry of Minority Affairs will launch a mega education campaign ―Tahrik-e-Taleem‖. The campaign will be launched on 15th October, the birth anniversary of former President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. About 100 Navoday Vidyalaya type schools will be opened in Minority concentrated areas. The Ministry has established 23 Gurukul type residential schools.
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FARM MECHANISATION IN INDIAN AGRICULTURE
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Agricultural mechanisation is one of the important factors for sustainable development of the agricultural sector which helps in increasing production through agricultural works, reducing the deficit, reducing the cost of various agricultural works through the better management of costly inputs, increasing the productivity of natural resources and help reduce the difficulties related to various agricultural activities. In the last few years there has been a shift has been towards the use of mechanical and electrical sources of power. While in 1960-61, about 92.30% farm power was coming from animate sources, in 2014-15 the contribution of animate sources of power reduced to about 9.46% and that of mechanical and electrical sources of power increased from 7.70% in 1960-61 to about 90.54% in 2014-15. The degree of farm mechanisation is expressed as a ratio of mechanical power to cultivable unit area, which in India during last 43 has increased at a very slow pace from 0.48 kW/ha in 1975-76 to 1.84 kW/ha in 2013-14. However, from the year 2014-15 to 2016-17, it has been increased to 2.02 kW/ha which is mainly due to concentrated efforts for promotion of agricultural mechanisation through various schemes of the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare. There has been a record production of food grain this year. However, the demand for food grain is increasing and it has been estimated that by 2025 we have to produce more than 300 million tonnes. According to the 2011 census, 263 million people (54.6%) are engaged in the agriculture sector, which is likely to declined to 190 million (33%) by 2020. These figures show that during important seasons such as sowing and harvesting there will be a decrease in the work force and it will have an adverse effect on production. Thus, the additional demand of energy for various agricultural works need to be completed through the medium and for this, the agricultural mechanisation sector needs to grow rapidly. That due to continuous shrinkage in the average size of the agricultural lands, more lands will fall in the adverse category, which will make individual ownership of agricultural machinery gradually and more informal. Therefore, ensuring availability of sufficient farm power for small farms will be a big challenge. The other challenges in the field of agricultural mechanisation are how to overcome skill barriers to provide adequate support to modern technology. In future, it is necessary to establish a link between the possibility of sustainable development of agricultural mechanisation without neglecting the lack of energy and environmental degradation due to low availability of fossil fuels and its high cost.
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In the years 2012-13 and 2013-14, two small schemes were being run on agricultural mechanisation for which the allocation of the fund was only Rs 24.10 crore and Rs.38.49 crore respectively. But considering the importance of agricultural mechanisation the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare started the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation in the year 2014-15 with an objective to promote agricultural mechanisation among small and marginal farmers and in the areas where the level of mechanisation is very low. In addition to the Agricultural Mechanisation Submissions (SMM), farm mechanisation is also promoted through various other schemes and programmes of the Ministry such as RKVY, NFSM, NHM, NMOOP etc. The SMAM not only includes the traditional component of training, testing, demonstration of agricultural machinery and procurement subsidy but also includes-Farm Machinery Banks for Custom Hiring, Hi-Tech High Productive Equipments Centres on custom hiring model, and Farm Mechanisation in selected villages for enhancing productivity and creating ownership of appropriate farm equipments among small & marginal farmers. Establishment of Farm Machinery Banks and High-Tech Hub for custom hiring services are supported with financial assistance @40% of the project cost under RKVY and SMAM. That during the last three year more than Rs.3088 crore have been allocated to the State Governments for farm mechanisation under various schemes of the Department. During the current year 2017-18, the allocation for SMAM has been increased more than two times as compared to the previous year (Rs. 577 crore). It has been observed that Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana etc. have achieved good progress in the field of agricultural mechanisation by utilising the allocated fund.
TRANSSTADIA “ARENA PROJECT” INAUGURATED BY PM
Indian Prime Narendra Modi formally inaugurated TransStadia in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The multi-purpose sports complex hosts a 20-000 seater state-of-the-art football stadium, the first of its kind in the state. The Arena by TransStadia is a Rs550 crore project, built on a unique public private partnership (PPP) model, is hailed as India‘s first convertible stadium. It uses a globally patented technology, which converts an outdoor stadium into an indoor arena within 6 minutes at a touch of a button. The facility houses as many as 14 sports, excluding cricket.
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Some of the facility‟s key features include: StadiArena: air-conditioned 32,000 sq. ft. pillar-less multi-purpose indoor arena T-box: modular and retractable seating systems Turf Protector – world‘s only turf protection system manufactured from truly translucent HDPE material, it allows for continuous photosynthesis, which ensures optimal turf health, together with a 30-year UV degradation guarante The project is built on a defunct Abad Dairy property—measuring about 9 acres—in Maninagar, the constituency represented by Modi when he was the chief minister. The arena boasts of a Fifa standard natural turf with a seating capacity of 20,000, including patented expertise that enables the conversion of a section of the stadium into a 4,000 pillar-less multi-purpose indoor venue. The venue also lays great emphasis on sustainable development through water conservation by rainwater harvesting, mist fire-fighting and zero waste water discharge with a state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant and water treatment plant. It ensures decreasing load on water resources by reusing and recycling 100 per cent of used or treated water. It provides for energy-efficient building by providing terrace gardens and energy-efficient equipment. Apart from 70,000 square feet of area for retail that will be sub-leased soon for various outlets, the work for building a 150-room four-star hotel is also on. A membership drive for an exclusive club is also underway for a fee of Rs6 lakh per family and as so far over 400 members have signed up. Built on a design-build-finance-operate-transfer (DBFOT) model with a debt: equity ratio of 2:1, the company aims to break-even in about six to years. Complete with a temperature-controlled swimming pool and 16,000 sq. ft. body transformation centre and a training and rehabilitation centre, the facility caters for 14 sports including volleyball, basketball, squash, table tennis, tennis and amongst others. The land for the project, given on a lease for 35 years at a nominal price, was allotted in 2013 following a state cabinet approval in 2011. As per the concession agreement signed with the Gujarat government‘s tourism department, TransStadia will give minimum 2% of their revenue to the state authorities for the development of sports in Gujarat. It is India‘s first PPP model urban sports infrastructure project. The Arena project has drawn inspirations from several sports complexes across the world including the UK‘s Wembley Stadium, Tokyo Dome of Japan and Amsterdam Arena in the Netherlands.
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