1) PMO hands over 1st batch of Netaji files for declassification
- The first batch of 33 secret files related to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose were on 4th December handed over by the Prime Minister`s Office, PMO to the National Archives, setting the stage for their declassification next month.
- The files were handed over by Principal Secretary in the PMO, Nripendra Misra to Director General of National Archives of India for further processing, preservation and digitization. It is in preparation for the final release to the nation of all 58 files in the PMO.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on October this year announced that the first batch of the secret files will be declassified from the birth anniversary of Netaji next year, meeting the long-pending demand of Bose`s family.
2) Accessible India Campaign rolled out
- Govt on 3rd December rolled out “Accessible India Campaign” on the occasion of The International Day of Persons with Disabilities; aims to make 50 major cities more accessible to the specially abled.
- According to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the union government is making smart cities fully accessible for persons with disabilities and wants the Centre and states to combine their efforts to make "Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan" successful.
- The Union minister also conferred 52 National Awards on outstanding persons with disabilities; individuals and organizations that are working for empowerment of persons with disabilities.
The targets set by the govt under the Accessible India campaign are:
- At least 50% of all government buildings in the national capital and all state capitals are to be made fully accessible for persons with disabilities by July 2018.
- All international airports in the country and major railway stations are to be made fully accessible for them by July 2016.
- At least 10% of government owned public transport carriers in the country are to be converted into fully accessible carriers by March 2018.
- At least 50% of all public documents issued by the Centre and state governments are to meet accessibility standards for persons with disabilities by March 2018.
3) KCR launches new polio vaccine
- Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao formally launched “SHAN-IPV” Polio vaccine manufactured by Shantha Biotechnics on 4th December. The IPV (Injectable Polio Vaccine) is one of the safest vaccines to use and is required to eliminate the risk of further existence of Polio. This is being launched at a time when no polio cases are reported in India during the last four years and at a time when India is switching from Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) to IPV.
- Oral Polio Vaccine has a 1 per cent of failure risk whereas IPV is considered to be without any risk. KCR launched the vaccine handed over the first sample of five doses pack to the representative of UNICEF. The chairman of the Shantha Biotechnics Varaprasad Reddy informed though IPVs are priced at Rs 1,050 per unit in the international market, Shantha Biotechnics will be supplying to UNICEF and Government of India at Rs 55 only.
- After this is launched, Indian Government will supply IPV manufactured by Shantha to the entire country through UNICEF. Telangana will get this from UNICEF at free of cost.
- IPV is effective in preventing paralytic disease caused by all three types of polio virus and carries no risk of vaccine associated risks. Manufacturing of SHAN-IPV is a pride for Telangana State said KCR. UNICEF has already indented for 2.5 million doses of this vaccine and will be supplying to both the Telugu speaking states free of cost.
- Government of India also indented for this vaccine. Both Government of India and UNICEF decided to use this vaccine as part of total eradication of polio. Shantha plans to produce a total of more than 10 million doses next year with additional increases planned in subsequent years.
- Pakistan and Afghanistan are still classified as polio endemic, meaning that wild polio virus passes routinely between members of the community. However, progress has been made in both countries and the last case of polio in the world may possibly be only months away. India has had a strong focus on polio eradication and this move to introduce IPV in the UIP will provide the required impetus for a polio free India.
- In line with the WHO’s Global endgame strategy, India is introducing one dose of IPV at 14 weeks of age. IPV is to be given in addition to the existing oral polio vaccine. This introduction is a critical step towards achieving a polio-free world by 2019 to meet the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) Endgame Strategic Plan.
4) Odd-even formula for Delhi Vehicles
- The Arvind Kejriwal-led government on 4th December launched a major offensive against the alarming air pollution in the National Capital by announcing an ‘odd and even number’ formula for cars. Under this, cars with odd and even numbers would ply on alternate days, thus reducing the number of cars on roads by 50 percent. It comes into effect from 1 January, 2016.
- The government also wants to strengthen the public transport system and crack the whip on entry of trucks in the city to control smog.
- While the Delhi government has decided to shut down one of its oldest and least efficient thermal power plants at Badarpur commissioned in 1970s, it will ask the UP government to shut down the Dadri power plant as well.
- If it succeeds in implementing the odd-even number formula, it’ll be the second city after Beijing to do so. In Beijing it was adopted in 2013. There are nearly 90 lakh registered vehicles in Delhi, and 1,500 new vehicles are added every day.
Delhi government’s initiatives:
Odd and even numbered cars to ply on Delhi roads on alternative days.
- Extra buses to be added to DTC’s fleet; Delhi Metro asked to add new trains; thrust is on public transport.
- Auto-rickshaws to supplement.
- Entry of trucks inside Delhi after 11 pm (now 9 pm).
- Government will ask UP to shut down Dadri power plant.PWD to start urban forestry project on arid land.
- Restrict vehicles on roads.
- Stricter checking of pollution in vehicles
- EURO VI by 2017.
5) Telangana to launch 4 new policies
- Telangana government is planning to launch four new policies on December 28 coinciding with the visit of Microsoft chief to T-Hub, the new start-up incubator established at IIIT-Hyderabad.
According to K T Rama Rao, Telangana Information Technology minister, four new policies one each for:
- Information Technology,
- Innovation/Start-up,
- IMAGE and
- ESDM (Electronic System Design & Manufacturing) will be launched on December 28.