1) Union Government and NTC signed MoU for establishing a Technology Centre at Kanpur.
- The Union Ministry of Textiles, Union Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) and National Textile Corporation (NTC) signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up a Technology Centre (Tool Room) at Kanpur.
- Highlights of the MoU
- Under the MoU, Ministry of MSME will fund the project, while NTC will provide the land in a closed unviable mill.
- Management will be through a Governing Council where Development Commissioner of MSME will be Chairman and Ministry of Textiles representative will be the co-chairman.
- The Ministry of Textiles will skill the youth in textile sector, thus, providing requisite skilled manpower to the textile industry.
- The Centre will provide support in manufacturing of quality tools that will improve productivity of MSMEs and enable them to become competitive in national and international markets.
2) Delhi Government announced vehicle rationing scheme to curb air pollution.
- Delhi Government announced vehicle rationing scheme to curb air pollution in the city.
- The primary objective of the initiative is to halve the vehicular population in the city and thereby to bring pollution levels under control.
- In the first phase of the scheme, vehicles with odd and even number plates would be allowed to run on alternate days between 1 January and 15 January 2016 in the capital city.
- While the odd-numbered vehicles will ply on odd dates, the even-numbered vehicles would ply on even dates.
- The rule will be enforced between 8am and 8pm only and there will be no restrictions on Sundays.
- However, emergency vehicles such as ambulances were excluded from this restriction.
3) Rajya Sabha passed Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill, 2015.
- Rajya Sabha passed the Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill, 2015. The Bill provides for filing of cheque bounce cases at the place where a cheque is presented for clearance and not the place of issue.
- The Bill seeks to amend the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. It will have implications for over 18 lakh cheque bounce cases pending in various courts.
Provisions of the Bill:
- It amends the Act to state that cases of bouncing of cheques can be filed only in a court in whose jurisdiction the bank branch of the payee (person who receives the cheque) lies.
- If a complaint against a person issuing a cheque has been filed in the court with the appropriate jurisdiction, then all subsequent complaints against that person will be filed in the same court.
- If more than one case is filed against the same person before different courts, the case will be transferred to the court with the appropriate jurisdiction.
4) Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill, 2015 introduced in Lok Sabha.
- The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh introduced in Lok Sabha, the ``Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill, 2015``.
- The Bill seeks to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1962, in order to overcome difficulties encountered in the setting up of new nuclear projects and enhancement of nuclear power generation.
About Atomic Energy Bill 1962:
- The nuclear power operations are being carried out by only two Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) namely Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI).
5) Karnataka govt signs EoI with Reitzel Group.
- Karnataka delegation, which is touring France to promote ‘Invest Karnataka 2016’ (global investment meet), has signed an Expression of Interest (EoI) agreement with Reitzel Group.
- The company is expected to invest 3 million Euros (about Rs. 20 crore) and create about 50 new jobs to the already 200 existing jobs.
- Gaurav Gupta, Commissioner for Industrial Development and Director, Department of Industries and Commerce signed the agreement on behalf of the state government while Pierre B Darmon, Deputy CEO, Reitzel signed the same on behalf of Reitzel.
6) Department of Heavy Industry and Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Sign an MoU for Capital Goods and Automotive Sector for Large Scale Capacity Building.
- The MoU for capital goods and automotive sector for large scale capacity building by providing infrastructure and facilities, improving training content, curriculum and methodology and use of latest technologies, during DHI-FICCI-HMFI WIN (World of Industry) India conference.
Key facts of MoU:
- Create jointly a National Ecosystem for Development of Skills for the Manufacturing Sector, in particular the Capital Goods sector and automotive sector and other sectors/ subjects covered by DHI.
- Develop a Multi-location `National Institute of Manufacturing Technology (NIMT)` for training, education and research in manufacturing technologies by leveraging the infrastructure and facilities of PSUs under DHI.
- Creating Centres of Excellence in different categories by utilising/ up-grading of exiting training facilities of the PSUs under DHI in collaboration with NSDC/ Sector Skill Council and/or DGT.
- Bring in the internationally known best practices in the field of skill development and entrepreneurship for manufacturing sector and for that purpose get the services of internationally renowned experts and to leverage global partnerships and technical.
7) India and United Kingdom launched a joint initiative ``2016: UK-INDIA Year of Education, Research and Innovation``.
- India and United Kingdom launched a joint initiative ``2016: UK-INDIA Year of Education, Research and Innovation`` in New Delhi.
- Secretary of State, Business Innovation and Skillls, United Kingdom, Mr. Sajid Javid, looked forward to launch of the UKIERI-III which could build upon good work already done under earlier phases of UKIERI (UK-India Education and Research Initiative).
- They anticipated that more than 100 academicians from UK would be coming under GIAN (Global Initiative of Academic Networks) over next two years.
- Under the UK Generation India program, they would be looking forward to send 25,000 UK students to India during the next 5 (five) years.
About UKIERI:
- The UK India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) started in April 2006 with the aim of enhancing educational links between India and the UK.
- In the last five years, UKIERI has played a pivotal role in establishing a step change in the educational relations between the two countries.
- The program has been extended for 5 years from 2011 to 2016.
8) Memorandum of Understanding between India and United Kingdom in the field of cooperation in the energy sector.
- The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval for signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on cooperation in the energy sector.
The areas of cooperation include the following:
- Market reforms, regulatory structures and the role of competition in the supply and distribution of electricity, including regulations and incentives for Renewable Energy deployment.
- The integration of renewable energy into the grid.
- Energy efficiency policies and practice, including industrial energy efficiency and vehicular fuel efficiency.
- Energy storage and new energy technologies.
9) IISc bags $52,900 solar panel research and development contract from US Military.
- The prestigious Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Banglore bagged a US military contract for research and development on solar powered micro-grid.
- The federal contract worth 52900 US dollars was awarded by the US Pacific Air Forces, Yokota Air Base in Japan.
- The contract is awarded to develop solar powered micro-grid with battery and super capacitor energy storage system.
- The announcement of the contract comes on the eve of the meeting between Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar and US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter at the Pentagon.
10) India and Pakistan announces 10-point Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue.
- India and Pakistan have agreed to resume structured dialogue between them through new 10-point Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue (CBD).
- The 10-point CBD replaces earlier 8-point Composite Dialogue Process (CDP) structured dialogue which was also known as Resumed Dialogue.
10-point Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue (CBD):
- Peace and security, confidence building measures (CBMs)
- Jammu and Kashmir
- Siachen
- Sir Creek Boundary Dispute
- Wullar Barrage/ Tulbul Navigation Project
- Economic and Commercial cooperation
- Counter-terrorism, Narcotics control
- People-to-people exchanges
- Humanitarian issues
- Religious tourism
11) Cabinet approves Central Legislation to declare 106 additional inland waterways as national waterways.
- The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval to carry out official amendments in "The National Waterways Bill, 2015".
- It provides for enacting a Central Legislation to declare 106 additional inland waterways, as the national waterways. After the inclusion of 106 additional inlands waterways to the existing five national waterways, the total number of national waterways goes up to 111.
- The declaration of these National Waterways would enable Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) to develop the feasible stretches for Shipping and Navigation.
Inland Water Ways:
- NW 1: between Allahabad and Haldia (1620 km) on Ganga River.
- NW 2: between Sadiya and Dubri (891 km).
- NW 3: West Coast Canal (205 km) in Kerala.
- NW 4: Kakinada–Pondicherry stretch River Godavari and Wazirabad–Vijayawada stretch of River Krishna in Andhra Pradesh.
- NW 5: Talcher–Dhamra (620 km) stretch on Mahanadi River.
12) India, Japan sign protocol to amend double taxation avoidance pact.
- India and Japan signed an agreement to amend the convention for double taxation avoidance and prevention of evasion of income tax.
- The protocol was signed by Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia and Ambassador of Japan Kenji Hiramatsu.
- Highlights of MoU:
- Protocol provides for internationally accepted standards for effective exchange of information on tax matters.
- It includes sharing of bank information and information without domestic tax interest.
- Under it both countries shall assist each other in the collection of revenue claims.
13) Union Government declares Tamil Nadu flood as Calamity of Severe Nature.
- The Union Government has declared the recent Tamil Nadu flood as a Calamity of Severe Nature.
- Under this declaration Parliamentarians are advised to spend up to 1 crore rupees under their MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) for reconstruction and rehabilitation works in the in flood-affected districts.
14) Dr. Mahesh Sharma inaugurates International Conference on ‘India-Laos: Inter-Cultural Linkages.
- Dr. Mahesh Sharma, the Minister of State (I/C) for Culture and Tourism inaugurated a two days ``International Conference on India-Laos: Inter-Cultural Linkages``.
- The Conference has been organised by Indira Gandhi National Centre for Art, New Delhi, in collaboration with Shri Bharatvarshiya Digambar Jain Teerth Sanrakshini Mahasabha, New Delhi.
15) SABLA Scheme to benefit nearly 100 lakh adolescent girls per annum.
- The Government is implementing Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG)–`SABLA`, a Centrally-sponsored scheme in 205 districts selected from all the States/UTs.
- The scheme SABLA aims at empowering Adolescent Girls (AGs) (11-18 years) through nutrition, health care and life skills education.
- Scheme SABLA has two major components viz. Nutrition and Non Nutrition.
- Under the Nutrition component, the out of school AGs in the age group of 11-14 years attending AWCs and all girls in the age group of 14-18 years are provided Supplementary Nutrition containing 600 calories, 18-20 grams of protein and micronutrients, per day for 300 days in a year.
- The non-nutrition component addresses the developmental needs of adolescent girls. Under this component out of school adolescent girls of 11-18 years are being provided IFA supplementation, health check-up & referral services, nutrition & health education.
- Monitoring committees are set up at all levels (National, State, District, Block and Village level) to take stock of the progress of the scheme as also strengthen the coordination and convergence between concerned departments.