1. New list of Cabinet ministers and their portfolios.
As many as 23 Cabinet Ministers and 22 Ministers of State took oath as part of the Narendra Modi government on Monday evening. However, there portfolios were formally allocated on Tuesday morning itself. Here’s a list of all the members of Team Modi and their portfolios:
CABINET MINISTERS
Narendra Modi – Prime Minister, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy Department of Space, All important policy issues and all other portfolios not allocated to any Minister
Rajnath Singh – Home Affairs
Sushma Swaraj – External Affairs, Overseas Indian Affairs
Arun Jaitley – Finance, Corporate Affairs, Information & Broadcasting
M Venkaiah Naidu – Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Parliamentary Affairs
Nitin Gadkari – Road Transport and Highways, Shipping
Manohar Parrikar – Defence
Suresh Prabhu – Railways
D V Sadananda Gowda – Law and Justice
Uma Bharti – Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation
Najma Heptullah – Minority Affairs
Ramvilas Paswan – Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
Kalraj Mishra – Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
Maneka Gandhi – Women and Child Development
Ananth Kumar – Chemicals and Fertilizers
Ravi Shankar Prasad – Communications and Information Technology
Jagat Prakash Nadda – Health and Family Welfare
Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati – Civil Aviation
Anant Geete – Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises
Harsimrat Kaur Badal – Food Processing Industries
Narendra Singh Tomar – Mines and Steel
Chaudhary Birender Singh – Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water and Sanitation
Jual Oram – Tribal Affairs
Radha Mohan Singh – Agriculture
Thaawar Chand Gehlot – Social Justice and Empowerment
Smriti Zubin Irani – Human Resource Development
Dr Harsh Vardhan – Health and Family Welfare
MINISTER OF STATE (Independent Charge)
General (Retd) V K Singh – Development of North Eastern Region (Independent Charge), External Affairs, Overseas Indian Affairs
Inderjit Singh Rao – Planning (Independent Charge), Statistics and Programme Implementation (Independent Charge), Defence
Santosh Kumar Gangwar – Textiles (Independent Charge)
Bandaru Dattatreya – Labour and Employment (Independent Charge)
Rajiv Pratap Rudy – Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge), Parliamentary Affairs
Shripad Yesso Naik – AYUSH (Independent Charge), Health & Family Welfare
Dharmendra Pradhan – Petroleum and Natural Gas (Independent Charge)
Sarbananda Sonowal – Youth Affairs and Sports (Independent Charge)
Prakash Javadekar – Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Independent Charge)
Piyush Goyal – Power (Independent Charge), Coal (Independent Charge), New and Renewable Energy (Independent Charge)
Jitendra Singh – Development of North Eastern Region (Independent Charge), Prime Minister’s Office Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space
Nirmala Sitharaman – Commerce and Industry (Independent Charge)
Mahesh Sharma – Culture (Independent Charge), Tourism (Independent Charge), Civil Aviation
MINISTER OF STATE
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi – Minority Affairs, Parliamentary Affairs
Ram Kripal Yadav – Drinking Water and Sanitation
Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary – Home Affairs
Sanwar Lal Jat – Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation
Mohanbhai Kalyanjibhai Kundariya – Agriculture
Giriraj Singh – Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
Hansraj Gangaram Ahir – Chemicals & Fertilizers
G M Siddeshwara – Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises
Manoj Sinha – Railways
Nihalchand – Panchayati Raj
Upendra Kushwaha – Human Resources Development
Radhakrishnan P – Road Transport and Highways, Shipping
Kiren Rijiju – Home Affairs
Krishan Pal – Social Justice and Empowerment
Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan – Agriculture
Mansukhbhai Dhanjibhai Vasava – Tribal Affairs
Vishnu Deo Sai – Mines, Steel
Sudarshan Bhagat – Rural Development
Prof. (Dr.) Ram Shankar Katheria – Human Resource Development
Y S Chowdary – Science and Technology, Earth Science
Jayant Sinha – Finance
Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore – Information and Broadcasting
Babul Supria (Babul Supriyo) Baral – Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation
Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti – Food Processing Industries
Vijay Sampla – Social Justice & Empowerment
2. Jammu and Kashmir Government to introduce `electric buses` in Srinagar.
The Jammu and Kashmir Government is looking to revamp the public transport in the state through the introduction of electric buses for two cities of Srinagar and Jammu under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme.
This is done with an aim to curb pollution in these two cities which were recently declared `smart cities`.
In this regard, a meeting was also held recently in Srinagar among officials of the state government and experts from AMRUT.
According to experts, introduction of `electric buses` would help in making the environment healthy and also in providing a trustworthy public transport.
If all goes according to the plan, these electric buses will be seen running on the roads of both the cities of Srinagar and Jammu from mid-September.
The local residents have warmly welcomed this initiative taken by the government as this may help in benefitting the tourism sector and will increase employment opportunities in the state.
3. CBDT signs four Advance Pricing Agreement.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on Monday said it has entered into four advance pricing agreements (APAs) in August, which takes the total number of APAs in the current fiscal to 23. Of the latest pacts, three are unilateral while one is a bilateral agreement, the policymaking body of the income tax department said on Monday.
The APA programme was launched by the government in 2012 to provide taxpayers with an alternate dispute resolution mechanism with respect to transfer pricing. The board said the bilateral APA is for international transactions between an Indian company and a UK-based company. It added this is the 8th bilateral APA with the UK and 13th overall (the other 5 being with Japan), the Central Board of Direct Taxes said.
>
/* Calculate the width of available ad space */
ad = document.getElementById(`google-ads-1`);
if (ad.getBoundingClientRect().width) {
adWidth = ad.getBoundingClientRect().width; // for modern browsers
} else {
adWidth = ad.offsetWidth; // for old IE
}
/* Replace ca-pub-XXX with your AdSense Publisher ID */
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-2551325655874098";
/* Replace 1234567890 with the AdSense Ad Slot ID */
google_ad_slot = "6713161600";
/* Do not change anything after this line */
if ( adWidth >= 728 )
google_ad_size = ["300", "250"]; /* Leaderboard 728x90 */
else if ( adWidth >= 468 )
google_ad_size = ["468", "60"]; /* Banner (468 x 60) */
else if ( adWidth >= 336 )
google_ad_size = ["336", "300"]; /* Large Rectangle (336 x 280) */
else if ( adWidth >= 300 )
google_ad_size = ["300", "300"]; /* Medium Rectangle (300 x 250) */
else if ( adWidth >= 250 )
google_ad_size = ["250", "250"]; /* Square (250 x 250) */
else if ( adWidth >= 200 )
google_ad_size = ["200", "200"]; /* Small Square (200 x 200) */
else if ( adWidth >= 180 )
google_ad_size = ["180", "150"]; /* Small Rectangle (180 x 150) */
else
google_ad_size = ["125", "250"]; /* Button (125 x 125) */
document.write (
``
);
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
With the signing of agreements, the total number of APAs entered into by the Central Board of Direct Taxes has reached 175. This includes 162 unilateral APAs and 13 bilateral APAs. In the current financial year, a total of 23 APAs (two bilateral and 21 unilateral) have been signed till date.
The agreements signed last month pertain to sectors including telecom, banking, manufacturing and education.
4. National Teachers Day is observed on September 5th.
Every year, on September 5, classrooms across India fill up with greeting cards, chocolates, flowers and performances as student showcase what their teachers mean to them. We all appreciate the vital role that teachers play in shaping the future, but do we really know why we celebrate Teachers’ Day?
The first Teachers’ Day was celebrated in India in 1962. This is the year when Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan began serving as the second president of India. To celebrate his esteemed position, his students suggested that his birthday be celebrated as ‘Radhakrishnan Day’.
However, he declined this move and suggested that “Instead of celebrating my birthday, it would be my proud priviledge if September 5 is observed as Teachers’ Day.”Radhakrishnan was born in 1882 in a town called Tirutani in Andhra Pradesh.
Though his father wanted him to take on the role of a priest, the boy’s talents brought him to join schools in Tirupati and Vellore. He eventually joined Christian College, Madras, in order to study philosophy.
5. CIPAM-DIPP launches social media campaign to promote Geographical Indications.
The Cell for IPR Promotions & Management (CIPAM) under the aegis of Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has launched a social media campaign to promote Indian
Geographical Indications (GIs) with #LetsTalkIP which is an ongoing movement initiated by CIPAM to make more people aware about the importance of Intellectual Property Rights.
A Geographical Indication or a GI is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin. Such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to its origin in that defined geographical locality. Darjeeling Tea, Mahabaleshwar Strawberry, Blue Pottery of Jaipur, Banarasi Sarees and Tirupati Laddus are some of the GIs.
GIs are of utmost importance to the country as they are an integral part of India`s rich culture and collective intellectual heritage. The promotion of GIs is in line with the Government`s `Make in India` campaign. It`s an area of strength and optimism for India, whereby the GI tag has accorded protection to a number of hand-made and manufactured products, especially in the informal sector.
>
/* Calculate the width of available ad space */
ad = document.getElementById(`google-ads-1`);
if (ad.getBoundingClientRect().width) {
adWidth = ad.getBoundingClientRect().width; // for modern browsers
} else {
adWidth = ad.offsetWidth; // for old IE
}
/* Replace ca-pub-XXX with your AdSense Publisher ID */
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-2551325655874098";
/* Replace 1234567890 with the AdSense Ad Slot ID */
google_ad_slot = "6713161600";
/* Do not change anything after this line */
if ( adWidth >= 728 )
google_ad_size = ["300", "250"]; /* Leaderboard 728x90 */
else if ( adWidth >= 468 )
google_ad_size = ["468", "60"]; /* Banner (468 x 60) */
else if ( adWidth >= 336 )
google_ad_size = ["336", "300"]; /* Large Rectangle (336 x 280) */
else if ( adWidth >= 300 )
google_ad_size = ["300", "300"]; /* Medium Rectangle (300 x 250) */
else if ( adWidth >= 250 )
google_ad_size = ["250", "250"]; /* Square (250 x 250) */
else if ( adWidth >= 200 )
google_ad_size = ["200", "200"]; /* Small Square (200 x 200) */
else if ( adWidth >= 180 )
google_ad_size = ["180", "150"]; /* Small Rectangle (180 x 150) */
else
google_ad_size = ["125", "250"]; /* Button (125 x 125) */
document.write (
`
`
);
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
Certain GI products can benefit the rural economy in remote areas, by supplementing the incomes of artisans, farmers, weavers and craftsmen. Our rural artisans possess unique skills and knowledge of traditional practices and methods, passed down from generation to generation, which need to be protected and promoted.
In the recent past, the government had launched similar initiatives such as #IWearHandloom and #CottonIsCool to promote and revive traditional handwoven textiles.
This time around, CIPAM will be talking about interesting facts and stories related to GIs from across the country on its Twitter handle @CIPAM_India and Facebook Page @CIPAMIndia using #LetsTalkIP hashtag. The government will also be coming up with various other initiatives to promote registered GIs in the future.
6. Union Government forms task force for speedy implementation Namami Gange.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari, who assumed additional charge of water resources on Monday, has announced the formation of an inter-ministerial task force to expedite implementation of the Centre’s Namami Gange mission.
Accompanied by his predecessor Uma Bharti, he also said the ministry would come out with a detailed schedule on achieving various targets under the mission in a time-bound and transparent manner in a week.
He also heaped praises on Bharti for working hard and doing all the ground
work towards cleaning the river in the past three years and said he would
try to see that the ministry attained all the goals she had set.
“We will form a task force...We will come out with a schedule of targets to
be achieved under the mission in a week. We will try to realise the dreams
of the prime minister in a time-bound, transparent manner...we will attain
all the deadlines fixed by Umaji,” Gadkari told reporters here.
The task force is expected to have ministers and officials from water
resources, urban development, drinking water and sanitation and rural development among others onboard.
Praising Bharti, who headed the water resources ministry till the Cabinet
was reshuffled yesterday, he said, “Assuming charge from her is like
>
/* Calculate the width of available ad space */
ad = document.getElementById(`google-ads-1`);
if (ad.getBoundingClientRect().width) {
adWidth = ad.getBoundingClientRect().width; // for modern browsers
} else {
adWidth = ad.offsetWidth; // for old IE
}
/* Replace ca-pub-XXX with your AdSense Publisher ID */
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-2551325655874098";
/* Replace 1234567890 with the AdSense Ad Slot ID */
google_ad_slot = "6713161600";
/* Do not change anything after this line */
if ( adWidth >= 728 )
google_ad_size = ["300", "250"]; /* Leaderboard 728x90 */
else if ( adWidth >= 468 )
google_ad_size = ["468", "60"]; /* Banner (468 x 60) */
else if ( adWidth >= 336 )
google_ad_size = ["336", "300"]; /* Large Rectangle (336 x 280) */
else if ( adWidth >= 300 )
google_ad_size = ["300", "300"]; /* Medium Rectangle (300 x 250) */
else if ( adWidth >= 250 )
google_ad_size = ["250", "250"]; /* Square (250 x 250) */
else if ( adWidth >= 200 )
google_ad_size = ["200", "200"]; /* Small Square (200 x 200) */
else if ( adWidth >= 180 )
google_ad_size = ["180", "150"]; /* Small Rectangle (180 x 150) */
else
google_ad_size = ["125", "250"]; /* Button (125 x 125) */
document.write (
``
);
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
everything was ready in the kitchen and I took charge when the food was
about to be served.”
On her part, Bharti exuded confidence that the ministry would be able to attain its goals under Gadkari’s leadership.
Ministers of state for water resources Arjun Ram Meghwal and Satyapal Singh were also present at the briefing.
Gadkari replaced Bharti in the ministry, allegedly as the Namami Ganga mission, dear to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a key poll promise of the ruling BJP, was moving at a snail’s pace.
7. Prakriti Khoj’ an Environment Quiz on Teachers’ Day.
In an attempt to spread awareness about the environment, the government will launch a national-level online quiz competition, "Prakriti Khoj", tomorrow.
On Teachers` Day, it will be the best way to teach the young minds through a fun-filled activities and to trigger their sensitivity towards environment protection and conservation, an environment ministry statement said.
The quiz will have multiple choice questions on climate change, biodiversity, forest and wildlife, pollution, waste management, rivers and lakes and natural history etc.
"This will help in sensitising students to issues related to the environment and motivate them about conservation-oriented lifestyles," it added.
The quiz will be conducted in two phases. In the first phase, students under the National Green Corps (NGC) programme will participate. The NGC was initiated by the ministry in 2001 and saw the formation of around one lakh Eco-clubs in schools across the country. These clubs conduct activities such as cleanliness drives, waste segregation, composting using bio-degradable wastes, subsisting the concept of three Rs.--Reduce, Reuse and Recycle; nukkad nataks etc.
>
/* Calculate the width of available ad space */
ad = document.getElementById(`google-ads-1`);
if (ad.getBoundingClientRect().width) {
adWidth = ad.getBoundingClientRect().width; // for modern browsers
} else {
adWidth = ad.offsetWidth; // for old IE
}
/* Replace ca-pub-XXX with your AdSense Publisher ID */
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-2551325655874098";
/* Replace 1234567890 with the AdSense Ad Slot ID */
google_ad_slot = "6713161600";
/* Do not change anything after this line */
if ( adWidth >= 728 )
google_ad_size = ["300", "250"]; /* Leaderboard 728x90 */
else if ( adWidth >= 468 )
google_ad_size = ["468", "60"]; /* Banner (468 x 60) */
else if ( adWidth >= 336 )
google_ad_size = ["336", "300"]; /* Large Rectangle (336 x 280) */
else if ( adWidth >= 300 )
google_ad_size = ["300", "300"]; /* Medium Rectangle (300 x 250) */
else if ( adWidth >= 250 )
google_ad_size = ["250", "250"]; /* Square (250 x 250) */
else if ( adWidth >= 200 )
google_ad_size = ["200", "200"]; /* Small Square (200 x 200) */
else if ( adWidth >= 180 )
google_ad_size = ["180", "150"]; /* Small Rectangle (180 x 150) */
else
google_ad_size = ["125", "250"]; /* Button (125 x 125) */
document.write (
``
);
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
The quiz will be open only to Eco-clubs in the age-groups of 8-12, 13-15 and 16-18 years. In the second phase, the quiz will be open to students from all schools in the country in 2018, the statement said.
A separate web portal, www.ngc.nic, will provide information on the quiz competition. Dates of the quiz will be updated on the `Prakriti Khoj` portal, as well as the ministry`s website and the students from Eco-clubs will be able to participate in the qualification round from September 18 onwards. The quiz will be organised in schools under the supervision of Principals/Eco-club coordinators and the winners will also be given cash prizes.
8. DBS becomes second bank to get in-principle nod to operate as wholly-owned unit.
Singapore-based bank DBS has got final approval to operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary (WOS) in India after a delay of two years.
DBS was the first foreign lender to apply for the new operating WOS model two years ago and had recently said that its request is pending with the Ministry of Finance and the lack of a precedent was causing delays.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had issued the guidelines in late 2014 and DBS was the first to apply in early 2015, followed by at least two others including SBM Bank (Mauritius).
DBS is the second foreign lender after SBM (Mauritius) to get an in-principle approval to operate as WOS in India.
"A new category of banks have to be created...100 percent-owned foreign banks do not exist. With the first bank (licence), a new category of banks will be created. It is still a new thing," DBS Chief Executive for India, Surojit Shome said.Piyush Gupta, CEO of DBS Group, said the WOS model will help to shift to the
subsidiary structure from a branch structure in India in 6-9 months. We will fine-tune the earlier target of 75 branches and decide in the next 60 days. We will not be shy of adding more capital in the India unit.
Gupta says the bank now hopes to scale up in SME banking, consumer finance and supply chain management in India.
DBS also has a strong network in the form of Digibank in India with about 1.5 million customers.
>
/* Calculate the width of available ad space */
ad = document.getElementById(`google-ads-1`);
if (ad.getBoundingClientRect().width) {
adWidth = ad.getBoundingClientRect().width; // for modern browsers
} else {
adWidth = ad.offsetWidth; // for old IE
}
/* Replace ca-pub-XXX with your AdSense Publisher ID */
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-2551325655874098";
/* Replace 1234567890 with the AdSense Ad Slot ID */
google_ad_slot = "6713161600";
/* Do not change anything after this line */
if ( adWidth >= 728 )
google_ad_size = ["300", "250"]; /* Leaderboard 728x90 */
else if ( adWidth >= 468 )
google_ad_size = ["468", "60"]; /* Banner (468 x 60) */
else if ( adWidth >= 336 )
google_ad_size = ["336", "300"]; /* Large Rectangle (336 x 280) */
else if ( adWidth >= 300 )
google_ad_size = ["300", "300"]; /* Medium Rectangle (300 x 250) */
else if ( adWidth >= 250 )
google_ad_size = ["250", "250"]; /* Square (250 x 250) */
else if ( adWidth >= 200 )
google_ad_size = ["200", "200"]; /* Small Square (200 x 200) */
else if ( adWidth >= 180 )
google_ad_size = ["180", "150"]; /* Small Rectangle (180 x 150) */
else
google_ad_size = ["125", "250"]; /* Button (125 x 125) */
document.write (
``
);
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
Shome said that the bank has exposure to three of the 12 companies from the RBI`s first list currently admitted in the bankruptcy court. Of these two have exited already.
At the time of making the application, the bank had expected approvals to come by March 2016.
Shome had hinted that their application has been approved by the Reserve Bank of India and is pending in the Ministry of Finance at present, which has to take a call on it after consulting other ministries, including Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of External Affairs.
The RBI has been wanting foreign banks to operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary in the country, which will insulate the local operations from any difficulties which the parent may face.
The present branch model exposes the banks to risks if an event like the 2008 financial meltdown happens.
Most foreign lenders did not want to opt for the WOS model owing to the slowing local and global factors leading to a reduction in their business in India.
DBS operates through 12 branches in the country at present with over a million customers. The bank has already drawn up plans of expanding presence in the country in a staggered way which is included in the application submitted, he said.
The RBI had mandated all the new foreign lenders and existing ones having a certain size to operate as a WOS.
As a WOS, DBS wants to expand its physical network to 50-75 branches in five years and primarily target the small businesses for its growth in the country.
Further, DBS is the only foreign lender offering a savings rate of 7 percent to its Digibank customers. Gupta said the premium pricing will not be tweaked as it "continues to remain cost competitive in our product offering".
DBS would be adding about 6 people in the key managerial positions and double its employee base from 2000 currently in the next 5 years.
9. Yogi Adityanath and Rajnath Singh flagged-off Lucknow Metro.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will flag off the maiden run of the Lucknow Metro in Lucknow today.
The first train will be flagged off by the home minister, who represents the Lucknow Lok Sabha seat, and the chief minister from the Transport Nagar metro station.
The services will be opened for public use the next day. The 8.5-km-long `Priority Corridor` from Transport Nagar to Charbagh, which is part of the Phase-1 of the project, will be operational for the public from 6 am to 10 pm everyday.
>
/* Calculate the width of available ad space */
ad = document.getElementById(`google-ads-1`);
if (ad.getBoundingClientRect().width) {
adWidth = ad.getBoundingClientRect().width; // for modern browsers
} else {
adWidth = ad.offsetWidth; // for old IE
}
/* Replace ca-pub-XXX with your AdSense Publisher ID */
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-2551325655874098";
/* Replace 1234567890 with the AdSense Ad Slot ID */
google_ad_slot = "6713161600";
/* Do not change anything after this line */
if ( adWidth >= 728 )
google_ad_size = ["300", "250"]; /* Leaderboard 728x90 */
else if ( adWidth >= 468 )
google_ad_size = ["468", "60"]; /* Banner (468 x 60) */
else if ( adWidth >= 336 )
google_ad_size = ["336", "300"]; /* Large Rectangle (336 x 280) */
else if ( adWidth >= 300 )
google_ad_size = ["300", "300"]; /* Medium Rectangle (300 x 250) */
else if ( adWidth >= 250 )
google_ad_size = ["250", "250"]; /* Square (250 x 250) */
else if ( adWidth >= 200 )
google_ad_size = ["200", "200"]; /* Small Square (200 x 200) */
else if ( adWidth >= 180 )
google_ad_size = ["180", "150"]; /* Small Rectangle (180 x 150) */
else
google_ad_size = ["125", "250"]; /* Button (125 x 125) */
document.write (
`
`
);
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
Former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and his father Mulayam Singh Yadav had flagged off the trial run on the same stretch in December last year, just ahead of the assembly elections, to showcase it as a signature project of the erstwhile Samajwadi Party government.
However, the Union home minister`s presence at the event is a strong signal from the BJP that it was the Narendra Modi government at the Centre which contributed the bulk of the funds to the project.
The BJP had attacked the Akhilesh government during the assembly election campaign, asking why metro trains were not running in Lucknow.
As the matter got embroiled in politics, Akhilesh had shot back saying it was due to the delay in obtaining clearance from the commissioner, Metro Railway Safety, and had blamed the Centre for it.
10. NITI Aayog launches National Nutrition Strategy.
The government on Tuesday unveiled the national nutrition strategy which aims at ensuring every child, adolescent girl and woman attains optimal nutritional status by 2022.
The Integrated Child Development Services Mission would be expanded to form a National Nutrition Mission along the lines of National Health Mission under the ministry of women and child development (WCD), as per the strategy document.
Federal think tank Niti Aayog, which has authored the strategy, has suggested setting up a steering group for monitoring the progress of mission that will report directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
>
/* Calculate the width of available ad space */
ad = document.getElementById(`google-ads-1`);
if (ad.getBoundingClientRect().width) {
adWidth = ad.getBoundingClientRect().width; // for modern browsers
} else {
adWidth = ad.offsetWidth; // for old IE
}
/* Replace ca-pub-XXX with your AdSense Publisher ID */
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-2551325655874098";
/* Replace 1234567890 with the AdSense Ad Slot ID */
google_ad_slot = "6713161600";
/* Do not change anything after this line */
if ( adWidth >= 728 )
google_ad_size = ["300", "250"]; /* Leaderboard 728x90 */
else if ( adWidth >= 468 )
google_ad_size = ["468", "60"]; /* Banner (468 x 60) */
else if ( adWidth >= 336 )
google_ad_size = ["336", "300"]; /* Large Rectangle (336 x 280) */
else if ( adWidth >= 300 )
google_ad_size = ["300", "300"]; /* Medium Rectangle (300 x 250) */
else if ( adWidth >= 250 )
google_ad_size = ["250", "250"]; /* Square (250 x 250) */
else if ( adWidth >= 200 )
google_ad_size = ["200", "200"]; /* Small Square (200 x 200) */
else if ( adWidth >= 180 )
google_ad_size = ["180", "150"]; /* Small Rectangle (180 x 150) */
else
google_ad_size = ["125", "250"]; /* Button (125 x 125) */
document.write (
`
`
);
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
The outcome of deliberations of an inter-ministerial group, the strategy document titled ‘Nourishing India’ envisages use of tracking and targeting children from birth until they are three years old, Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said.
Describing malnutrition among children as “India’s biggest governance failure”, Kant said one third of the world’s stunted children live in India.
The document lays the roadmap for targeted action to address India’s nutritional needs. The Aayog has been tasked with monitoring the governance of the strategy, vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar said.
The strategy envisages a framework that will focus on improvement in health, food, drinking water, sanitation, income and livelihoods. Currently 50% of pregnant women and 60% of children in the country are estimated to be anaemic.
As per the document, the states will be asked to create customised district specific action plans with greater role for rural and urban local bodies. The focus will be on decentralised planning and local innovation, officials said. Nutrition outcomes will be monitored by the think tank.
The steering group will be headed by WCD minister Maneka Gandhi while ministers from states with high burden districts will be made members on a rotational basis. Other members will include secretaries of WCD, expenditure in finance ministry, health, panchayati raj, rural development, drinking water supply and food; state chief secretaries and five sector experts.
11. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu honours 219 teachers with National award.
In a break from tradition, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, instead of the president, today gave away the national awards for teachers.
President Ram Nath Kovind later interacted with the 219 awardees at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here.
Constituted in 1958, the National Award for Teachers is presented by the president to teachers, who have rendered exemplary service to the nation by exhibiting meritorious performance. The awards cover teachers working in primary, middle and secondary schools in the country.
Congratulating the teachers on the occasion, Naidu called them the "unsung heroes".
"Teachers are `bharata bhagya vidhatas` (shapers of India`s development), dedicating their time and energy to shape individuals for creating New India. They have a formidable responsibility to achieve 100 per cent literacy in next five years," he said at the award ceremony at Vigyan Bhavan here.
"India was once known as `Vishwa Guru` with people from across the globe flocking to our ancient seats of learning like Nalanda and Takshashila. Today all teachers must pledge to transform classrooms into hubs of joyful learning and raise the education system to a much higher level," he said.
A total of 219 teachers, including 124 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) teachers, were awarded today.
The recognition is extended to teachers of CBSEaffiliated schools, independent affiliated schools situated abroad, ICSCE, Sainik School, KVs, NVs, CTSA and schools run by the Atomic Energy Education Society.
>
/* Calculate the width of available ad space */
ad = document.getElementById(`google-ads-1`);
if (ad.getBoundingClientRect().width) {
adWidth = ad.getBoundingClientRect().width; // for modern browsers
} else {
adWidth = ad.offsetWidth; // for old IE
}
/* Replace ca-pub-XXX with your AdSense Publisher ID */
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-2551325655874098";
/* Replace 1234567890 with the AdSense Ad Slot ID */
google_ad_slot = "6713161600";
/* Do not change anything after this line */
if ( adWidth >= 728 )
google_ad_size = ["300", "250"]; /* Leaderboard 728x90 */
else if ( adWidth >= 468 )
google_ad_size = ["468", "60"]; /* Banner (468 x 60) */
else if ( adWidth >= 336 )
google_ad_size = ["336", "300"]; /* Large Rectangle (336 x 280) */
else if ( adWidth >= 300 )
google_ad_size = ["300", "300"]; /* Medium Rectangle (300 x 250) */
else if ( adWidth >= 250 )
google_ad_size = ["250", "250"]; /* Square (250 x 250) */
else if ( adWidth >= 200 )
google_ad_size = ["200", "200"]; /* Small Square (200 x 200) */
else if ( adWidth >= 180 )
google_ad_size = ["180", "150"]; /* Small Rectangle (180 x 150) */
else
google_ad_size = ["125", "250"]; /* Button (125 x 125) */
document.write (
`
`
);
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
The award ceremony was also presided over by Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and the newly inducted Minister of State for HRD Satyapal Singh.
On the occasion, the vice president also launched DIKSHA, a national digital infrastructure for teachers.
"DIKSHA is a customisable national digital infrastructure that states, Teacher Education Institutions (TEI) and private entities can use for their respective teacher-centric initiatives.
"Teachers will be able to use DIKSHA to access and create high quality teaching, learning and assessment resources for all subjects and levels in al Indian languages. They will be able to use DIKSHA to access and create high quality teaching," Javadekar said.
12. Reliance General Insurance gets IRDA Nod for IPO.
Reliance General Insurance, a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Capital, has received in-principle approval from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority for the process of its proposed IPO.
Listing of Reliance General Insurance is expected to be completed in FY18, subject to necessary approvals, the company said in its filing.
Sources told CNBC-TV18 that the general insurance company may file draft red herring prospectus for its IPO, with capital market regulator SEBI by September-end.
The company is planning to launch IPO by November.
CNBC-TV18 learnt that the wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Capital is looking to raise Rs 1,500-2,000 crore by diluting upto 25 percent through IPO.
Reliance General Insurance provides a wide range of general insurance products like fire, motor, health, home, crop, travel etc.
Meanwhile, Reliance Capital`s another subsidiary Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management Company is likely launch its initial public offer by first week of November, sources in know of the development told Moneycontrol.
>
/* Calculate the width of available ad space */
ad = document.getElementById(`google-ads-1`);
if (ad.getBoundingClientRect().width) {
adWidth = ad.getBoundingClientRect().width; // for modern browsers
} else {
adWidth = ad.offsetWidth; // for old IE
}
/* Replace ca-pub-XXX with your AdSense Publisher ID */
google_ad_client = "ca-pub-2551325655874098";
/* Replace 1234567890 with the AdSense Ad Slot ID */
google_ad_slot = "6713161600";
/* Do not change anything after this line */
if ( adWidth >= 728 )
google_ad_size = ["300", "250"]; /* Leaderboard 728x90 */
else if ( adWidth >= 468 )
google_ad_size = ["468", "60"]; /* Banner (468 x 60) */
else if ( adWidth >= 336 )
google_ad_size = ["336", "300"]; /* Large Rectangle (336 x 280) */
else if ( adWidth >= 300 )
google_ad_size = ["300", "300"]; /* Medium Rectangle (300 x 250) */
else if ( adWidth >= 250 )
google_ad_size = ["250", "250"]; /* Square (250 x 250) */
else if ( adWidth >= 200 )
google_ad_size = ["200", "200"]; /* Small Square (200 x 200) */
else if ( adWidth >= 180 )
google_ad_size = ["180", "150"]; /* Small Rectangle (180 x 150) */
else
google_ad_size = ["125", "250"]; /* Button (125 x 125) */
document.write (
``
);
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group`s asset management arm had filed draft papers with markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India to float an IPO on August 18 which is expected to value the company at about Rs 18,000 crore, according to merchant bankers.
This would be the first initial public offering by an asset management company in India, although UTI Mutual Fund IPO have been in the works for a long time.
At 14:34 hours IST, the share price of Reliance Capital was quoting at Rs 752.00, down 8.30 percent due to demerger of home finance business that is expected to list on exchanges in second half of September.
13. India’s first Hyperloop to come up in Andhra Pradesh.
Hyperloop travel is set to come to India. Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) has signed an agreement with the Andhra Pradesh government to connect the city centres of Amravati and Vijayawada. The MoU marks the first agreement in India for the new transportation system. This route would turn a trip of over an hour into a five-minute ride.
HTT signed an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB) on Wednesday.
The APEDB, along with the government of Andhra Pradesh, will assist Hyperloop Transportation Technologies with all regulatory requirements to develop and implement the hyperloop in Amravati. It will facilitate the development of HTT’s Hyperloop Transportation System in Andhra Pradesh. The proposed hyperloop project between Vijayawada and Amravati will use a public private partnership model, with funding primarily from private investors.
Hyperloop Transportation Technologies chairman and co-founder Bibop Gresta said HTT would work with local stakeholders to build the regulatory standards necessary for safe and efficient operation of the HTT. “During Phase-1 of the project, HTT will conduct a six-month feasibility study commencing in October,” Gresta said.