National Current Affairs September 5th Week 2017

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National Current Affairs

National Current Affairs September 5th Week 2017

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1. Union Minister launches Pradhan Mantri LPG Panchayat in Gujarat.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday launched the `Pradhan Mantri LPG Panchayat` from Mota Ishanpur village here today and handed over free LPG connection to a beneficiary of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.

Addressing the public, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister said his government has so far provided LPG connection to 8.5 crore households in less than three years as against 14 crore connections provided by the Congress government.

Pradhan said LPG connection has empowered women and saved lives of lakhs of women who die due to health complications arising out of use of traditional means of fuel like wood.

In the presence of Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Pradhan handed over free LPG connection to the beneficiary of PMUY Kokilaben Parmar. She happens to be the third crore beneficiary under the scheme.

Taking a swipe at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for asking what his government did for the poor, Pradhan later told mediapersons that his ministry provided three crore LPG connections to the poor including the tribals and Dalits.

"Those who have cheated the people of this country, and have been shown the door by the people, are shedding crocodile tears for the poor. People will give them befitting reply in the next election," he said.

He said Pradhan Mantri LPG Panchayat will aim at spreading awareness among the LPG users about how to properly use the clean fuel and its many benefits.

"One lakh LPG Panchayat (to be held across the country) will deal with the issue of safe use of LPG as well as its various benefits, like environment, health, and how it empowers women," he said.

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Pradhan said that 40 per cent of Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries in Gujarat are tribals and Dalits. He said his ministry has also increased LPG distribution centres, with 106 new distribution centres added in the last one and half years in Gujarat alone.

"We are working on setting up 319 new distribution centres, which will provide employment to 5,000 people," he said.

LPG Panchayat will serve as an interactive platform between those who received LPG cylinders under PMUY, officials, LPG distributors and NGOs.

In one panchayat, around 100 LPG customers of nearby areas will share their experiences with each others. They can also share their problems and suggestions.

The panchayats will also include safe practices, quality of service provided by distributors and availability of refill cylinders.

2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi to launch `Power for all` scheme.

The scheme is expected to electrify all rural households across India by 31 March, 2019, according to the Economic Times, two months ahead of the general elections.

Reinforcing the party`s pro-poor push ahead of key Assembly elections and the 2019 general elections, Modi said, "It is unfortunate people light their homes with candles. The government`s priority is fulfilling the aspiration of the poor." Modi also added that four crore households will benefit from this scheme aimed at empowering poor of India.stry since October 1997.

The total outlay of the Saubhagya scheme to provide free electricity to all poor families is pegged at Rs 16,320 crores which will be funded to a large extent (Rs 12,320 crores) by the Centre, the government said. Rs 14,025 crores is the outlay for electrification of rural households while Rs 2,295 crores is the outlay for poor urban households.

The Rural Electrification Corporation will be the nodal agency for the operations of the scheme, reported Times Now. Sources said distribution companies will recover Rs 500 crores in 10 installments of electricity bills. The beneficiaries of the Saubhagya scheme will be identified and targeted using the 2011 Census data. The funding pattern for special category states will be as follows: 85 percent grant from Centre, five percent from states and 10 percent from loans.

States which achieve their target by December 2018 will receive additional funds, the government said according to the Business Standard.

The Saubhagya electricity scheme is expected to electrify all willing households, as substitution to kerosene while bringing about an improvement in education, health services, communication and public safety, said The Indian Express. The government claimed it will create more jobs and provide a better quality of life.

This was not Modi`s first attempt at providing free electricity to all. In 2015, the government had set a 1,000 day-target to provide electricity in 18,000 villages.

Modi kept up this promise partially. According to an IndiaSpend analysis, of 18,452 unelectrified villages, 76.58 percent or 14,132 villages were electrified in around 750 days from July 2015, when the scheme was launched, (as of June 2017), according to government data.

However, out of the villages which were to benefit from the government`s electrification drive, only 8 percent (or 1,145) villages got a power connection in all households, according to data in the power ministry’s Grameen Vidyutikaran (GARV) dashboard.

A village is counted electrified if power is provided in public places such as schools, panchayat offices, health centres, dispensaries and community centres, and at least 10 percent of households, according to the criteria used by the power ministry since October 1997.

3. Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi inaugurates “Hunar Haat” in Puducherry.

Union Minister for Minority Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today said here that Ministry of Minority Affairs is working to establish “Hunar Hub” across the country to provide a platform to master artisans and craftsmen to display as well sell their products.

Shri Naqvi and Puducherry Chief Minister Shri V. Narayanasamy today inaugurated “Hunar Haat”, being organised by Ministry of Minority Affairs at Puducherry.

Shri Naqvi said that the artisans and craftsmen will also be provided training according to the requirements of the current markets.

Shri Naqvi said that encouragement to talent and skill development will be an essential part of the vision of “New India”.

“Hunar Haat” is being organised at Craft Bazaar, Gandhi Thidal Beach, Goubert Avenue in Puducherry, one of renowned centre of art & culture, till 30th September, 2017 to provide market and opportunity to master artisans from across the country. Puducherry Member of Parliament Shri R. Radhakrishnan, National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation Chairman Shri Shabaz Ali and officials from Puducherry Government and Minority Affairs Ministry were also present on the occasion.

Shri Naqvi said that Ministry of Minority Affairs has prepared an E-Portal to provide national as well as international markers to artisans and craftsmen from across the country. A data bank of artisans and craftsmen will be prepared by this year end, thousands of artisans from various parts of the country have already been registered.

Shri Naqvi said that “Hunar Haat” of Minority Affairs Ministry have been very successful and encouraging for master artisans belonging to the poor sections of the Minorities.

Master artisans from 16 states are showcasing their traditional talent in “Hunar Haat” at Puducherry. Artisans have brought for display and sale, a wide variety of traditional and rare Handicraft and Handloom items which include Hyderabad Pearl, Wrought Iron & Wood Carving, wooden and sandalwood items, hand-made jewellery, Hand Embroidery, handmade painting, wooden-toys/gift Items, printed dresses and Maheshwari Saree etc are also available.

Traditional stalls have been constructed in the “Hunar Haat” where the visitors will also enjoy delicious foods from various parts of the country. Culinary experts are participating from different States. Delicious food items like Rajasthani Food, Maharashtrian Food, Gujarati Thali, Punjabi Food, Malabar Food, Mughlai food, Mutton/Kakori Kabab, , food from Andhra Pradesh, M.P, Halwa, Ghewar, West Bengal Sweets, chokha-bati, traditional pickles from Kerala and other states are also available.

The participating artisans belong to different parts of the country. Artisans from Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Orissa, Puducherry and Uttarakhand etc are participating.

The Ministry of Minority Affairs has organized “Hunar Haat” earlier also at different places. Recently, “Hunar Haat” had been organized at Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Cannaught Place in New Delhi which was a hit among the people as more than 26 lakh people, both domestic and foreign visitors, visited this “Hunar Haat”. The people purchased goods at large scale which helped and promoted traditional arts of these master artisans.

In the coming days, “Hunar Haat” will also be organised at Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangaluru, Lucknow, Allahabad, Ranchi, Guwahati, Jaipur, Bhopal etc to promote artisans and craftsmen.

4. India bags 4 more Medals at 5th Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games in Turkmenistan.

India grabbed the 11th spot in the 5th Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games in Turkmenistan after winning four more medals on Saturday.

India`s medal tally now stands at 5 gold, 7 silver and 7 bronze. Sajan Prakash of India finished second with a silver medal in the Men`s 100-metre butterfly event.

Divya Gurling Shilwant and Pratiksha Chandrakant Parhar managed to win a bronze medal each in women`s Alysh classic in 70 kg and 75 kg categories in the Belt Wrestling Discipline.

Wrestler Keduovilie Zumu from Nagaland won the Bronze medal in Kazakh Kuresh style belt wrestling in 90 kg weight category.

Meanwhile, Saurav Kothari continues his race for the gold medal after winning his semifinal contest in men`s billiards singles against Thailand`s Thawat Sujaritthurakaran.

5. Uttar Pradesh Government to release 100 prisoners on birth centenary of Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya.

The Uttar Pradesh government late Saturday evening decided to release 100 prisoners and undertrials lodged in various jails to mark the birth centenary of RSS ideologue Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.

“IG, Prison has directed the district jail officers to release the prisoners on September 25, birth anniversary of Upadhyaya. A list of the prisoners whom the state government has decided to release has been sent to the jail superintendents,” a state government spokesperson said.

The government’s decision is not unprecedented. During the Samajwadi Party government, the administration had ordered the release of elderly undertrials on the occasion of Independence Day and birth anniversary of SP ideologue Dr Ram Manohar Lohia. Similarly, Mayawati too had ordered release of 4,000 prisoners to mark the formation of her government in 2007.

The government spokesperson said among the 100 prisoners, 80 were the one who had completed their sentence but could not pay the fine slapped by the court. The remaining 20 prisoners were those whose mercy petition, probation act and nominal role had been approved by the authorities concerned.

While the 80 prisoners will be released from Lucknow, Varanasi, Faizabad, Mathura, Agra, Kanpur, Naini, Aligarh, Banda, Mirzapur, Orai, Hardoi, Maharajganj, Bahraich, Saharanpur and Gorakhpur jails, the remaining ones will be released from Bareilly, Varanasi, Agra, Fatehgarh, Naini and Gorakhpur jails.

6. TRIFED inks MoU with Amazon to sale tribal products online.

Catching up with e-commerce spread in the country, the government of India has partnered with Amazon to sell tribal products through the online marketplace. A PTI report said that Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED), a PSU under Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, and Amazon would sign a MoU next week for the same. TRIFED is also expanding its operations through other ecommerce portals.

TRIFED had earlier partnered with Snapdeal as well. The tie-up with ecommerce players is part of the government’s aim to scale up sales of tribal products in the country, for which it is also looking for retailers to become franchise of ‘Tribe India’ from all over the country. TRIFED is targeting sales Rs 100 crore for the financial year 2018. The sales for the year FY17 stood at Rs 1117.85 Lakh.

Other similar developments by government

The Telangana State Handicrafts Development Corporation (TSHDC) had also tied up with Amazon India to sell their local hand-made ‘Golkonda’ handicraft products on the platform.

In May last year, handloom division of the Union Ministry of Textiles under which it plans to educate, train and enable cooperative groups and individual handloom weavers, had partnered with Amazon India to directly sell its products on the ecommerce portal.

Last year, the ministry of women and child development had launched an online marketing portal for women entrepreneurs called Mahila e-haat, to allow women to list and showcase their products online without any extra costs.

In August 2015, NDTV’s IndianRoots tied up with Government of Bihar’s Upendra Maharathi Shilp Sansthan (UMSAS) to showcase the artisanship of Bihar’s handicraft makers on the platform.

In March 2015, Mobile marketplace Paytm and Gujarat State Handloom and Handicrafts Development Corporation partnered to sell traditional products on Paytm uder “Garvi Gurjari”.

In February 2015, Flipkart signed an MoU with the CSC e-governance India Limited to work out a mechanism to help Common Service Centers (CSCs) pan India to leverage Flipkart’s e-commerce platform.

In January 2015, Snapdeal.com had signed an MOU with the Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, for training design students.

7. Karnataka Government launches Vision-2025 project.

Karnataka Government launches Vision-2025 project

The Karnataka government today launched `Vision-2025` project aimed at evolving a draft policy for development of the state in next seven years by seeking the opinion of the public.

Under the project, the government would seek public opinion on how they want their dream state to be in the next seven years, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said.

Officials will collect the required information after discussing with public representatives and the general public.

They will then bring out a draft vision policy for the year 2025, portions of which would be incorporated in the manifesto of ruling Congress.

Launching the website `www.navakarnataka2025.in`, the chief minister said, "This vision document will help us decide the manifesto of our party. We will also incorporate portions of the vision document in our manifesto. This document will be an echo of the public voice. It will be our motto and commitment".

Executive officer of the project, Renuka Chidambaram, and other officials will tour various parts of the southern state for three months starting from next month and speak to the masses and experts to gather public opinion to build a state of their dream, he said.

Siddaramaiah stated that the various measures taken by the government in the past four-and-half years and how he was able to fulfil most of the promises will be included in the manifesto.

"Today I can tell you with confidence that no one goes to the bed hungry in the state as we are providing 7 kg rice to each family free of cost.

"We have started mid-day meal programme and free milk distribution programme to counter malnutrition. Despite a drought situation for six successive years, migration in the drought-prone areas were almost nil because of the measures taken by the government," the chief minister said.

Siddaramaiah also told the gathering about the steps taken to improve the agriculture sector under the `Krishi Bhagya` scheme.

He said the NITI Ayog had lauded the online auctioning of agriculture produce that helped many farmers.

Karnatataka will face the Assembly elections early next year.

8. Prime Minister Narendra Modi forms Economic Advisory Council.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi forms Economic Advisory Council

With the economy hitting a rough patch in recent months, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to reconstitute the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister that had been rendered defunct after the previous UPA government demitted office in May 2014.

Niti Aayog member Bibek Debroy has been picked as the chairman of the Council, which will also include Aayog’s principal advisor and former Finance Secretary Ratan Watal as its member-secretary.

Economist Surjit Bhalla, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy director Rathin Roy and Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research professor Ashima Goyal have also been roped in as members of the Council.

“Addressing issues of macroeconomic importance and presenting views thereon to the Prime Minister. This could be either suo-motu or on reference from the Prime Minister or anyone else,” is the key term of reference for the panel.

The terms of reference of the council include analysis of any issue, economic or otherwise, referred to it by the Prime Minister and advising him on the same, and attending to any task ‘as may be desired’ by the PM from time to time, as per an official statement.

The EAC-PM is an independent body to give advice on economic and related issues to the Government of India, specifically to the Prime Minister.

The formation of the Council at this time suggests it could play a critical role in reviving the economy’s growth momentum that has slumped over the past few quarters, with the first quarter of this financial year clocking just 5.7% growth, down from 7.9% a year ago.

The last chairperson of the Council, when Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister, was former Reserve Bank of India Governor C. Rangarajan.

9. New Underground Water Treatment Plant in Agartala.

In Tripura, a new underground water treatment plant has been commissioned at Sadhutilla in the southern part of Agartala. The plant has fulfilled the need for drinking water free from iron and other contamination.

The plant has started functioning with supply of quality treated water initially to 565 households through pipeline. It has treatment capacity of 4 point 8 million litre per day. It has two Over Head Storage Reservoirs with capacities of 1,130 Kilo Liter and 450 Kilo Liter.

The speciality of the plant is that it would be treating water at higher standards with minimizing turbidity and iron in water.

The built-up cost of this water treatment plant was Rs. 4 crore 99 lakh.

It has been funded jointly by the Asian Development Bank with 70% share of assistance and the Union Government with 30 % share of assistance.

10. INS TARASA commissioned into Indian Navy.

INS TARASA commissioned into Indian Navy

INS Tarasa, a Water Jet Fast Attack Craft, was commissioned into the Indian Navy by Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command at an impressive ceremony held at the the Naval Dockyard here on Tuesday.

INS Tarasa is 50 meter-long and is powered by three water jets which give it speeds of over 35 knots (65 kmph). The ship is armed with a 30 mm main gun indigenously built, and a number of light, medium and heavy machine guns to undertake costal defence operations.

The ship is an ideal platform for missions like coastal and off-shore surveillance, EEZ patrol, law enforcement as well as non-military missions such as Search and Rescue (S&R), humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

INS Tarasa will be based at Mumbai under the operational control of Western Naval Command. The commissioning Commanding Officer of the ship is Lieutenant Commander Praveen Kumar.

Incidentally, this is the second ship of the Indian Navy to be named INS Tarasa. The first INS Tarasa was in service of the Navy from 1999 to 2014. She was gifted to Seychelles Coast Guard as a symbol of India`s partnership with friendly maritime nation in IOR.

INS Tarasa is the fourth and last of the follow-on Water Jet FAC`s built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. The first two ships of the class i.e. IN ships Tarmugli and Tihayu were commissioned in 2016 and are based at Visakhapatnam; while the third ship INS Tillanchang was commissioned earlier this year at Karwar on March 9 this year.

These ships are an upgrade of the Car Nicobar class Fast Attack Crafts with the Indian Navy, which were also indigenously designed and built by GRSE, Kolkata.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice Admiral Luthra expressed confidence that the new INS Tarasa would discharge her duties with élan and resolve, and bring laurels to the Western Naval Command and the Nation.

Complimenting the designers, builders, engineers, overseers, and the officers and the men whose efforts have fructified in the commissioning of the ship, Vice Admiral Luthra said that the ship was of proven design, has good endurance, low draught, high speed and manoeuvrability, thus making her most suited for her primary role of extended coastal and offshore surveillance and patrol.

Vice Admiral Luthra was also all praise for the ship`s crew and the Warship Overseeing Team, Kolkata for ensuring that the ship has been commissioned with all Weapon and Sensor trials completed. "The passage of the ship during her maiden voyage from Kolkata to Mumbai, in rough weather, bears testimony to the seaworthiness of the ship," he said.

11. BDL Signs Contract for Supply of MRSAM to Indian Army.

Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) has signed contract with Research Centre Imarat (RCI) for supply of Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (MRSAM) to Indian Army.

The strategic contract was signed at RCI in Hyderabad on Monday by V. Udaya Bhaskar, CMD of BDL, and BHVS Narayana Murthy, Director, RCI and Programme Director, MRSAM (Army), in the presence of G Satheesh Reddy, Director General (Missiles and Strategic Systems) and Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri, Government of India.

The contract was signed to facilitate production, deliveries and product support of MRSAM system for the Indian Army. Directors and senior officials from BDL and senior scientists from DRDO were present on the occasion, according to a statement.

12. PENCIL Portal launched for effective implementation of National Child Labour Project.

In an endeavour to combat the menace of child labour, trafficking and sexual abuse Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday launched portal namely ‘PENCIL’ (Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour) here on Tuesday. Singh along with Minister of State for Labour and Employment Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi launched ‘PENCIL’. Singh at the event also assured that the Centre will soon pass the anti-trafficking bill. “No developed society in the world can exist along with Child Labour, and it’s sad that we have not been able to eliminate it in the last 70 years of independence. Child labour and trafficking are grave crimes against humanity and the Government of India is committed to eliminate all forms of trafficking. Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi is responsible for taking the issue of child labour to a global platform and I will ensure that the anti-trafficking bill you are fighting for will be passed soon,” said Singh.

The Labour Ministers from ten states were also present at this event. Speaking about the growing issues of child sexual abuse, trafficking and labour, Satyarthi, said, “There should be exclusive courts for issues related to children, it is a demand we are making through the Bharat Yatra as well. POCSO is a good law, but the implementation and subsequent conviction are very poor. We must have a holistic outlook towards the protection of children, which is why, I request the Home Minister, to ensure that the Trafficking Bill that is yet to be passed is passed at the earliest.”

According to 2015 National Crime Records Bureau report, the number of cases filed for child trafficking was 3490, and the number of victims of the cases amounted to 3905. The total number of human trafficking cases amounted to 6877 and the victims for these cases totalled to 9127.

“Kailash Satyarthi is on a Bharat Yatra to raise awareness about child sexual abuse and trafficking. I request him to create awareness on the PENCIL portal as well, through the Yatra, across the country. Kailash Satyarthi is also key to reassuring the entire world that India has the capability to fight against child labour and for this menace to be combated. I am encouraged because of the state participation in this program because there is power in a vision like this. With resolve if India could get its freedom in 5 years, then in less than that, 1 crore Child Labourers can gain that freedom with this vision,” added Singh.

PENCIL is launched to foster the creation of a child labour free India, which will seamlessly integrate implementing and monitoring mechanisms for both, enforcement of the legislative provisions and effective implementation of the National Child Labour Project (NCLP).

India is home to the largest number of child labourers in the world. This platform is going to pave the way for effective enforcement of the new child labour law and also ensure accountability of enforcement agencies. Today’s national consultation was a landmark occasion where the Home Ministry and the Labour Ministry have come together to ensure effective collaboration and convergence of efforts and mark a policy shift for India.

The Union Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar thanked Satyarthi for taking the time off his Bharat Yatra to attend the launch as it showed true commitment to the issue of eradicating child labour from India. He emphasised that child labour is a growing menace in the country and that the labour ministry will look to tackle this issue with strong solutions in the near future.

The Bharat Yatra is the launch of the three-year campaign against child rape and child sexual abuse which is aimed at increasing awareness and reporting of the cases, strengthening intuitional response including medical health and compensation, ensuring protection for victims and witnesses during trials and increasing convictions of child sexual abuse in a time-bound manner.

13. Two Indians on Fortune`s List of `Most Powerful Women in International Business.

Two Indians — Chanda Kochhar and Shikha Sharma — have made it to the rankings of most powerful women in business outside the United States drawn up by the Fortune magazine while Indra Nooyi featured in the top three on the US edition list.

The Most Powerful Women in Business Outside the US list, which was topped by Banco Santander group executive chairman Ana Botin, placed ICICI Bank’s Kochhar at the fifth spot while Axis Bank’s Sharma has been ranked 21st.

PepsiCo chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi came in at No. 2 on the US Most Powerful Women in Business list, led by General Motors chairman and CEO Mary Barra. Lockheed Martin chairman, president and CEO Marillyn Hewson took the third spot.

On Kochhar, managing director and CEO, ICICI Bank, Fortune said she has “led India’s largest private lender for eight years, and under her stewardship ICICI Bank has thrived”.

About Sharma, MD and CEO, Axis Bank, Fortune said, “now that she has been reconfirmed as CEO, Sharma can focus on beefing up the bank’s digital services, which includes expanding its digital payments app’s reach”.

The international list also includes GSK CEO Emma Walmsley at the second place, followed by Engie CEO Isabelle Kocher at the third slot. This is the 17th year Fortune has ranked the most powerful women in business outside the US.

The 50 global businesswomen represent 17 countries and many industries and had 11 newcomers this year. The methodology involved four criteria: the size and importance of the woman’s business in the global economy, the health and direction of the business, the arc of the woman’s career (resume and runway ahead), and social and cultural influence.

The US list comprised 26 CEOs controlling $1.1 trillion in market cap, seven newcomers, one returnee, and nine women in the technology industry.

14. Kandla Port renamed as Deendayal Port.

The Kandla Port, one of the top 12 major ports in the country, has been rechristened as Deendayal Port from Monday in the name of Hindutva icon pandit Deendayal Upadhyay.

“Kandla Port Trust is renamed as Deendayal Port Trust with effect from 25 September 2017,” the government said on Monday.

The central government in exercise of powers conferred on it under Indian Ports Act, 1908 made the amendment to replace “Kandla” with “Deendayal”, as per a notification issued by the ministry of shipping.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, earlier this year, while laying foundation stone for Rs933 crore projects at Kandla Port had suggested that it be named after pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, who stood for the uplift of all sections of the society.

“Deendayal stood for the poor...(so this name change) will inspire us to work for the poor, suppressed section of the society,” he had said.

The port’s journey began in 1931 with construction of a jetty by Maharao Khengarji. Gradually this port in Gujarat became the number one port in India and on 31March 2016 it created history by handling 100 million tonnes cargo in a year—the first Major Port to achieve the milestone.

Located on the Gulf of Kutch, it is one of major ports on west coast. It is the largest port of India by volume of cargo handled.

15. Minister of Communication Shri Manoj Sinha to launch the first ever India Mobile Congress 2017.

The Minister of Communication Shri Manoj Sinha today announced DoT’s first ever Mobile, Internet and Technology event in India - India Mobile Congress 2017, which is beginning from tomorrow, 27th September till 29th September 2017 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

Led by Department of Telecom as the nodal ministry, the India Mobile Congress is being organised by Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), the industry association of mobile and telecom operators and internet companies will be a congregation to display, discuss, unveil, imbibe, educate and recognise the importance of the global and Indian telecommunications, mobile, internet, connectivity and digital services sector to the world.

The largest and first ever event also has the support of the other ministries like the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Skill Development and Entrepreneurship amongst others and will see participation from senior government representatives from the centres as well as various states. This is a true example of a public- private collaboration where the government and the industry have put together a world class event in India to further the Prime Minister’s vision of a fully connected and digitally empowered India.

Terming it as a grand event of the Indian telecom industry, Shri Sinha said, “We are proud to say that our country is now hosting its own first ever Mobile, Internet and Technology event, The India Mobile Congress. We are hopeful that this will be a huge platform for mobile and internet technology sector in the sub-continent. We are expecting a convergence of various thoughts, ideas and views from all corners and involvement of key stakeholders and the government will make this event a huge success.

The Ministry has been making concerted efforts to bring affordable and universal access to all of India’s 1.32 Billion population and creating success stories in India for the world to emulate. This is a true celebration of Digital India.”

Mr. Rajan Mathews, DG COAI said, “We are truly thankful to the Telecom Minister, Shri Manoj Sinha for his unstinting support, guidance and leadership for translating this vision into a reality. We are truly grateful to the Government of India for their support and creating a facilitative environment for the industry. The India Mobile Congress will be the marquee event of the country. We are sure that the deliberations will inform global policy and over the years, all stakeholders will look forward to this event for launches and releases of new technologies. Officials and senior decision makers from both the Government as well as the industry will be present and tech companies will be displaying the best that this ecosystem has to offer.”

16. IDBI Bank Launches ‘Project Nishchay’ for Turnaround.

IDBI Bank on Tuesday said it has launched ‘Project Nishchay’ in partnership with The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to accelerate its turnaround programme and improve financial performance.

The project will be led by senior management at IDBI Bank along with BCG, the public sector bank said in a statement.

IDBI Bank Managing Director and CEO Mahesh Kumar Jain said “BCG will assist us to identify areas for cost containment and revenue maximization leading to sustainable growth and profitability of the Bank.

“With the support from our consulting partner, we hope to identify and address existing gaps, capitalize on core strengths and improve existing products and processes.”

Coordinating across multitude of initiatives, the Bank will focus on four key areas - revenue enhancement, cost control and reduction, asset productivity and overall program management in consultation with BCG.

17. Maharashtra Government Signs MoU with South Korea.

The Maharashtra government’s ambitious Rs 46,000-crore Nagpur-Mumbai Super-communication Expressway (also called Samruddhi Corridor) got a positive response from South Korea, which has agreed to enter into business partnership with the state to push mega-infrastructure projects. CM Devendra Fadnavis held a meeting with representatives of the South Korean government to discuss the investments and joint partnership for big infrastructure projects. The meeting was held at Seoul. The delegation led by Fadnavis made a presentation and explained the modalities of the projects.

Describing the meeting as positive, Fadnavis said, “We held a wide range of discussions with Ms Kim Hyunmee, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.” He added that the South Korean team led by Hyunmee showed keen interest in the Samrudddhi (prosperity) Corridor project. The expressway project will be built in two phases. The first phase will cater to the 706-km eight-lane high-speed road between Nagpur and Mumbai. The second phase includes 25 nodes (townships) that would be taken up simultaneously. The state has claimed that the second phase will boost agro-industrial growth and generate new avenues of employment.

The Maharashtra government and the South Korean team signed an MoU for increased and better cooperation in infrastructure projects, which would include smart cities, roads, airports, metros and water transport. The CM will have a series of discussions with global players during his tour to South Korea and Singapore between September 26 and 29.

18. Union Government launches Divyang Sarathi Mobile Application.

Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot launched the Beta version of `Divyang Sarathi` - the accessible and comprehensive mobile application for easy dissemination of information to `Divyangjans` ( differently - abled ) here today.

Speaking on the occasion, Gehlot said that this mobile application is bound to empower the `Divyangjans` by providing easier and convenient access of information to them as they can now understand all details pertaining to the schemes, scholarships, statutes, institutional support systems and other relevant and crucial information at the click of a button.

This mobile application aims at providing all relevant information pertaining to the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, including its various acts, rules, regulations and guidelines, schemes, information about the various outreach institutions, employment opportunities, and the disability market in an accessible format.

This application has been developed by the two assistant secretaries Anunaya Jha and B Susheela in the DEPwD.

According to the Census 2011, there are over 2.68 crore `Divyangjans` in India which constitute more than 2.2 per cent of the population. The mobile application `Divyang Sarathi` is compliant with the principles of UNCRPD for Universal Access and the provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

The Act mandates that all information to be made available in an accessible form. The application is also an integral part of the ICT component of the Accessible India Campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 3, 2015.

The unique features of the mobile application `Divyang Sarathi` are its audio notes (text-to-voice conversion software) embedded in the application which converts the written information into an audio file as well as the adjustable font size which can be altered as per the user`s requirement.

The mobile application will have a wide outreach as it has been developed bilingually - the information is available in Hindi as well as English.

The application has been so developed that once downloaded, it can be accessed by any Android smartphone user who may or may not have access to the internet. The mobile app will be available for download on Google Playstore.

19. Union Minister Rajnath Singh to inaugurate NDMA`s 13th Formation Day.

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the 13th Formation Day of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) here today. The theme of this years formation day is School Safety.

Delivering the inaugural address, Shri Rajnath Singh said that NDMA has covered a long distance in short time span of 13 years since its formation. He said that NDMA has established credibility of India across world. He further said that there was no institutional framework for disaster management earlier, but after the setting up of NDMA, a mechanism has been developed not only for disaster management, but also for disaster risk reduction. He expressed happiness that India got appreciation due to NDMAs work at Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting on Disaster management held in Kyrgyzstan last month, where he had participated. He said that NDMA has done good work for enhancing the disaster management capabilities. The Home Minister said that he had also moved a proposal to organise a Joint Urban Earthquake Search and Rescue exercise to improve collective preparedness and this proposal was accepted unanimously by all the members of the SCO.

The Home Minister said that all countries stand together when there is any humanitarian issue. He said that there could be differences on some issues among the countries, but we stand together in case of any disaster in the world. He said when any country enhances its capabilities and expertise; it gets success in getting others close to it. Shri Rajnath Singh said that every country has a boundary, but the nature does not recognise these boundaries. Any disaster happening in any country is bound to affect the neighbouring country in that geographical area, he added. He said that India had extended help to earthquake-hit Nepal in 2014 and also India had sent NDRF team to Japan for help.

Shri Rajnath Singh said that diplomatic efforts are also required in managing disasters arising out of floods. He said that hydrological data on rivers should be shared by the neighbouring countries and a consensus needs to be developed in this regard. He expressed hope that a beginning in this regard will be made during BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise next month.

Speaking on this years theme of school safety, Shri Rajnath Singh congratulated NDMA for focussing on integrating children in their disaster management exercise. He said that the children can volunteer in this area and their energy and imagination can be of great help to NDMA. He further said that children should be involved based on their interest in this subject. He congratulated NDMA for making efforts for disaster safety and he expressed belief that NDMA will fulfil dream of a Safe India.

The Union Home Secretary, Shri Rajiv Gauba said that legal and institutional systems in place for disaster management should be further strengthened. He said that our climatic conditions and density of population make us prone to disasters. He added that 2% of GDP is lost due to disasters. Shri Gauba said that now there is a paradigm shift from relief-centric approach to holistic approach towards disasters. Speaking on the theme of School safety, he said that lot of school infrastructure is lost in disasters and education services also get affected in post-disaster phase. Children become more vulnerable, so special care and attention needs to be given to them, he added.

The Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy, Shri Anil Swarup said that implementation of the laws and regulations on ground is very important. He also said that the department will extend all support in the efforts of NDMA for school safety.

On the occasion, Shri R. K. Jain, Member, NDMA highlighted the activities undertaken by NDMA during the last one year since the last formation day. He said that in November last year, India had hosted the Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) in New Delhi which was first such conference after Sendai framework. He said that New Delhi Declaration, Asian Regional Plan were adopted during the AMCDRR, 2016. He also said that second meeting of the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction was held in New Delhi in May this year. He also informed that India is hosting first BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise- 2017 from 10th-13th October this year. He highlighted Indias efforts in conducting joint exercise by SAARC nations (SAADMEx) to respond to simulated disaster situations, urban flooding and cyclones. He also said that a comprehensive plan to mitigate the effects of earthquake and landslides is also being formed.

During the event, a message of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was also presented to the participants.

On the occasion, the Union Home Minster also released National Disaster Management Guidelines on Boat Safety and Cultural Heritage Sites & Precincts. A study report on Tamil Nadu floods: Lessons learnt and best practices was also released by Shri Rajnath Singh.

During the event, the stakeholders are discussing the roadmap, their roles and key challenges in the implementation of the School Safety Policy across the country. States are sharing their experiences in terms of best practices and lessons learnt through their efforts towards school safety initiatives.

The event is being attended by NDMA Members and officials, former NDMA members senior officials from the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), Ministries/Departments of the Central Government, State Governments, Municipal Commissioners, District Collectors, NGOs, and ex-Members and Advisory Committee members of NDMA. Representatives of National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), technical institutions, educational institutions such as Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, District Education Officers (DEOs), school principals, teachers and schoolchildren are also present.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju will address the Valedictory Session of the Formation Day here in the evening.

20. Union Cabinet approves umbrella scheme of Modernisation of Police Forces.

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval for implementation of umbrella scheme of "Modernisation of Police Forces (MPF)" for years 2017-18 to 2019-20. The financial outlay for the scheme over the three year’s period is Rs.25,060 crore, out of which the Central Government share will be Rs.18,636 crore and the States’ share will be Rs.6,424 crore.

Salient Features:

Special provision has been made under the Scheme for internal security, law and order, women security, availability of modern weapons, mobility of police forces, logistics support, hiring of helicopters, upgradation of police wireless, National Satellite Network, CCTNS project, E-prison project etc.

Under the umbrella scheme, central budget outlay of Rs.10,132 crore has been earmarked for internal security related expenditure for Jammu & Kashmir, North Eastern States and left wing extremism affected States.

Scheme of Special Central Assistance (SCA) for 35 worst LWE affected districts has been introduced with an outlay of Rs.3,000 crore to tackle the issue of underdevelopment in these district.

An outlay of Rs.100 crore has been earmarked in the North Eastern States for police infrastructure upgradation, training institutes, investigation facilities etc.

Implementation of this scheme would bolster the Government`s ability to address challenges faced in different theatres such as areas affected by LWE, Jammu and Kashmir and North East effectively and undertake development interventions which will catalyze in improving the quality of life in these areas and help combat these challenges effectively at the same time.

New initiatives are being introduced to provide assistance to States for upgradation of police infrastructure, forensic science laboratories, institutions and the equipment available with them to plug critical gaps in the criminal justice system. Police Stations will be integrated to set up a national data base of crime and criminals’ records. It will be linked with other pillars of criminal justice system such as ‘prisons, forensic science laboratories and prosecution offices.

o The umbrella scheme also provides for setting up of a State-of Art forensic science laboratory in Amravati, Andhra Pradesh and upgradation of Sardar Patel Global Centre for Security, Counter Terrorism and Anti Insurgency in Jaipur and Gujarat Forensic Science University in Gandhi Nagar.

It is expected that the umbrella scheme, "Modernisation of Police Forces (MPF)" will go a long way to boost the capability and efficiency of Central and State Police Forces by modernizing them.

21. Cabinet approves pacts signed by Exim Bank under BRICS mechanism.

The Union Cabinet under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on General Cooperation with New Development Bank (NDB) through the BRICS Interbank Cooperation Mechanism by Government at the level of Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs/ Export Import Bank of India.

The proposal will enhance trade and economic relations among the BRICS countries. There is no financial implication involved with signing of the MoU. The participating institutions from the BRICS nations will be benefitted by this MoU.

The MoU is a non-binding umbrella agreement aimed at establishing a cooperation framework in accordance with the national laws and regulations, besides skills transfer and knowledge sharing amongst the signatories, Further, establishment of the NDB reflects the close relations among the BRICS countries and provides a powerful instrument for increasing their economic cooperation and help India play an enhanced international role. Therefore, keeping in view the strategic relevance of cooperation for sustainable development and inclusive economic growth, the signing of MoU is necessary in the context of cooperation extended by the Members in various forms for promoting and facilitating trade of goods and services as well as investments in mutual projects among the BRICS countries.

Background:

Five banks from the BRIC nations had established the BRICS Interbank Co-operation Mechanism to enhance trade and economic relations amongst the BRIC countries, and enterprises. The BRICS Interbank Co-operation Mechanism now proposes to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on General Co-operation with the New Development Bank.

22. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu admits Linkage of Narmada and Sabarmati rivers benefitted farmers directly.

The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that linkage of rivers will help the farmers of our country to grow more crops and raise their earnings and contribute in the progress of the country as a result of increased irrigation facilities. He was addressing the gathering after unveiling the Plaque for the `Sujalam Sufalam Yojana` (Water and Irrigation Projects), in Mehsana, Gujarat, today. The Governor of Gujarat, Shri Om Prakash Kohli, the Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Nitin Patel, former Chief Minister of Gujarat, Smt. Anandi Ben Patel, the Minister of Water Resources, Government of Gujarat, Shri Nanubhai Vanani and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

The Vice President said that there are many rivers in our country, and some of the states are receiving more water and in many other states, farmers are not getting benefits of these rivers. He further said that the Governments have been considering over inter-linking of rivers for decades. But there were many hurdles in its realization and so it took time to implement this concept, he added.

The Vice President expressed his happiness that Gujarat Government has given concrete shape to the concept of river linkage and has linked Narmada and Sabarmati rivers, so that more and more farmers are benefitted. He further said that he is fortunate to inaugurate the Plaque for the Project.

The Vice President said that the main sources of the progress of Gujarat are: Agriculture and Industry and every state must pay due attention to both of them. Work for everyone and water for every farm is very important and this was a beautiful dream of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay, he added.

The Vice President said that there are many public-welfare programmes, specially irrigation programme already going on in Gujarat. He further said that by making small dams, this state has shown how to preserve rain-water that reaches the farms. Despite facing many hurdles, this state has built Sardar Sarovar Dam, which is one of the world`s highest dam, he added.

23. Union Cabinet approves installation of telecom towers in cantonments and military areas.

The Union cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal allowing land owned by the defence ministry to be used by mobile operators for construction of telecom towers and allied infrastructure.

The government, in a statement, said the cabinet approved a proposal for revision of defence ministry policy to allow such land to be used for the construction of shared communication towers and allied infrastructure. The revised policy will cover allotment of defence land on lease and grant of permission in defence areas and cantonments to access service licensees and companies registered with the department of telecommunications.

Information technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters that the move will improve the quality of communication services in cantonment and military areas. It has also been a long- pending demand of telecom operators.

Prasad said the government has also decided to finalise a new electronic policy, a new policy on internet of things, a new e-commerce policy, a new software product policy and a new cloud computing policy very soon.

In another decision, the cabinet has given retrospective approval for enhancing the superannuation age of doctors from 62 years to 65 years.

The decision would be applicable to doctors including dentists working with Indian Railways Medical Service, central universities and other higher educational institutions, ports and other government services.

The government said the decision would help provide better patient care and effective implementation of national programmes for delivery of health care services. The move will benefit around 1,445 doctors working under various ministries of the Central government.

The government claimed that decision will not have much of a financial implication as a large numbers of posts are vacant and the incumbents would continue to work in their existing capacity against sanctioned posts.

“The decision will strengthen health services in the country and the services of experienced doctors shall be available to bring quality health services to the people. It will also help in retaining the existing strength of experienced doctors thereby providing better patient care satisfaction,” said J.P. Nadda, minister of health and family welfare.

“This is a strong signal that the Government is taking all steps to enhance services/service delivery. This would also help in improving doctor-patient ratio in the country,” he added.

24. IBBI Registered National E-Governance Services Limited as Information Utility.

National e-Governance Services Ltd. (NeSL), a union government company that had received an in-principle approval in June for establishing an information utility (IU), has now received the final approval to become India’s first IU.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has granted it registration till September, 2022.

IUs will be the one-step repository for all information related to lending and borrowing activities of financial institutions. In other words, information of all such financial contracts will be maintained in an electronic format.

It will also provide effective retrieval facilities for Insolvency Professionals, Debt Recovery Tribunal, and the National Company Law Tribunal so as to enable the proceedings to be completed in a time-bound manner.

Incidentally, IBBI Chairman M.S. Sahoo had recently said that the setting up of an IU will be a game changer in the market.

NeSL is owned and promoted by leading public institutions like State Bank of India, Life Insurance Corporation, Canara Bank, Bank of Baroda, ICICI Bank, CDSL, HDFC, Axis Bank, Union Bank of India and NABARD among others. Currently, NeSL operates from Mumbai and Bengaluru.

S.Ramann, an officer of the Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IAAS), heads NeSL. He has formerly served the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) as an executive director.

Suvan Law Advisors along with SNG & Partners are the law firms advising NeSL while Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR) is the knowledge partner of IU.

25. Indian Railways to soon introduce innovative techniques to eliminate rail accidents.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has said that innovative techniques are soon being introduced to eliminate rail accidents. These include revamping the existing signalling system by use of TPWS - Train protection and Warning System and MTRC, Mobile Train Radio Communication. He said, the remaining 5000 unmanned level crossings will be eliminated in a time bound manner.

Addressing media this morning alongwith MoS Manoj Sinha and Chairman Railway Board Ashwini Lohani in New Delhi, he said, Railways is committed to ensuring high standards of safety, speed and service for passengers and ensuring national wealth to contribute to national development. He said, priority is being given to track renewal over new lines.

The Minister said, CCTV cameras are being installed in coaches and stations for enhanced security. He said, RPF staff and TTEs have been instructed to be in proper uniform while on duty to bring in transparency. Mr Goyal said, electrification of rail tracks will be completed by next 4-5 years. This will lead to savings in energy costs over 10,000 crore while reducing pollution and dependence on imported diesel.

Railway Minister said, in last one month, Railways has taken significant transformative steps for making Railways the engine that fuels development journey towards a new India. He said, about 20 stations will be modernised in an expedited manner with superior infrastructure and passenger facilities including disabled friendly by December 2018. It is also proposed to increase speed of around 700 trains with effect from November this year. He said, 48 trains are being converted from mail express to the superfast category.

26. CARA launches monthly Jan Sampark Program to facilitate adoption.

The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) of the Ministry of Women & Child Development has started a monthly “Jan Sampark” program to enable the public to have interaction with its officials and staff for seeking information related to Adoption as well as flagging their concerns.

The first of its kind programme was held in New Delhi yesterday. Nearly 150 Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs), Adoptive Parents and representatives of agencies participated in the session, which lasted for more than four hours.

Details pertaining to Immediate Placement and Special Needs Adoption Module of Child Adoption Resource Information & Guidance System (CARINGS) as well as the newly launched Grievance/Query portal were shared with all the stakeholders. Also many of the PAPs were counselled and motivated to go for adopting older children.

The event will now be a regular feature every month apart from the quarterly Facebook live chat by CEO CARA.

27. Directorate General of Quality Assurance celebrates its Diamond Jubilee.

Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) has completed 60 years of its existence. Minister of State for Defence, Dr Subhash Bhamare, graced the Diamond Jubilee celebration at DRDO Bhawan here today to mark the occasion. Addressing the august gathering, Dr Bhamre complemented DGQA for firmly supporting the combat effectiveness of the India Army and Navy while handling a very large bandwidth of technology and an inventory of equipment unparalleled anywhere in the country.

Dr Bhamre appreciated professionalism, dedication and excellence of the personnel of the DGQA and went on to stress that Self-Reliance was the corner stone on which the military capability of any nation must rest and that has been the guiding principle of the government policies. He pointed out that preference given to Indigenous Design, Development and Manufacture (IDDM) has been reflected in DPP-2016. Dr Bhamre went on to highlight that numerous initiatives of Department of Defence Production like Green Channel Status and Self Certification would go long way in realising the objective of Make in India. He urged DGQA to realign itself with the best practices all over the world.

Director General of DGQA Lt Gen Shamsher Singh highlighted the achievements of the organisation. He stated that all its 36 laboratories are NABL accredited and 99 of its establishments have been granted ISO certification. The organisation has quality assured Defence stores worth Rs. 28,878 crore during the financial year 2016-17. In addition, the organisation has been providing assistance to the User and Manufacturer in difficult and trying situations, warranting the technical expertise and hands-on experience. He also informed that during the last one month as part of their celebrations, the organisation which is spread pan India has organised a tree plantation drive wherein 23,000 saplings were planted.

Though, the origin of the DGQA dates back to 1869, when the first Inspectorate was set up at Ammunition Factory, Kirkee, the organisation came into its present incarnation in 1957 when Maj Gen Pratap Narain was appointed as the first Director General on 27 September 1957.

Dr Bhamre released the First Day Cover to commemorate the occasion. He also launched a portal for e-registration of vendors. Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Ashok Gupta also addressed the gathering. This was followed by an awards ceremony wherein officers and staff were awarded DGQA Commendation Cards and Cash Awards for their commendable performance and exemplary services rendered.

28. VNL Signs Pact with BSNL for Disaster Management.

Telecom equipment and solutions provider VNL has signed a memorandum of understanding with BSNL to provide solutions for disaster management.

The `Relief 123` service will restore connectivity at disaster sites, help locate the affected and integrate information across platforms to enable informed decision-making for quick relief.

The service is an integrated disaster response solution for first responders and public safety agencies. The solution is designed and manufactured by VNL and the backhaul connectivity will be provided by BSNL, th le companies said.

The service has been designed to work in different scenarios, including natural disasters such as earthquakes, storms, floods and tsunamis, they said.

“Our latest initiative is dedicated to the service of the nation. Given that our country is prone to natural disasters, the availability and quick deployment of comprehensive communications solutions will help disaster management agencies mount faster and more reliable search and rescue operations," Anupam Shrivastava, Chairman and Managing Director, BSNL, said.

The move to deploy comprehensive communication solutions will also bring BSNL and disaster management agencies - National Disaster Management Authority and National Disaster Relief Force on one platform for better coordination that will go a long way in saving lives during natural calamities.

"By harnessing telecom backbone that connects even the remote corners of the country, we aim to improve government’s response during emergencies by ensuring uninterrupted services to save human lives from natural calamities. In times to come we wish to extend this service to countries too, starting with the SAARC region," Shrivastava said.

This model can be scaled for SAARC countries, wherein BSNL would have roaming agreements with local mobile service operators, and have type approvals executed in advance with local regulator. This will enable affected community to use their local numbers, and prevent any problems at the customs, the companies said.

"Considering the recent spate of natural disasters that have hit the world, this service has never been more relevant. We are committed to assisting first responders and public safety agencies in restoring connectivity when natural catastrophes strike," Rajiv Mehrotra, Founder and Chairman, VNL, said.

29. Union Government finalising Electoral Bonds Scheme.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday said the government is finalising electoral bonds scheme, a move aimed at cleaning up political funding.

"I have already announced this year and I am keen to implement it. It is in final stages. How do we legitimise political funding in India so that the underground funding itself comes to an end and an alternate mechanism is set in," he said at the book release titled `India@70 Modi@3.5`.

As per the electoral bond mechanism announced in the budget, the proposed bonds will resemble a promissory note and not an interest-paying debt instrument.

They will be sold by authorised banks and can be deposited in notified accounts of political parties within the duration of their validity.

The bonds will not carry the name of the donor and routing of the money through banks will ensure that only tax paid money comes into the political system.

Jaitley also said that the government is trying to maintain a balance between accelerating the pace of economy and taking care of the needs of the poor.

So, getting cross sections on the government`s side and arousing a new confidence in them has been the basic tenor of this government in the past 3.5 years, he said.

On price rise, he said, this government inherited inflation of 9-10 per cent and subsequently brought it down to a respectable level.

On the criticism of rising inflation by the opposition, he said, "3.36 per cent is also inflation (to them). Of course, system needs inflation otherwise economy will go into a recession."

He also said the Modi-led government brought down the fiscal deficit and current account deficit and maintain the rupee at the appropriate value.

"Opening of the economy step by step. We not only opened up several sectors we made the entry smoother...India attracted highest level of FDI year after year," he said.

30. Union Government notifies Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017.

The Centre on September 26 notified a new set of rules under the head Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 replacing the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010.

One of the outstanding rules of the notification is that encroachments on wetlands stand banned. The rules prohibit solid waste dumping, discharge of untreated waste and effluents from industries, cities, towns, villages, and other human settlements into wetlands.

The new notification is expected to appreciably benefit the State government’s Haritha Keralam Mission to conserve and protect wetlands. There is considerable scope for the new rules to complement the Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation Act, 2003, say environmentalists.

Environmentalists who expressed fears that the provisions in the draft rules notified in 2016 were detrimental to wetland conservation now felt that the newly notified rules with substantial corrections following the adoption of suggestions and objections from experts could come to the rescue of wetlands “though we are not fully happy”.

The draft rules had largely sought to dilute the Centre’s onus for wetland conservation and pass that responsibility to the State governments.

The environmentalists had also felt that the draft had watered down priority to wetland conservation under the label of balancing development and environmental concerns.

The Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad (KSSP) was in the forefront in expressing reservations over the draft proposals and the KSSP had submitted a set of 14 objections with suggestions “for correcting the anomalies”.

KSSP leaders told The Hindu that ten suggestions were adopted by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to revise the draft for the final notification.

An integrated management plan for each wetland in the new notification was a suggestion placed by the KSSP.

The KSSP leaders said the draft rules showed only three restrictions to conserve wetlands but in the final notification more restrictions had been added as per the suggestions placed by the KSSP.

31. Aeris Communications partners BSNL for IOT solutions.

State-run telecom firm Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd today announced agreement with IoT solutions provider Aeris Communications to jointly tap the Internet of Things market in India.

Under the agreement, both the companies will offer packaged IoT solutions and services to enterprises, small and medium businesses and public sector undertakings, among other segments in India.

“IoT is the next wave of growth in telecom sector. IoT is an enabling technology that bears the potential to take India to a whole new level of development and our vision is to play a significant part in this endeavor.” BSNL Chairman and Managing Director Anupam Shrivastava said at India Mobile Congress.

“Our tie-up with Aeris Communications is our first step in this direction. In the days to come we will, through this partnership, translate the potential of IoT into tangible benefits on the ground,” Shrivastava said.

BSNL will provide bandwidth for IoT products, which are devices that can be connected and controlled over internet, that Aeris will provide in India.

“Our tie-up with BSNL is a multi-dimensional one and I am confident that this relationship will transform the contours of the IoT landscape in the country. Our partnership will ensure faster permeation of IoT across India and help businesses and PSUs gain remarkable advantages,” Aeris Communications India President Rishi Bhatnagar said.

32. President Ram Nath Kovind appoints five new state Governors.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday appointed new Governors for five states, including Tamil Nadu, which got its first full-time Governor in a year amid the continuing political crisis.

Banwarilal Purohit, Congress-turned BJP leader, will occupy the Raj Bhavan in the southern state.

According to a Presidential statement, BJP leader Satya Pal Malik will hold charge in Bihar, where Kovind was Governor before he became President, former Delhi BJP MLA Jagdish Mukhi is Governor in Assam, Bihar BJP leader Ganga Prasad in Meghalaya and Brigadier (retd) B.D. Mishra, a war veteran, in Arunachal Pradesh. Former Navy chief Admiral (retd) D.K. Joshi was named as the new Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar islands.

Purohit, a former national Vice President of the BJP, will be taking over as Governor at a time when Tamil Nadu is going through a political crisis due to infighting in the ruling AIADMK.

There has been demand for a full-time Governor in the state where Maharashtra Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao was holding additional charge since K. Rosaiah retired in August last year.

Purohit - a long-time social and political activist from Vidarbha in Maharashtra - was elected to the Lok Sabha thrice from Nagpur. He won the elections twice on a Congress ticket in 1984 and 1989 and once as a BJP member in 1996.

Last year, Purohit was appointed Governor of Assam, where he is being replaced by Jagdish Mukhi, veteran BJP leader. Mukhi was earlier Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar islands.

Admiral Joshi, who takes over in the Union Territory, had resigned in the middle of his tenure as Navy chief after a fire broke out aboard Kilo-class submarine INS Sindhuratna on February 26, 2014. He was to retire in August 2015.

Bihar also got a full-time Governor in Satya Pal Malik - a former Janata Dal MP from Aligarh and BJP Vice President.

Bihar politician Ganga Prasad, the new Governor of Meghalaya, had been part of BJP`s national executive after Amit Shah took over as party President. He has been a member of Bihar`s legislative council for 18 years.

Brigadier Mishra, a war veteran who served the Indian Army in three major wars in 1962, 1965 and 1971, will be handling Arunachal Pradesh.

33. Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets nation on Dussehra to attend celebrations at Red Fort in Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take part in Dussehra celebrations at Red Fort Ground in New Delhi on Saturday. In a tweet, the Prime Minister greeted the nation on the festival. “Greetings to everyone on the auspicious occasion of Vijaya Dashmi,” PM Modi wrote on Twitter. It will be the second time, after 2014, that PM Modi will celebrate Dussehra in the capital. According to reports, President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu are also expected to take part in Dussehra celebrations at Red Fort along with PM Modi.

President Kovind also took to Twitter to offer his greetings on the festival. In a tweet, he said, “Greetings to fellow citizens on Vijaya Dashami, a celebration of victory of good over evil. Shubho Bijoya!” Delhi BJP President Manoj Tewari, along with Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel are also expected to be present at the event.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will also take part in Dussehra celebrations with the jawans of the Indo-Tibetan Border police at Joshimath in Uttarakhand on Saturday.

34. India and Norway Extends Bilateral Cooperation.

India and Norway have extended bilateral cooperation in health sector through the Norway-India Partnership Initiative for a period of three years starting 2018. A letter of Intent was signed to this effect in New Delhi yesterday between the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Partnership Initiative through its work in the last ten years has resulted in newer initiatives. AIR correspondent reports that it has also supported National Health Mission by providing credible technical support.

The cooperation between India and Norway will focus on global health issues of common interest. It also includes areas related to reproductive, maternal, new-born, child, adolescent health and strengthening of health system.

The cooperation between the two countries will continue to be aligned with the development goals of India as outlined in its National Health Policy 2017 for achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. The Partnership Initiative now extends to Jammu and Kashmir and four other States- Bihar, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are already covered under it.