1) Union Government imposes anti-dumping duty on Chinese auto parts.
- The Union Finance Ministry has imposed anti-dumping duties on imported Chinese auto parts used in commercial vehicles for a period of five years.
- Decision in this regard was taken following recommendations of the Directorate-General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD).
- Chinese items like Front-axle beam and steering knuckles meant for heavy and medium commercial vehicles were imported into India at prices less than even cost of production in domestic market.
Anti-dumping duties was also imposed on:
- Fully-drawn/ oriented yarn, spin-drawn yarn and flat yarn of polyester (non-textured) imported from China and Thailand for 5 years.
- Plain medium density fibre board of thickness six mm and above imported from Malaysia, China, Thailand and Sri Lanka for a period of 5 years.
- Hexamine used in making of phenolic resins imported from China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for 5 years.
Anti-dumping duties:
- It is counter import measure used by a country under the multilateral World Trade Organisation (WTO) regime to protect its domestic producers and market from below-cost/ cheap imports.
- It varies from product to product and from country to country.
2) Union Government clears first batch of flagship urban projects under AMRUT.
- Union Government has cleared the first batch of projects under the flagship scheme of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) for 89 cities from 3 states.
- It was cleared by Union Urban Development Ministry by allocating 2,786 crore rupees to facilitate development projects without any financial delays.
Key facts:
- It is for the first time in India’s urban governance, Union Urban Development Ministry has approved State level development plans unlike the past practice of appraising and approving individual projects.
- The States that are getting benefited from these funds are Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
About AMRUT Scheme:
- It was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2015 for urban transformation.
- The focus of the urban renewal projects is to establish infrastructure that could ensure adequate robust sewerage networks and water supply.
Under this scheme:
- Union Government provides an assistance of 50 per cent of project cost for cities with a population of up to 10 lakhs each.
- It provides one third of project cost for cities with a population of above 10 lakhs each. Rest of the project cost has to be borne by the states and urban local bodies.
3) Union Government approves induction of women fighter pilots in Indian Air Force.
- Union Government has approved induction of women into the Fighter branch of Indian Air Force (IAF). Henceforth, women are eligible to get inducted in all branches and streams of the Air Force.
- Union Defence Ministry has taken this decision keeping in view the aspirations of Indian women and in line with contemporary trends in Armed Forces of developed nations.
- Under the new rules, the first women fighter pilots would be selected from the batch which is presently undergoing flying training at Air Force Academy in Hyderabad, Telangana.
- Presently, there are around 1,500 women in the IAF including 94 pilots and 14 navigators. IAF is also inducting women in Transport and Helicopter streams.
4) NDRF ties up with 30 PSUs to jointly tackle emergencies.
- National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has partnered with about 30 Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) to jointly tackle and mitigate man-made or natural disasters or emergencies.
- In this regard, a coordination meeting was held between NDRF and prominent PSUs like ONGC, Air India, GAIL and others involved in the mining and shipping and heavy industries sector.
- The maiden meeting was attended by over 40 senior officials from these PSUs for enhancing each other others capabilities for disasters or emergencies.
Key facts:
- The first of its kind initiative aimed to ensure efforts for building a good synergy between the government organisations.
- It will also ensure that two sides can act as one strong unit in case of any king emergency or disasters in case of small or mid-level exigencies.
- NDRF has proposed to train personnel of these PSUs by extending its skill modules like on tackling nuclear, biological and chemical disasters.
About National Disaster Response Force:
- NDRF is India’s elite disaster mitigation combat force established under The Disaster Management Act, 2005.
- Established: 2006.
- Headquarters: New Delhi.
5) Haryana to commission 215 new power sub-stations in three years.
- Haryana Government announced that it planned to commission 215 additional sub-stations of various capacities to reduce transmission and distribution (T&D) losses.
- These new facilities will be deployed by 2018 and are in addition to some of the recent initiatives taken by state and Union Governments to improve power supply in the state.
The state government`s inititatives are:
- Initiative to augment 418 existing sub-stations and putting in place 3171 kilometre transmission and distribution lines by 2018.
- Mhara Gaon - Jagmag Gaon scheme was launched in 1 July 2015, to provide 15 hour uninterrupted power supply from the existing 12 hours in rural areas.
- Gave in-principle approval to develop a Smart Power Grid in Gurgaon at estimated cost of 7000 crore rupees with the help of Union Government.
- In-principle approval was given to phase out four old and inefficient units of the Panipat thermal power station and replace them with a new 800-MW Supercritical Unit.
6) Department of Heavy Industries drafted National Policy on Capital Goods.
- The Department of Heavy Industries (DHI) came out with draft national policy on capital goods. This is the first time that such a policy is being framed after active consultation with industry associations.
- The Policy on Capital Goods is focused on the most critical sector for achieving the vision of Make in India and also is envisages unlocking the potential for this promising sector and establish India as a global manufacturing hub.
Vision:
- To increase the share of capital goods contribution from present 12% to 20% of total manufacturing activity by 2025.
Mission:
- To become one of the top capital goods producing nations of the world by raising the total production to over twice the current level.
- To raise exports to a significant level of at least 40% of total production and thus gain 2.5% share in global exports of capital goods.
- To improve technology depth in Indian capital goods from the current basic and intermediate levels to advanced levels.
7) Financial powers of Health Institutions enhanced to 5 lakh rupees per patient under Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi.
- Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare enhanced delegated financial powers of designated Central Government Hospitals and institutes under the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) scheme.
- After the enhancement, only cases for financial assistance beyond 5 lakh rupees would now be required to be referred to the Ministry from the earlier upper limit of 2 lakh rupees per patient.
- The move is aimed at curtailing procedural delays for treatment, which would bring relief to thousands of patients annually.
About Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi:
- It was set up in 1997 to provide financial assistance to patients, living below poverty line (BPL).
- Patients suffering from major life threatening diseases related to heart, liver, kidney and cancer cases, etc., are covered under the scheme.
- Patients receive medical treatment only at any of the designated super specialty Government hospitals/ institutes or other Government hospitals.
8) Dinesh, Yekona open cast mine projects of Western Coalfields inaugurated in Nagpur.
- Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal & New Renewable Piyush Goyal Dinesh and Yekona open cast mine projects.
- They are run by the Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) and located in Umred area of Nagpur district in Maharashtra.
- The two projects have the combined production capacity of 6.75 million tonnes that will be utilized to generate 1400 MW of power by MAHAGENCO and others.
- These projects would also provide job opportunities for the 1773 land oustees and indirect employment opportunities for hundreds of more from the local populace.
About WCL:
- Western Coalfields Limited is a one of the eight subsidiaries of Coal India Limited (CIL) which is under administrative control of Ministry of Coal. The Company has contributed about 8.6 percent of the national coal production during 2009-10 and conferred Miniratna status on 15th March 2007.
9) SC appointed Upamanyu Hazarika Commission submitted report on illegal migrants from Bangladesh.
- A one-man Commission headed by Upamanyu Hazarika submitted its report on illegal migrants from Bangladesh into Assam.
- The fact-finding commission was appointed by the Supreme Court in May 2015 while hearing the public interest litigation (PIL) -Assam Sanmilita Mahasangha Vs Union of India & Gov. of Assam.
- The commission was appointed by the Supreme Court (SC) to find out and report on the ground situation along the India-Bangladesh border running through Assam.
Highlights of the report:
- Migrants from Bangladesh are threatening to reduce the indigenous population of Assam to a minority by the year 2047.
- Foreigners acquired land through all means and the favorite mode being to pose as flood and erosion affected persons from other districts with the aid and assistance of a complicit and corrupt administration.
- The big influx over the years has created a huge immigration population which competes for jobs, in government institutions with Indian citizens, without verification of the antecedents of such non-Indians.
10) Union Law Ministry notified Delhi HC Amendment Act, 2015.
- Union Law Ministry notified Delhi High Court Amendment Act, 2015. The Act provides for enhancement of pecuniary jurisdiction of the District Courts of Delhi from 20 lakh to 2 crore rupees.
- The law empowers the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court to transfer any pending suit or other proceedings to relevant subordinate court in the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
Benefits of the law:
- It will reduce the burden of Delhi High Court.
- There would be substantive improvement in disposal of cases in subordinate courts.
- It will also facilitate access of the general public to 11 District Courts located in 6 District Court Complexes, ensuring speedy justice to litigants at their door steps.
- Earlier in August 2015, the Parliament gave its seal of approval to the Delhi High Court Amendment Bill, 2015. The Bill received the assent of the President on 10 August 2015.
11) AP Offers local status to those willing to migrate before 2nd July, 2017
- Andhra Pradesh state government has decided to grant local status to students and employees residing in Telangana State if they shift to Andhra Pradesh on or before June 2, 2017.
- With state bifurcation, the AP government planned to shift government employees to Andhra Pradesh. But, union leaders expressed concern about their children becoming non-locals if they shift from Telangana State to Andhra Pradesh.
- After several deliberations, the AP cabinet has taken a decision on 1st October to accord local status to AP natives of Telangana.
12) E-Panchayat in Telangana state
- Telangana state Panchayat Raj Minister K. Tarakarama Rao launched e-Panchayat in Bibipet of Domakonda mandal in Nizamabad district on 2nd October.
- E -Panchayats were being launched to extend server services to the rural population using Information Technology. Services like e-Seva and Mee Seva were confined to mandals but from now on, these services would be available at village level through e-Panchayats. The villagers can now get services like Land Records, Income Certificate, Birth and Death Certificates and also the banking services.
- E-Panchayat facilities would be available in nearly 700 Gram Panchayats across Telangana State by this month end. At present this programme has been launched in 104 villages on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanthi.