1. Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport ranked among top 10 in the World-Survey by Air Help
• In a survey conducted by Air Help, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport of Hyderabad has been ranked as the world’s 8th Best Airport.
• The airports were rated on the basis of time performance, service quality and food & shopping options.
• Air Help is an organization which is specialized in air traveler rights and seeks compensation in cases of delays or cancellations of flights.
• According to the ranking, Qatar Airways topped the list for the second consecutive year. It is followed by American Airlines, Aeromexico, SAS Scandinavian Airlines and Qantas.
• The worst performing airlines were Ryanair, Korean Air, Kuwait Airways, the United Kingdom’s (UK) EasyJet and Thomas Cook Airlines.
• According to the annual rating from AirHelp, The New Jersey Hub was ranked as the worst airport in U.S for the year 2019.
• The highest-rated Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was ranked 34th and Newark was at the lowest U.S. spot, at 116.
10 Best Airports of 2019:
1. Hamad International Airport, Qatar (DOH)
2. Tokyo International Airport, Japan (HND)
3. Athens International Airport, Greece(ATH)
4. Afonso Pena International Airport, Brazil (CWB)
5. Gdansk Lech Wasa Airport, Poland (GDN)
6. Sheremetyevo International Airport, Russia (SVO)
7. Changi Airport Singapore, Singapore (SIN)
8. Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, India (HYD)
9. Tenerife North Airport, Spain (TFN)
10. Viracopos/Campinas International Airport, Brazil (VCP)
10 Worst Airports of 2019
1. London Gatwick Airport, United Kingdom (LGW)
2. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Canada (YTZ)
3. Porto Airport, Portugal (OPO)
4. Paris Orly Airport, France (ORY)
5. Manchester Airport, United Kingdom (MAN)
6. Malta International Airport, Malta (MLA)
7. Henri CoandaInternational Airport, Romania (OTP)
8. Eindhoven Airport, Netherlands (EIN)
9. Kuwait International Airport, Kuwait (KWI)
10. Lisbon Portela Airport, Portugal (LIS)
2. India is digitising faster than almost every other country
• India is digitising faster than almost every other country.
• Roti, kapda, makaan … and internet – is now the updated version of an Indian’s bare necessities of life
• Supreme Court even granted Indians the internet as a fundamental right.
• 40% growth in internet users expected in the next five years.
• Absence of connectivity for 65% of the country
• Worrisome challenges on infrastructure readiness and shortcomings in policy approaches
• Inadequate progress to implement the policy items.There is much to be done – India needs humongous investments and critical infrastructure to realise our true potential as future leaders in digital communications.
• India’s mobile broadband speeds are only about one-third the global average of 23.6 Mbps (EY).
• With regard to fixed broadband speeds, India ranks a low 67 in the world (according to Speedtest Global Index).
• High broadband speeds are required to extract maximum economic benefits from broadband and reduce the quality issues that plague us.
• Only 7% of our country has internet through fixed-line connections (TRAI). The world average is 46%.
• Top quality downloads at high speeds with minimum delay need fixed-line internet. Mobile internet cannot shoulder this burden alone.
• India’s mobile broadband is crunched at over 90% utilisation. The international best practice is 60-70% to ensure a high quality with next-generation services.
• India has to augment resources to enhance its mobile broadband capacity. One reason for the capacity crunch is the limited broadband spectrum allocation.
• As much as 40% of unused spectrum is lying idle at unrealistically high reserve prices that inhibit spectrum take-up. Enormous value loss to the economy.
• Consumers, businesses and individuals only get limited access to high-quality, high-speed fixed-line internet, thus hindering productivity. If reformed, we can create 60-65 million jobs across sectors by 2025 (according to McKinsey).
• National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP 2018) gazette-notified recently has outlined a clear way forward with goals to fiberise India, improve spectrum usage and satellite communications, and get 5G-ready. (Need effective implementation)
3. India’s first UPI for merchants
• BharatPe - India`s first Fintech start-up enabling payments for merchants through interoperable UPI QR codes, has announced its foray into merchant services with a new app.
• The app allows merchants to record their cash/credit (Udhar) sales customer wise, request accounts receivable from customers via SMS payment links, and keep track of accounts payable to suppliers, among other services.
• The BharatPe app also serves as a networking platform for merchants to connect with other BharatPe merchants near them.
4. SC issues notice to Centre in plea for regulation of online streaming platforms
• The Supreme Court has asked for the Centre`s response on a plea seeking guidelines to regulate the functioning of online media streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
• In an appeal challenging the February order of the Delhi High Court, an NGO alleged that online platforms are displaying unlicenced, unregulated, uncertified content and collecting subion amounts from Indian consumers.
• A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna has issued notices to the ministries of Information & broadcasting, law and communications, on the issue.
• Earlier, the Delhi high court had rejected the petition by the NGO, after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had informed it that online platforms are not required to obtain any licence from it.
5. Chhattisgarh’s first Anti-Naxal Women’s Commando unit
• The Chhattisgarh police has deployed first ever Anti-Naxal women’s commando unit named ‘Danteshwari Ladake’ or ‘Fighters of Goddess Danteshwari’. These women commandos have inducted in the District Reserve Guard (DRG) which is Chhattisgarh’s frontline anti-naxal force.
• This specially raised squad was part of the security forces “short action teams” which inducted in the state’s Naxal-hit Dantewada district.
• The unit comprised of 30 women commandos which led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Dineshwari Nand. Out of these 30 women commandos, 10 are surrendered women Naxals and 10 are assistant constables, part of anti-naxal movement Salwa Judum.
• The squad had been trained in jungle warfare tactics like motorcycle patrolling in the dense forest, map reading, understanding Naxal profiles and counter ambush strategy. They got extensive training for 3 months.
6. India and Bangladesh agreed to jointly produce film on the life of Mujibur Rahman
• India and Bangladesh in a meeting agreed to jointly produce the film based on the life and works of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and documentary of Bangladesh Liberation War 1971.
• The delegation from Bangladesh side led by Dr. Gowher Rizvi, Adviser to Prime Minister of Bangladesh met Amit Khare, Secretary of Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
• The co-production of film was earlier announced by the PM of both India and Bangladesh.
• The movie will be directed by Shyam Benegal and the scriptwriter of the movie will be Atul Tiwari and the director of the documentary will be from Bangladesh who would be assisted by a co-director from India.
• Additionally, Prasar Bharti has decided to carry Bangladesh TV on DD Free Dish platform and also to waive carriage fees.
• Bangladesh delegation also agreed to launch Doordarshan channel in DTH platform of Bangladesh.
7. Portals of Badrinath shrine thrown open
• The portals of Badrinath Shrine have been thrown open early this morning amid chants of Vedic Hymns.
• Governor Baby Rani Maurya performed Pooja Archana on the auspicious occasion.
• A large number of devotees were also present.
• The Char Dham Yatra has started in full swing in Uttarakhand after the opening of Badrinath temple.
• The excitement was visible among the devotees as they started forming queues since midnight.
8. 158th birth anniversary of Tagore being celebrated
• The 158th birth anniversary of Rabindra Nath Tagore is being celebrated all over West Bengal.
• Various programmes have been organised to pay respect to Gurudev Tagore. The day began with musical soirees, probhat ferry and garlanding statues and potraits of Tagore.
• Our Kolkata Correspondent reports that streams of people have converged at Jorasnko Thakurbari the birth place of Rabindra Nath.
• The West Bengal Government has organised a special musical programme in Kolkata this afternoon to pay tributes to Gurudev Tagore. The day is also being observed in Santineketan.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore on his birth anniversary.
• Mr Modi said, Gurudev Tagore manifests the best of India’s ethos of learning and expressing.
• He said, a multifaceted personality, the prose, poetry and artwork of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore are brilliant and thought provoking.
• The Prime Minister said, Gurudev Tagore enhanced India’s pride and richly contributed to the freedom movement.
9. India was re-elected as an Observer to Arctic Council
• Finland held the 11th Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Lappi Areena, Rovaniemi, Finland. The dignitaries from the 8 Arctic States had approved the work completed under the 2-year Finnish Chairmanship to enhance sustainable development and environmental conservation in the Arctic region.
• The Arctic States were joined by delegates from the Arctic Council’s Permanent Participant organizations, the heads of the 6 Working Groups, and Observers.
• Arctic States concluded the Arctic Council Ministerial meeting by signing a joint agreement as the Arctic Council Ministers meet, passed the Chairmanship from Finland to Iceland.
• As stated in the Rovaniemi Joint Ministerial Statement, the Arctic States ensured the Council’s commitment to keep Arctic peaceful, stabile and a region for constructive cooperation.
• In the session, Finland’s Foreign Minister, Timo Soini stated the Council’s achievements and gave guidance for the upcoming 2 years.
• In the meeting, the International Maritime Organization was authorized as a new Observer.
• The 1st executive meeting of Senior Arctic Officials in the Icelandic Chairmanship will be held in June in Reykjanesbær, Iceland.
• India was re-elected as an Observer to Arctic Council and India committed to contribute more to Arctic Council. India had received the Observer status in 2013 during the Kiruna Ministerial meeting in Sweden.
• Since year 2008, India has its Arctic research station, termed as ‘Himadri’ in Svalbard, Norway.
10. KVIC distributed 1 lakh bee-boxes under the ‘Honey Mission’ initiative
• For the first time in India, under the ‘Honey Mission’ initiative, (KVIC) Khadi and Village Industries Commission (in less than 2 years) distributed more than 1 lakh bee-boxes among farmers and jobless youths across India.
• KVIC has helped in creating more than 10,000 new jobs and 25,000 additional man days through the manufacturing of bee boxes and honey extractors.
• Bee-keeping would also open many job avenues for aspiring young entrepreneurs.
• In August 2017, the initiative of ‘Honey Mission’ was launched in accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for ‘Sweet Revolution‘ in 2016 while introducing Banas Honey project at Deesa, Gujarat.
• The KVIC had offered the beekeepers training on the effective examination of the honeybee colonies, wax purification, and management of the bee colonies.
• Being an agency of Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), KVIC would offer loans for setting up honey-processing, packaging and labelling units.
• After the implementation of this mission, till date 246 metric tonnes of honey, amounting over Rs 4 crore, has been extracted through the bee-boxes.
11. NIOS inks MoU with NHMPH
• The National Institute of Open Schooling Ministry of Human Resources Development and National Health Mission of Public Health Department of Government of Maharashtra signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Mumbai.
• According to a press release, the MOU focused at offering Vocational programmes to the Health Service Providers of Providers of National Health Mission (NHM) through National Institute of Open Schooling.
• It added that the aim is to impart uniform structured and quality training to Multipurpose Health Workers Class Ill Male Health Workers and Community Health Workers followed by their assessment evaluation and certification.
• In addition Secondary, Senior Secondary Vocational Education and Community Health Workers certification will be carried out for ASHAs.
12. GRIHA Council Launched “GRIHA for Existing Day Schools”, a rating system for evaluating existing schools in India
• GRIHA Council has launched “GRIHA for Existing Day Schools” in India, to comply with the nation’s vision for a greener and sustainable future.
• “GRIHA for Existing Day Schools” is a rating device that would be able to assess the environmental performanceof the existing schools in India.
• The integrated rating system also acquaints the school students with the concepts of ‘sustainability’ and ‘greenery’ by involving them in accessing the environmental impact of schools on the environment as a whole.
• The students would do evaluation under the guidance of their teachers.
• The product-launch event had taken place at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. Mr Dinesh Kumar, Head, Department of Education in Science and Mathematics, National Council of Educational Research and Training, and other dignitaries were present at during the launch.
• GRIHA Council was founded by TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) with an active aid from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and from various environment- sustainability experts across India.
• It is a registered society that deals with scientific and administrative issues pertaining to the environment and sustainable habitats across India.