1. Bengal’s Digambarpur, India’s Best Gram Panchayat.

Bengal has once again topped in the country with Digambarpur Gram Panchayat (GP) bagging the Centre’s award for the best GP in the country. Besides this, some more Gram Panchayats in districts including Purulia, Birbhum and Burdwan have also been awarded special prizes for certain achievements.

A survey was conducted to find out the best Gram Panchayat in the country and in a letter to the state government the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has stated that Digambarpur GP at Patharpratima block in South 24-Parganas has come up as the best out of 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats in the country.

In this connection, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said: “Bengal is first in implementing the scheme of 100 days work in rural employment creation. We have reduced 40 percent unemployment and now the best Panchayat is also in Bengal.”

It may be mentioned that after the change of guard in the state in 2011, massive development work was carried out in the rural parts of Bengal, ushering in a new change. Starting from construction of roads to helping the populace in improving their standards of living — everything has been ensured by the Mamata Banerjee government in the past few years.

2. Cabinet Nod To Restructured Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan Scheme.

he Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today gave its approval for restructured Centrally sponsored scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA).

The Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (National Rural Self Governance Scheme) will be implemented during the period from 01.04.2018 to 31.03.2022 at the total cost of Rs. 7,255.50 crore with the Central share of Rs. 4,500 crore and that of State share of Rs. 2,755.50 crore.

The scheme will extend to all States and union territories (UTs) of the country and will also include institutions of rural local government in non-Part IX areas, where Panchayats do not exist. The scheme will have both Central component - National Level activities including "National Plan of Technical Assistance", "Mission Mode project on e-Panchayat", "Incentivisation of Panchayats" and State component - Capacity Building of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).

 The Central component will be fully funded by the Government of India. However, Centre:State funding pattern for State component will be 60:40 for all States, except North East and Hill States where Centre:State funding pattern will be 90:10. For all UTs, the Central share will be 100%.

 The implementation and monitoring of the activities of the scheme will broadly be aligned for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with main thrust on Panchayats identified under Mission Antyodaya and 115 aspirational districts as identified by NITI Aayog. The scheme will converge capacity building initiatives of other ministries with particular focus on those ministries which will be impacted substantially by this scheme. Sunset date for RGSA will be 31.03.2030.

This scheme will extend to all States and UTs of the country and will also include institutions of rural local government in non-Part IX areas, where Panchayats do not exist.

3. Diu, 1st To Run On 100% Renewable Energy During Daytime.

Diu Smart City has become the first city in India that runs on 100 per cent renewable energy during daytime setting a new benchmark for other cities to become clean and green. Diu had been importing 73 per cent of its power from Gujarat until last year. It has now adopted a two-pronged approach whereby a 9 MW solar park spread over 50 hectares rocky barren land has been developed besides installing solar panels on the roof tops on 79 Government buildings thereby generating 1.3 MW annually.

To further enhance its solar capacity, Diu offers its residents a subsidy of Rs 10, 000-50,000 for installing 1-5KW roof top solar panels. Diu is saving about 13,000 tonnes of carbon emissions every year. Due to low-cost solar energy, power tariffs have been cut in residential category by 10 per cent last year and 15 per cent this year. 

To improve traffic management in Bengaluru Smart City, a prototype of an intelligent traffic management solution is currently being tested in collaboration with the Electronics City Township Authority (ELCITA). It will provide traffic information that is currently unavailable, and help improve management of commuter traffic. It involves capturing video streams from several cameras and processing them using artificial intelligence so that typical traffic management tasks such as vehicle detection, traffic density estimation and control of traffic lights can be automated for real-time performance. 

To revitalise urban public spaces and socially activating the area besides generating economic activity, Jaipur Smart City Ltd (JSCL) has planned to develop night bazaar at Chaura Rasta, in the heart of Pink city. The JSCL would register up to 700 vendors who will be allowed to set up stalls, including eateries, between 9pm and 1am. The project will provide entertainment, culture and shopping to citizens after office hours. 

4. Nitin Gadkari Inaugurates 29th Road Safety Week In New Delhi.

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shipping, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Shri Nitin Gadkari has said that India is exploring an agreement with South Korea for introduction of Highways Information System in the country. This would be developed on lines of the system run by the Express Highways Information Corporation of South Korea, with integrated monitoring of a highway at a centralized control room.

 Inaugurating the 29th National Road Safety Week in New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhavan today, the Minister spelt out the ministry’s priorities in ensuring safety of road users in the country. He informed that he has fixed a target of bringing down the number of road fatalities to half from the around 1.5 lakh accidental deaths reported when he took over. Shri Gadkari said, though progress has been achieved in this respect, he is still not satisfied and aspires to keep working in this direction.

The Ministry organizes the Road Safety Week every year to create awareness among general public and improve upon the safety of road users. This year, Road Safety Week is being organized from 23rd to 29th of April and the focus is on schools and commercial drivers. Addressing the participants Shri Gadkari requested that every student be made a road safety ambassador for his family and for the society. Various activities have been organized for school / college students, drivers and all road users.

The Minister gave away awards to fifteen school children who won the national level essay competition on road safety. The top three winners were given cash prizes of Rs 15,000, Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 and a certificate each. Shri Gadkari also administered the road safety pledge to all those present on the occasion.

5. National Panchayati Raj Day: 24 April

The nation celebrates the National Panchayati Raj Diwas (24th Aril) as this date marks a defining moment in the history of decentralization of political power to the grassroots level. 

 

Activities of PM Modi on NPRD 2018: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Mandla in Madhya Pradesh on the National Panchayati Raj Day. He launched the Rashtriya Gramin Swaraj Abhiyan, at a public meeting, and addressed Panchayati Raj representatives across the country, from Mandla.

 

 Background: The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 that came into force with effect from 24th April 1993 has institutionalized Panchayati Raj through the village, Intermediate and District level Panchayats. The impact of the 73rd Amendment in rural India is very visible as it has changed power equations irreversibly. Accordingly, the Government of India decided in consultation with the States to celebrate 24th April as National Panchayati Raj Day. Ministry of Panchayati Raj organises National Conference on 24th April every year to commemorate the National Panchayati Raj Diwas.

 

 

6. Foreigners Can Now Travel To Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur Without Permit.

Foreign tourists, except those from Pakistan, China and Afghanistan, would now be allowed to visit some of the most pristine locations of the country which, so far, were out of bounds for them without a special permit, officials said on Monday.

 

The home ministry has decided to relax the six-decade-old Protected Area Permit regime from Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur for five years with effect from April 1, a ministry official said.

 

Under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958, all areas falling between the Inner line and the International Border of some states were declared as protected areas.

 

The protected areas currently include whole of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim, besides parts of Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir. Some parts of Sikkim fall under the protected area regime while others under the restricted area.

 

“A review is underway to lift the PAP from other areas too,” another official said.

Citizens from Pakistan, China and Afghanistan, however, continue to be banned from all PAP areas, including Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur.

 

As per a December 30, 2010 circular of the ministry, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland were excluded from the protected area regime initially for a period of one year from January 1, 2011, subject to some conditions.

As per the guidelines, a foreign national is not normally allowed to visit a protected or restricted area unless the government is satisfied that there are extraordinary reasons to justify his or her visit.

 

Every foreigner, except a citizen of Bhutan, who desires to enter and stay in a protected or restricted area, is required to obtain a special permit from a competent authority having the power to issue such permits.

 

In cases, where the power to issue such permits has not been delegated to a subordinate authority by the Union government, the application for the special permit has to be referred to the home affairs ministry for prior approval, at least eight weeks before the date of the expected visit.

 

 

7. Important Cabinet Approvals- 25th April 2018. 

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given the following set of approvals. The important Cabinet Approvals are given as follows-

The Cabinet has approved-

1. MoU between India and Sao Tome and Principe for Cooperation in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy.

2. The Memorandum of Agreement between India and World Health Organisation represented by its Regional Office for South-East Asia acting through its Country Office in India.

3. MoU on cooperation in the field of regulation of medical products for human use amongst the medicine regulatory agencies of the BRICS countries.

4. Long-Term Agreements for the supply of iron ore (lumps and fines) to Japan and South Korea through MMTC Limited.

5. Declaration of Scheduled Areas in respect of Rajasthan under Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of India.

6. Restructured National Bamboo Mission- An outlay of Rs.1290 crore (with Rs. 950 crore as Central share) is provisioned for implementation of the Mission during the remaining period of 14th Finance Commission (2018-19 and 2019-20).

7. Minimum Support Prices for Raw Jute for 2018-19 season- The Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Fair Average Quality (FAQ) of Raw Jute has been increased to Rs.3700/- per quintal for 2018-19 season from Rs. 3500/- per quintal in the 2017-18 season.

 

 

8. HRD Ministry Launches 2nd Edition Of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan.

 

 The HRD ministry on Wednesday launched the second edition of the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan under which students from 750 higher educational institutions from across the country will adopt villages and visit them to get acquainted with lifestyle of people there and the problems faced by them.

 

The minister advised the students to involve local village people at every stage of problem identification and solving issues relating to health, cleanliness, waste management, plantation, financial inclusion, women and child development. The mission involves students from colleges and universities will go to nearby villages to get acquainted with the life of village people and the problems faced by them in day-to-day life. Students are the real agents of change who can develop, empower and brighten the future of the country, Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar said while addressing the launch ceremony.

 

He said that this was also an opportunity for them to learn about the basic challenges faced by the rural people and to bring out practical solutions for their betterment. "India had witnessed the migration of rural population in the past, but now the process of sustainable development through the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0 will help to reverse this migration, Minister of State for HRD Satya Pal Singh said. Secretary (Higher Education), HRD ministry, R Subrahmanyam appealed to the student community to take the lead of this programme to make it a national movement. 750 institutions chosen in the first lot have participated in today`s seminar; however, thousands of institutions have offered their willingness to joint this movement.

 

 

9. CSIR And DoT Enter Into MoU For Establishing Nationwide Time Stamping.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on technical knowledge sharing for establishing a nationwide Time Stamping & Time Synchronization network and traceability of Time signal to UTC NPL Time, was signed between Council of Scientific and Industrial Research -National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL) and Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications.

 

The MoU was signed by Dr. D.K. Aswal, Director, CSIR-NPL and by Mr. Amit Mishra, DDG, Department of Telecommunications in the presence of Dr.Girish Sahni, Director General, CSIR and Secretary, DSIR and Shri Prabhash Singh, Member (Technology), Department of Telecommunications, senior officials from DoT, CSIR and CSIR-NPL.

 

Dr. D K Aswal, Director, CSR-NPL, emphasized that the Nationwide, Time Stamping & Time Synchronization network consisting of 22 numbers of Time Synchronization Centers (TSC’s) will be set up by DoT with technical assistance from CSIR-NPL.  This network will provide synchronizing pulse in Indian Standard Time(IST) to all Telecom & Internet Service providers in all the 22 LSA (Licensed Service Areas) in the country. The project will be implemented in two phases.  In the first phase TSC’s is to be set up in four metro LSA’s and in the second phase remaining of the 22 LSA’s will be covered.

 

The primary purpose of synchronizing the telecom network with IST time stamp is to enable the security agencies to overcome the difficulty in analyzing and correlating the cyber events in this era of greatly increasing network speed with advancement of telecom technology (2G to 3G to 4G to 5G etc.).The implementation of the project will also improve the telecom network efficiency by reducing packet loss due to reduced slips in better synchronized digital

network.

 

 

10. Government To Tie Up With US And Finland To Jointly Develop New Pollution-Forecast System.

While India has taken some steps to address its serious air pollution problem, many believe that it hasn’t done enough, and without accurate data and forecasting systems, the battle against air pollution will prove to be futile.

 

One step towards changing this perception came earlier this week with The Hindu reporting that India will partner up with Finland and the United States to develop a new pollution forecast system.

 

As per the report, this system is expected to help forecast “particular matter (PM) levels, two days in advance and at a greater resolution” than the current system in place.

 

he current system that is based out of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune, which runs the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), can forecast pollution trends (PM levels) in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Pune one day in advance.

 

With the Ministry of Earth Sciences acting as the nodal agency leading India’s efforts, the government hopes to have a system in place by the upcoming winter season.

 

 

11. Coastal Security Exercise `Sagar Kavach` Held In Kerala.

Over 75 ships, Fast Interceptor Craft, patrol boats participate

Sagar Kavach, a composite coastal security exercise involving all stakeholders of security, was conducted by the Coast Guard along the coasts of Kerala, Mahe and Lakshadweep between November 21 and 23.

 

Rear Admiral R.J. Nadkarni, Chief of Staff of the Southern Naval Command, reviewed the progress of the exercise on Wednesday at the Joint Operations Centre at the Naval Base. All participating agencies were represented at the review meeting.

 

Over 75 ships, Fast Interceptor Craft, patrol boats of the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, Coastal Police, Customs, Fisheries and other coastal security agencies participated in the exercise and undertook round-the-clock patrolling at sea. All radar stations under the Remote Operating Station in Kochi were extensively used for monitoring the movements of vessels operating in the area during the exercise. Extensive aerial surveillance of the adjoining seas was also mounted by naval and Coast Guard aircraft to detect vessels being used by the opposing force for carrying out simulated attacks.

 

So far, 14 coastal security exercises have been held by the Coast Guard along Kerala and Lakshadweep coasts since 2009. The exercise was conducted by DIG Neeraj Tiwari, Commander, Coast Guard District No 4, based at Fort Kochi.

 

 

12. 48th Foundation Day Of HUDCO Celebrated.

The Minister of Housing & Urban Development Hardeep Singh inaugurated the 47th Foundation Day of Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) today.

 

He said that HUDCO is playing an important role in taking financial inclusion forward in the country, as it is taking care of the housing finance needs of the economically deprived sections

 

The government has urged the Housing and Urban Development Corporation to expand its activities and cover a large number of stakeholders under its lending operations.

 

Addressing an event organized to celebrate the 48th Foundation Day of HUDCO Urban Development minister Hardeep Singh Puri suggested that HUDCO may focus on the needs of aspirational districts thus helping in the balanced development across the country.

 

Puri later presented awards in various categories in the field of housing and infrastructure. These included the Best Practice Awards for improving the Living Environment, Design Awards, and best performance awards.

 

1. Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting Begins In London.

From this Monday 16 to 20 April 2018, the UK will host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) with leaders from members countries gathering in London and Windsor. The Commonwealth is a diverse community of 53 nations that work together to promote prosperity, democracy and peace. This Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) brings together leaders from all the member countries in London and Windsor.

They will come together to reaffirm common values, address the shared global challenges faced and agree how to work to create a better future for all our citizens, particularly young people.

The summit’s theme is: ‘Towards a common future’. It will aim to build links between countries to offer young people access to knowledge and skills; and give them a voice on key issues such as democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

Across the Commonwealth, member states face common challenges and threats to the shared values of democracy, good governance and inclusivity as set out in the Commonwealth Charter. The Commonwealth’s various constituencies – the Commonwealth Secretariat, its members or its myriad of organizations and networks – mean it is uniquely placed to respond to these challenges.

At the summit, leaders will come together to focus on delivering:

a more sustainable future: the Commonwealth is well placed to take action, underlining our on-going commitment to tackling climate change, protecting the environment and increasing the resilience of our members.

a fairer future: by upholding and promoting the principles of the Commonwealth Charter, we can ensure a fairer future for all members of the Commonwealth, and provide the essential basis for sustainable development.

a more secure future: Commonwealth member states are ideally placed to partner, aid and learn from each other in tackling the threats of terrorism, serious organised crime, cyber crime, violent extremism and human trafficking.

a more prosperous future: by working together, we can promote trade and investment as a means to drive economic growth, create jobs, and ensure the prosperity of our citizens.

2. Himachal Pradesh celebrated 71st Foundation Day.

Himachal Pradesh celebrated its 71st foundation day with much fanfare and gaiety Sunday. Several cultural events were organized across the state.

It may be recalled that the hill state came into existence after the merger of 30 odd princely states in 1948.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his tweet congratulated the people of the state.

On this occasion, various cultural programs were held across the state. The main event was held at Ridge Maidan in Shimla, where Chief Minister Jairam Thakur reviewed the ceremonial Parade presented by police, home guards and NCC cadets.

Thousands of people in their traditional colorful attire witnessed the ceremony with great enthusiasm and joy.

Addressing the large gathering at ridge in Shimla, Chief Minister Jairam Thakur said that after the formation of the state, Himachal Pradesh has achieved many milestones in the field of development.

This could be realized by the active participation and support of the people.

He further stated that after coming into power his government has fixed development goals for first 100 days out of which maximum targets have been achieved.

3. Indian Swimmer Double Crosses Bangla Channel Sets World Record.

Pune-based 17-year-old swimmer Sampanna Ramesh Shelar became the first person in the world to double cross Bangla Channel on Friday. Shelar created the world record by becoming the first person to swim to and fro from Saint Martin`s Island Jetty to Teknaf in Bangladesh also known as the Bangla Channel on Friday. 

After achieving the feat, Shelar is now planning to participate in the upcoming swimming competition. "I now eye the upcoming competition to be held in Bhagirathi River for 81 km," Shelar said.

He started swimming at about 5 am on Friday and completed the journey of 32.2 kilometers in 9 hours and 10 minutes. "It is my first international solo ocean event. I shall give the entire credit to my coach Jitendra Khasnin," he said.

Recalling the difficulties that he faced during the over 9-hour-long journey, he said: "the two main problems that I faced were the fishes and high tides. When I was close to ending my swim high tides started coming and they blocked my way for a long time."

Shelar`s coach Jitendra Khasnin, who has been training him since he was 13 years old,  was ecstatic at the achievement of his student. "He started with 40 km/hour speed at Gujarat where he had set a national record. He was supposed to participate in the Bangla competition but as he was abler than others thus we decided to make this record. It is easy to go into the sea but difficult to come back due to high tides," Jitendra said.

Shelar has been practising at Shark Aquatic Club situated at Pune and this is his maiden international record. 

4. Union Government Revises Target To Complete PMGSY From Year 2022 To 2019.

The Government has said that the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana is well on its way to achieving the target by March 2019.

The scheme, since its inception in 2000, has been able to provide connectivity to more than One lakh 50 thousand habitations.

An official release said, sensing the importance and urgency of rural roads for national development, the target date for completion of PMGSY-I has been preponed from 2022 to 2019.

Working towards this accelerated target, sanctions have been given to more than one lakh 66 thousand habitations against the target of over 1.78 lakh eligible habitations. Under the program, over five lakh fifty thousand kilometres of road length has been constructed.

This centrally sponsored programme implemented in partnership with the state governments has seen the greater focus and consistent improvement in pace and quality in the last three years.

The release said the pace of construction under the PM Gram Sadak Yojana roads reached an 8 year high of 134 km per day in 2017-18 as against an average of 73 km during the period 2011 to 2014.

5. Bengaluru is the highest paying city for Talent: Report.

Bengaluru emerged as the highest paying city in India with the average annual cost to company (CTC) for all talents of Rs 10.8 lakh per annum, states a Randstad Insights report.

According to Randstad Insights, the research and analysis division of Randstad India report 2018, Pune stood second after Bengaluru with annual CTC of Rs 10.3 lakh. Next in the line were NCR and Mumbai at Rs 9.9 lakh and Rs 9.2 lakh respectively. Chennai (Rs 8 lakh), Hyderabad (Rs 7.9 lakh) and Kolkata (Rs 7.2 lakh) also featured on the list of Indian cities paying the highest average salaries for professionals.

Pharma and healthcare industry stood out as the most paying industry for Indians with an average annual CTC of 9.6 lakh across all levels, says the report. Professional services were the second highest paying across the country with Rs 9.4 lakh CTC, followed by Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) with avearge CTC of Rs 9.2 lakh. The IT sector (Rs 9.1 lakh) and infrastructure, real estate and construction (Rs 9.1 lakh) took the fourth and fifth position respectively, in the list of India’ most lucrative industries .

The report also mentions that people with 6-10 years of experience bracket are paid higher salaries. Doctors with specializations top this list with approximate annual CTC of Rs 18.4 lakh, followed by solution architects (Rs 15.1 lakh), product engineering specialists with Rs 14.8 lakh CTC and blockchain technology experts at Rs 14.6 lakh CTC.

“A strong salary structure that strikes a perfect balance between internal and external pay equity is an imperative today for the organisations as it’s often the key to bring top talent on board and keep them motivated,” Randstad India MD & CEO Paul Dupuis was quoted as saying. Randstad Insights examined 1,00,000 jobs in 20 industry verticals and 15 functions.

6. India And UK Sign 10 Agreements In Several Sectors.

India and the UK have signed 10 agreements in several sectors including cyber-relationship, rejuvenation of Ganga and skill development.

The two countries have agreed to an overarching cyber-relationship framework that among others enables the development of a common and shared understanding of the international cyber activity.

Under the agreement, the two sides will also discuss and share strategies to promote user confidence in the security of ICT products and services, promote cyber security product development and share information relating R&D.

On rejuvenation of River Ganga, National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and the UK-based Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC) signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Both the nations also signed the MoU on Skill Development, Vocational education and Training and seek to promote greater collaboration in domains such as strengthening skill delivery in high demand sectors where UK has technical and skilling expertise.

In the area of regulation of safe nuclear energy use for peaceful purposes, an arrangement has been arrived at between Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of India (AERB) and the Office for Nuclear Regulation of Great Britain (ONR).

A Statement of Intent between NITI Aayog and UK’s Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has also been signed which will enable the two sides to explore the potential for regular engagement on technology co-operation in areas such as electric vehicles.

The two countries also inked the deal on cooperation in the field of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Sectors seeking to strengthen collaboration in livestock health and husbandry, breeding, dairying and fisheries.

Recognising the increased threat posed by international crimes because of its increasingly complex nature and the threat posed by organised crime, a MoU on Exchange of Information for the Purposes of Combating International Criminality and Tackling Serious Organised Crime has been signed.

An Addendum covering research in humanities and social sciences has been added to the 2004 Newton-Bhabha MoU, which supports research and innovation capacities of both sides for long-term sustainable growth. All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Ayush in collaboration with the College of Medicine will set up a Centre of Excellence in Ayurveda and traditional Indian medicine.

7. Odisha`s second longest River Bridge Opened.

Distance between Sambalpur and Brajarajnagar reduced by 50 km

The much-awaited bridge built over the Ib river in Sambalpur district was thrown open to the public by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday.

The 2.5-km-long bridge, which is the State’s second longest bridge, has been built in three years at a cost of Rs. 117.50 crore.

The bridge has helped establish direct road connectivity between Sambalpur and Brajarajnagar and the distance has now been reduced by 50 km. The Biju Expressway-IB Thermal-Coal Region link would improve transport and accelerate economic growth in the entire region, Mr. Patnaik said.

‘Emotional reconnect’

“By becoming a direct road connectivity for the cut-off areas, it will be an emotional reconnect for people of Jharsuguda and Sambalpur who were affected by the building of the Hirakud reservoir 50 years ago,” Mr. Patnaik had said in a message.

The Chief Minister also addressed the second convocation of IIM-Sambalpur during his one-day visit to the western Odisha district. “I am happy to note that IIM -Sambalpur is growing fast and positioning itself as a centre of excellence in innovation and entrepreneurship. It is heartening to know, that the institute has been aiming to prepare ethical leaders who along with their commitment to business, commerce and industry also strive for social consciousness while contributing to nation building,” he said.

Mr. Patnaik said the State government was willing to partner with IIM-Sambalpur in its journey of inclusive growth. “IIM-Sambalpur should become an active participant, a knowledge partner and a think tank for planning, strategising and reinforcing government schemes for social development,” he said.

8. FAO Designates 14 New Sites As GIAHS.

Since 2016, fourteen new sites have been designated as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), including the first ones in Europe. As with other designated sites, these systems highlight agricultural traditions that promote sustainability, safeguard biodiversity and protect the environment while supporting the social and economic development necessary for stable, decent livelihoods.  The 14 new sites range from oases to rice terraces, wasabi cultivation to raisin production. The 14 new sites are: 1.Siwa Oasis, Egypt 2016.  2.Chinampa Agriculture in the World Natural and Cultural Heritage Zone in Xochimilco, Tláhuac and Milpa Alta, Mexico 2017.  3.Zhagana Agriculture -Forest-Animal Husbandry Composite System, China 2017.  4.Huzhou Mulberry-dyke & Fish Pond System, China 2017.  5.Osaki Kodo`s Traditional Water Management System for Sustainable Paddy Agriculture, Japan 2017.  6.Nishi-Awa Steep Slope Land Agriculture System, Japan 2018.  7.Traditional Hadong Tea Agrosystem in Hwagae-myeon, Republic of Korea 2017.  8.The Agricultural System of Valle Salado de Añana, Spain 2017.  9.Malaga Raisin Production System in La Axarquía, Spain 2017.  10.The Cascaded Tank-Village System, Sri Lanka 2017.  11.Rice Terraces in Southern Mountainous and Hilly Areas, China 2018.   12.Xiajin Yellow River Old Course Ancient Mulberry Grove System, China 2018.  13.Traditional Wasabi Cultivation in Shizuoka, Japan 2018. 14.Barroso Agro-sylvo-pastoral System, Portugal 2018.

9. Government Launches ‘Study In India’ To Attract Foreign Students.

India has launched the Study in India programme to draw more foreign students in about 160 premier universities and institutions across the country, including IITs and IIMs, with 15,000 seats in the 2018-19 academic year.

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday launched a portal to help prospective students get information about the institutions and also register and apply to the programmes of their choice through it.

“The quest for knowledge has always been fundamental to India’s culture and civilisation. We can rightly say that India is one of the very few places in the world where ancient traditions and modernity coexist in harmony,” Swaraj said stressing on the need to make India a knowledge hub once again.

‘India has been home to knowledge seekers from ancient times when scholars used to visit universities such as Nalanda and Takshila,” she added.

Minister of state for human resource development Satyapal Singh and diplomats from 30 countries were also present during the launch.

Study in India has a sanctioned budget of Rs 150 crore for two years and will promote India as a top destination for higher education and funnel demand in the direction of the supernumerary seats.

The government aims at attracting 2,00,000 international students through the programme from the current 45,000 or 1% of the global student mobility.

“We observed that the number of students coming to India for higher studies had become stagnant and more students were going to countries like Singapore and Australia. That is when we decided to make a single spot information gateway to attract more students, make our visa process hassle free and also offer fee waiver to students,” human resource development (HRD) minister Prakash Javadekar said in a video message.

R Subrahmanyam, HRD ministry’s secretary (higher education), said the endeavour is a major step forward in freeing the Indian education market for foreign students.

10. India Forms Committee To Reform Higher Defence Planning.

The Union Government on April 18, 2018 formed a new integrated institutional mechanism, Defence Planning Committee (DPC) to reform the process of higher defence planning.

The committee is expected to drive the country’s military and national security strategy, draft capability development plans and guide and accelerate defence equipment acquisitions.

Composition of the committee

The permanent body would be chaired by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

It will comprise the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC), three service chiefs and the Defence, Expenditure and Foreign Secretaries.

The Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman of the Chief of the Staff Committee (CISC) will be the member secretary of the committee.

Functions of the Committee

1. The committee will be required to undertake external security risk assessment and define national defence and security priorities.

2. It will also have to prepare draft reports on national military strategy, national security strategy and international defence engagement strategy.

3. It will also have to prepare a roadmap to build defence manufacturing ecosystem and a strategy to boost defence exports and priority capability development plans.

4. It will have to submit all its draft reports to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

5. Besides, four sub-committees could be created under the DPC across four broad areas:

- Policy and strategy

- Plans and capability development

- Defence diplomacy

- Defence manufacturing eco-system

6. The membership and the terms of reference of the sub-committees will be finalised separately.

11. Commonwealth Innovation Index 2018: India ranked as 10th.

As per the 2018 Commonwealth Innovation Index, India fetched 10th position in the index topped by the United Kingdom, Singapore and Canada.

The index was launched on the sidelines of the ongoing Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) as part of a new Commonwealth Innovation Hub. The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting will conclude on April 20, 2018.

Commonwealth Innovation Index

1. The Commonwealth Innovation Index has been created in partnership with the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and its annual Global Innovation Index (GII). 

2. It will act as a tool through which member states, organisations and citizens will benchmark themselves against 53 countries of the Commonwealth.

3. The index is a part of the Commonwealth Innovation Hub that offers a dedicated online space for Commonwealth countries to showcase what they have to offer and share with other members.

12. Vice-President Inaugurates Civil Services Day Event In New Delhi.

Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Friday inaugurated the two-day Civil Services Day event in New Delhi.

Vice President also inaugurated an exhibition put up by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances on identified priority programmes and innovations.

The Vice President also released a book Emulating Excellence- Takeaways for Replication`.

The day is celebrated for the civil servants to rededicate themselves to the cause of citizen and renew their commitments to public service and excellence in work.

Addressing the function, Vice President said that it is our collective responsibility to work together to realise the dream of a New India.

Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Jitendra Singh, also addressed the inaugural session of Civil Services Day function.

13. Cabinet Approves Promulgation Of Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance.

The Union Cabinet on Saturday approved to promulgate an ordinance to crack down on corporate defaulters who refuse to return to India to avoid investigation by Indian authorities.

The Union Cabinet on Saturday approved to promulgate an ordinance to crack down on corporate defaulters who refuse to return to India to avoid investigation by Indian authorities.

The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill was approved by the Union Cabinet on March 1, 2018.

The Bill was intended to lay down measures to deter economic offenders from evading the process of Indian law by remaining outside the jurisdiction of Indian courts.

The cases where the total value involved in such offences is Rs 100 crore or more, will come under the purview of this Bill, the Cabinet had said earlier.

14. Taipei Opens WTC In Delhi To Boost Ties With India.

With an aim to strengthen trade ties with India, Taipei World Trade Centre (TWTC) launched its office in Delhi on Tuesday, ahead of Taiwan’s first ever expo that will showcase cutting-edge technology and smart city solutions in Delhi on 17 May.

James C.F Huang, chairman, TWTC said their presence in Delhi will further help strengthen business ties with India.

“PM Narendra Modi’s initiatives such as Make in India, Digital India, smart cities project are the ones in which Taiwan can be a good partner. We have not paid much attention to India in past but things have changed in last two years. We are where to strengthen our ties, I know we are late but it’s never too late,” he said.

Over the last couple of years, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) has been focusing on strengthening trade ties with India. TAITRA is the official body of the Taiwan government for trade promotion.

Bilateral trade between India and Taiwan has increased to $6.3 billion in December 2017. “We are on the right track in establishing ties,” he added. Currently, smart solutions in terms of developing cities, street lighting, hardware, software, and IT and electric vehicles are some of the key offerings driving bilateral trade and investment.

Huang highlighted that Taiwan’s electric vehicle industry can help India in its initiative to switch to electric vehicles.

“Our major responsibility is to work closely with trade promoters and business community in India. With the opening of new office we are going to focus on areas like promoting electric vehicles. Our priority is to work closely with private organisations in India to introduce more Taiwanese investments and we should serve Indian business community to promote their products in Taiwan,” he said.

However, Huang said petrochemicals solar energy, food processing are areas that can enhance cross-border business. During their expo, Taiwan is expected to showcase its latest technologies in the field of electric vehicles, smart solutions for smart cities.

 1. Assam`s Spring Festival Begins In Manas National Park.

Guwahati, April 7 (IANS) The two-day Assam Spring Festival began at the Manas National Park on Saturday where visitors will get to experience the state`s local food, music, handloom and handicrafts.

"The aim of the event is to promote the local food and culture of the fringe villagers. It is an attempt to create a model of alternative livelihood through food, handloom and culture," Mitali from Food Sutra, one of the organisers, said.

"We are expecting participation of over 300 domestic and foreign tourists in the two-day festival."

The festival has been organised, among others, by Indian Weavers` Association and the Swankar Mithinga Onsai Afat, an association of reformed poachers in Manas who are now engaged in wildlife conservation and preservation.

The National park which is also a tiger and rhino reserve covers five districts of Assam -- Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang, Udalguri and Barpeta.

Residents of fringe villages that dot the National Park are all set to give the tourists an experience of a lifetime by offering them a peek into their rural lives.

Saumar.J. Sharma of the Indian Weavers` Association said: "We have trained about 32 households about maintenance of hygiene and the basics of the service industry. We trained them on managing home stays and serving the guests home made food.

"When the locals start keeping guests in their home stays, it will not only provide then with an alternative livelihood but also direct market linkages to showcase and sell their products.

"Normally in Assam, the tourist season is for six months (April to November). However, with these initiatives, the locals can host interested travellers during the off season or all through the year."

On Saturday, there will be a session of celebrity cooking with renowned chef Gautam Mehrishi and food blogger Kalyan Karmakar.

Musician Joi Baruah is slated to perform on Saturday night.

The itinerary of the festival include village tours, exposition of local handicraft and handloom, cultural showa, local folk music and tasting of local cuisines and delicacies.

 

2. Uttar Pradesh Government launches Ganga Hariteema Yojana.

In Uttar Pradesh Ganga Hariteema Yojana (Ganga Greenery scheme) is being launched today in 27 districts of the state located on the bank of river Ganga.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will launch the scheme at Allahabad in a function organised on the bank of Sangam the confluence of rivers of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati.

1. As per information received, objectives of the schemes include enhancing green cover in the catchment areas of the river Ganga and to control the land erosion.

2. Plantation will be carried out in one-kilometre areas from the banks of river under the scheme.

3. General people will also will be encouraged for plantation on their private lands under One Person One Tree slogan.

4. A high power committee under chairmanship of Chief Minister has been set up to monitor the implementation of the scheme.

5. Seven state government departments has been engaged for implementation of the schemes and a committee has been set up under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary Rajeev Kumar to look after the contribution of different departments.

6. The scheme will be carried out by September 16 Ozone Day of this year.

7. Department of Forest has been nominated as nodal department for the scheme

 

3. Eight Theatre Olympics concludes in Mumbai.

The historic event of 8th Theatre Olympics concluded on April 9, 2018 in Mumbai after a glorious run of 51 days across 17 cities of India. Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra Chief Minister, was the Chief Guest at the closing ceremony. 

Over 400 artists from various parts of the country took part at the closing ceremony.

Guests of Honour 

Union Minister of State of Ministry of Culture Mahesh Sharma and eminent theatre and film personality Nana Patekar were Guests of Honour at the closing ceremony of the event. 

The closing ceremony also saw the gracious presence of Ratan Thiyam, the Artistic Director of 8th Theatre Olympics; Arjun DeoCharan, Acting Chairman of National School of Drama Society; Theodoros Terzopoulos, Chairman of the International Committee of Theatre Olympics and film personality Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

1. National Maritime Day is celebrated on 5th April.

April 5 is celebrated as the National Maritime Day in India every year. It was on this day 99 years ago in 1919 when the country`s navigation history set sail with SS Loyalty, the first ship of the Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd started for the United Kingdom from Mumbai (then British Bombay). It marked a red letter day in the maritime history of India, a country known for its seafaring abilities since ancient days.

The day is being observed since 1964.In 2018, the theme of the occasion is `Indian Shipping - An Ocean of opportunity`. On this day, awareness in supporting safe and environmentally sound commerce between continents across the world is stressed upon.

An award called Varuna is conferred to those who have made an outstanding contribution to the Indian maritime sector on this day. Besides, those who have made distinguished achievements or made contributions to education and training in the sector are also awarded on the day.

2. Sahyog- Hyeoblyeog 2018: Indian, Korean Coast Guards Hold Joint Exercise.

hennai, Apr 5 (PTI) Korean Coast Guard ship BADARO took part in Indo-Korean joint anti-piracy, search and rescue exercise SAHYOG-HYEOBLYEOG 2018 off the Chennai coast today.

Along with the Korean ship, Indian Coast Guard ships and an aircraft took part in the exercise.

As part of the exercise, ships of the Indian Coast Guard and the Korean vessel undertook tactical manoeuvres and "drills" to counter piracy and carry out maritime law enforcement tasks off Chennai coast, an official release said.

It said, the exercise demonstrated a scenario in which RECAAP -- a focal point in Korea -- reported loss of communication with cargo vessel South Korean flag -- MV Hyun Tau and it was indicated that the vessel has been hijacked by pirates.

Subsequently Korean Coast Guard ship Badaro in Bay of Bengal were alerted.

Indian Coast Guard deployed a Dornier aircraft to carry out sea-air coordinated search along with ICG Shaurya, Rani Abbakka, C-423, C-431, the release said.

Director General of Indian Coast Guard Rajendra Singh and Commissioner of Korean Coast Guard General Park Kyung reviewed the exercise.

"With the conduct of the exercise, Coast Guard has reaffirmed its dependability for maritime security," the release said. PTI VIJ NSD NSD

3. Ninth India Japan US trilateral meeting held in New Delhi.
In a veiled message to China on Wednesday, India, Japan and the United States held trilateral talks in New Delhi and resolved to work towards a “free, open, prosperous, peaceful and inclusive Indo-Pacific region” as well as strengthen maritime security. The talks were held at the “Joint Secretary/Director General/Assistant Secretary level”.

In a  joint press statement, the two sides resolved to “enhance cooperation in the areas of connectivity and infrastructure development; counter-proliferation; counter-terrorism; maritime security, maritime domain awareness and Humanitarian Assistance-Disaster Relief (HA-DR)”. The three countries also agreed “to strengthen cooperation in support of a free, open, prosperous, peaceful and inclusive Indo-Pacific region through partnership with countries in the region”.

In a statement, the three countries said, “India, Japan and the United States held the 9th Trilateral Meeting at Joint Secretary/Director General/Assistant Secretary level in New Delhi on 4 April 2018 to hold consultations on regional and global issues of mutual interest. In accordance with the directions received from their Foreign Ministers, who met in New York on 18 September 2017 on the margins of UNGA, the officials explored practical steps to enhance cooperation ... .”

The joint press statement added, “The officials reviewed the outcomes of the Trilateral Infrastructure Working Group that met in Washington in February and agreed to continue to collaborate to promote increased connectivity in the Indo-Pacific.”

India, Japan, the US and Australia have already held consultations ahead of the proposed formation of a “quadrilateral” in the Indo-Pacific region to strengthen maritime cooperation. Observers have viewed the move as one that will counter Chinese military dominance in the region. Of the four countries, Japan and Australia are allies of the US while India and the US have considerably strengthened their strategic partnership in the past few years.

While the US and allies always used the term “Asia-Pacific” for the maritime region, this has been replaced now with the term “Indo-Pacific”, highlighting the importance given to India in the region. 

4. India and Azerbaijan signed two agreements.

The 2nd Session of the India – Azerbaijan Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade (IGC), Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation was held in Baku, was co-chaired by Mr.Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Minister of State for Commerce & Industry, Government of India and Mr.Huseyngulu Baghirov, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Republic of Azerbaijan. Shri Scindia stressed necessity of establishing the International North-South transport corridor (INSTC) to improve the connectivity problems between the two nations and called for joint efforts towards identifying issues and impediments in the smooth functioning of the Corridor. The Minister added that the development would lead to saving in transportation costs and time. He also advocated early finalization of a Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) and the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) between the two countries to encourage investment flows and elevate investor’s confidence. A Protocol signed at the end of the meeting identified key areas of cooperation such as pharmaceuticals, energy, transport, agriculture and IT sectors and also suggested steps to overcome the existing barriers. It also recommended specific measures like finalisation and implementation of agreements to give a legal basis and provide comfort to the economic and financial relationship. 

 Shri Scindia emphasized the need to establish closer institutional linkages between investment promotion agencies in Azerbaijan and India in order to promote two way investment which is currently is at a modest level. He specifically enumerated the sectors, such as, Petroleum, Information Technology, Food Processing, Pharmaceuticals, as having the maximum potential. 

5. Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli accorded ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli who is on a three-day visit to India, received a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan today. The Nepal prime minister arrived in Delhi yesterday and was received at the airport by Home Minister Rajnath Singh. He later met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his official official residence. The two leaders today gave a joint press statement where they spoke about strengthening ties and implementation of all connectivity projects. This is Nepal PM Oli`s first visit to the country after he took charge as the prime minister for the second term in February. On the third day of his visit, which is tomorrow the Nepalese premier will visit the GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Pantnagar, Uttarakhand.

6. Qatar allows women to join national service amidst intensified diplomatic blockade by Arab quartet.

Amidst intensified diplomatic blockade by Arab quartet, Qatar has taken a huge step of introducing women to join national service and also extended the time served in the military by conscripted men.

The Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Thursday signed a legislation that said, "Women aged over 18 will be able to volunteer for national service while men will now serve a year instead of three months." The new law came into effect on the immediate basis.

The state-run News Agency of Qatar said, "National service for females is voluntary," adding that every Qatari male between 18 and 35 is required to perform a compulsory military service. However, it is the first time in Qatar that women had been allowed to undertake national service, although some women already serve in the military in administrative roles.

Notably, the development comes after the economic and financial impact on Qatar put by Arab quartet including United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt led blockade is fading slowly. Since the beginning of the diplomatic crisis, Qatar has signed several military contracts with countries including the United States, France, Italy and Britain. A few days earlier, Qatar decided to buy 12 more Rafale fighter jets with an aim to boost and strengthen its defence sector.

In the month of June last year, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt and several other nations cut ties with Qatar and imposed stringent economic sanctions on it over supporting extremism. On the other side, Qatar denied all their allegations saying that they never supported Islamist militants and Shi`ite Iran.

 Later, Saudi and its allies issued a 13-point list of demands to end the rift on June 22 and gave Qatar 10 days to comply. However, earlier Qatar rejected to fulfill the demands. The controversial Qatar World Cup will take place Nov. 21-Dec. 18 in 2022.

7. India is Third Most Vulnerable Country To Cyber Threats.

India is the third-most vulnerable country in terms of cyber threat risks including malware, spam, ransomware and one of the most recent and difficult-to-detect ones - cryptominers, according to a report.

About 5.09% global threats were detected in India in 2017 as compared to 5.11% in 2016, according to ‘Internet Security Threat Report’ released on Wednesday by Symantec. The US was was most vulnerable to attacks at 26.61% followed by China at 10.95%.

These rankings are based on eight parameters – malware, spam, phishing, bots, network attacks, web attacks, ransomware and cryptominers.

India continues to be second-most impacted by spam and bots and third-most impacted by network attacks and fourth-most impacted by ransomware. With the threat landscape becoming more diverse, attackers are working harder to discover new avenues of attack and cover their tracks, according to the report.

“From the sudden spread of WannaCry and Petya/NotPetya, to the swift growth in coinminers, 2017 provided us with another reminder that digital security threats can come from new and unexpected sources,” the report said.

Cryptojacking has captured the top slot at the attacker toolkit, which signals a massive threat to cyber and personal security. Cryptojacking is defined as the secret use of a computing device to mine cryptocurrency.

The detection of coinminers on end-point computers has increased by a whopping 8,500% in 2017.  

In terms of cryptomining activities, India has ranked second in Asia-Pacific and Japan region (APJ), and ninth globally.

 “Cryptojacking is a rising threat to cyber and personal security. “The massive profit incentive puts people, devices and organisations at risk of unauthorised coinminers siphoning resources from their systems, further motivating criminals to infiltrate everything from home PCs to giant data centers,” Tarun Kaura, director, enterprise security product management, APJ at Symantec said.

8. Uttarakhand second Mega Food Park inaugurated at Udham Singh Nagar.

Union Food Processing Industries Minister Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal will inaugurate the second Mega Food Park in Uttarakhand at Mahuakhera Ganj in Kashipur in Udham Singh Nagar district on Sunday ie 8th April 2018.  The food park is being set up at a cost of Rs 99.96 crore and will benefit around 25,000 farmers in this as well as neighboring districts.

The mega food park– M/s Himalayan Mega Food Park Private Ltd, which is being set up in an area of 50.14 acres, would have a central processing center as well as well as three Primary Processing Centers (PPCs) at Ram Nagar, Ramgarh and Kaladungi. The park would also have facilities for primary processing and storage near the farms. The park would not only benefit farmers of Udham Singh Nagar but also those of nearby districts of Nainital, Garhwal, Almora and Champawat. The first Mega Food Park in the state located at Haridwar has already become operational.

The facilities being created at Central Processing Centre (CPC) of this Mega Food Park include Multi-Purpose Cold Storage of 1,250 MT, Aseptic Brick Filling Line of 7,500 pack per hour, Dry Warehouse of 6,000 MT, Fruit & Vegetable Processing Line [input capacity 7 MT/Hr for Tomato Paste, 8 MT/Hr for Apple, 10 MT/Hr. for Carrot, 5 MT/Hr. for fruit pulp, Quality Control & Food Testing Lab and other related food processing facilities.

The mega food park would leverage an additional investment of about Rs. 250 crores in 25-30 food processing units in the park and would eventually lead to a turnover of about Rs. 450-500 crore annually and also provide direct and indirect employment to 5,000 persons and benefit about 25,000 farmers in the CPC and PPC catchment areas.

9. Singapore and China Signed MoU Along Belt And Road Initiative.

On Sunday, April 8, Singapore and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Beijing to deepen their partnership on the Belt and Road Initiative. This initiative further strengthens Singapore’s participation in the infrastructure projects developed by Chinese companies. 

This is in stark contrast to the strained Singapore-Sino relationships when Terrex were detained in Hong Kong and Singapore opposed to the Chinese territorial claims in South China Sea two years ago.

Time heals all wounds

Based on the MOU, a governmental working group will be formed for the purpose of deeper collaboration from firms from Singapore and China for Belt and Road Initiative projects in other countries. The governments also plan on working together with financial institutions in both countries for aid with funding and consultation. 

On China’s side, National Development and Reform Commission vice chairman  Zhang Yong was the signatory for the MOU, while National Development Minister Lawrence Wong signed the memorandum for Singapore. The signing in Beijing was attended by the Premier of China, Li Keqiang, and the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong.

10. Transgenders To Be Recognised As Independent Gender Category In PAN Form.

The government has amended Income Tax rules that will now allow transgenders to be recognised as an independent category of applicants for obtaining a Permanent Account Number (PAN).

As per a notification issued by the finance ministry on Monday, the Income Tax rules, 1962, have been amended to include ‘Transgender’ in the gender column of forms 49A and 49AA.

The new rules, called Income Tax (Fourth Amendment) Rules, 2018, shall come into force on the date of their publication in the official gazette.

Four years ago, the Supreme Court had passed the landmark National Legal Services Authority versus Union of India judgment, which guaranteed equal social and legal status to the transgender community, and recognised the right of citizens to self-identify their gender. The apex court also directed the state and central governments to ensure that the transgender population has access to all schemes and entitlements to bring them at par with other citizens.

However, as the Hindustan Times reported on March 1, the Department of Revenue’s Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), which looks after PAN card-related matters, including filing of Income Tax, had not introduced a transgender column in PAN application forms. As a result, several transgender persons were forced to choose either ‘male’ or ‘female’ — a gender they do not identify with.

The mismatch of gender identity on Aadhaar and PAN cards also made it difficult for transgender individuals to open bank accounts, transfer large sums of money and register companies.

11. Indian Consortium And Saudi Aramco Sign MoU For Refinery In Maharashtra.

Top executives of Aramco and India`s Ratnagiri Refinery & Petrochemicals signed a memorandum of understanding to take equal stakes in the project in Maharashtra.

Saudi Aramco on Wednesday signed an initial deal with a consortium of Indian refiners to build a $44 billion refinery and petrochemical project on India`s west coast, as the kingdom moves to secure buyers for its crude in a market awash with oil.

Top executives of Aramco and India`s Ratnagiri Refinery & Petrochemicals — a joint venture of Indian Oil Corp, Hindustan Petroleum Corp and Bharat Petroleum Corp — signed a memorandum of understanding to take equal stakes in the project in Maharashtra.

The project includes a 1.2-million-barrels-per-day (bpd) refinery integrated with petrochemical facilities with a total capacity of 18 million tonnes per year, the officials said on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum.

Aramco, the world`s biggest oil producer, is expanding its footprint globally by signing new downstream deals and boosting the capacity of its existing plants ahead of an initial public offering that is expected later this or next year.

Days earlier, state oil giant Aramco sealed refining and petrochemicals deals worth about $20 billion in France and the United States.

12. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Inaugurates Dr Ambedkar National Memorial.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate Dr Ambedkar National Memorial at Alipur Road in Delhi  on the eve of Babasaheb Ambedkar`s birth anniversary; The open constitution book shaped memorial built at a cost of 100 crore rupees is an amalgamation of Modern and Buddhist architecture.

A promise made, a promise kept. 26 Alipur Road the home where Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar breathed his last is also known as Mahaparinirvana Bhoomi. This building is an amalgamation of modern and Buddhist architecture.

In keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s vision, 5 landmarks related to various aspects of Babasaheb`s life are being developed as "Panchteerth". Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate this Memorial on Friday.

Designed to look like the Constitution, the memorial has been built at a cost of Rs 100 crores and is spread over nearly 2 acres.

Musical fountains, a replica of the Ashoka pillar at Sarnath and a 12 foot high bronze statue are some of the highlights of this complex.

The first floor houses high quality displays related to Babasaheb`s life. The lower level of the two-storied building has an exhibition gallery, where days spent by Ambedkar on the premises have been illustrated. His last days and journey have also been captured vividly.

There are also virtual reality displays of Babasaheb giving finishing touches to the Constitution of India.

And this unique interactive table is a delight for Constitution lovers. It is full of information on Baba Saheb and the Indian Constitution.

The Memorial also has a meditation hall with a Marble statue of Mahatma Buddha. The stone used is from Vietnam.

14th April Babasaheb`s birth anniversary is celebrated as Ambedkar Jayanti. And just a day ahead of it, Prime Minister Modi will be pay his tributes to this monumental leader in a truly unique way.