11) National Disaster Plan for Animals.
- The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries has prepared and launched Disaster Management Plan (DMP) for protecting animals and preventing and mitigating loss of livestock resources during various disasters.
DMP is divided into three parts:
(a) Pre-disaster preparedness,
(b) Disaster response and
(c) Post-Disaster Plan
- DMP aims to supplement the efforts of States/UTs in managing disasters and lays down the broad guidelines for management of animal during disasters like drought, floods, cyclones, earthquakes and other man-made disasters etc. in the states/UTs.
12) Setting up of Ripening Chambers for the Benefit of Farmers and Entrepreneurs.
- Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (DAC & FW) is implementing Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) for holistic development of horticulture in the country including creation of post harvest management infrastructure to reduce losses of perishable horticulture produce.
- Post harvest management component includes establishment of setting up of pack house, pre-cooling, primary processing, cold chain, refrigerated transport, ripening chambers etc.
- State Horticulture Missions are organizing regular training programmes and workshops on Post-harvest Management (PHM) including ripening chambers for the benefit of farmers and entrepreneurs.
- Govt releases Rs. 100 crore towards co-contribution in APY.
13) Government has released Rs. 100 crore towards its co-contribution for Atal Pension Yojana (APY) for 2015-16.
- Under the scheme, individuals who have registered before March 31, 2016, will get a co-contribution from the government, which will be 50 per cent of the subscriber contribution up to a maximum of Rs. 1,000. The co-contribution will be for 5 years from 2015-16 to 2019-20.
- Government`s co-contribution is payable only when accounts are regular and the admissible co-contribution is paid into the savings bank account of the subscribers.
14) Centre released Rs. 28,000 crore under MGNREGA this year.
- The Centre has released Rs. 28,000 crore to states under MGNREGA to clear the last year`s liabilities and for running the programme in the ongoing year.
- Under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), funds are released to the states on the basis of agreed to labour budget and performance of the states.
- MNREGA provides a supplementary means of livelihood for the rural people, primarily during the lean periods and is not a substitute for all other employment opportunities.
15) Parliament passes Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill, 2016.
- Rajya Sabha passed a bill providing for setting up a regional centre for Biotechnology, which will act as a mentor institution and focus on training of skilled manpower as well as work on research and development.
- The bill provides for establishing a regional biotechnology centre that will work on education, training and research, under the auspices of United Na the National Capital Region and declare it to be an institution of national importance.tions Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in
16) Government sets incubation cell for export start-ups.
- The government set up an incubation cell at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) to provide support to export start-ups.
- The cell would enable young entrepreneurs to get all the expert advice and technical guidance at one point.
- The cell has been designed to provide export start-ups with necessary hand holding support towards expanding their existing domestic business to foreign markets.
- The initiative is named as - KITTES (Knowledge for Innovation in Trade and Technology for Entrepreneurial Start-ups). It is dedicated to startups in the domain of international business.
- Incubation cell will be supported by an advisory body consisting of industrialists, venture capitalists, technical specialists and managers established to help entrepreneurs through a range of infrastructure, business advisory, mentoring and financial services.
17) Blue Revolution: Odisha aims to create 400 hectares new water area.
- The state government has planned to create 400 hectares of new water area in private land. The government has also made a provision to provide 50 per cent subsidy assistance to fish farmers for increasing of the inland fish production to meet the demand of the state and generate income of farmers.
- This project proposal submitted by Fisheries and Animal Resources Development (FARD) Department was approved in a state-level sanctioning committee of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).
18) Netherlands-UP signs agreement for setting up skill development centre for farmers.
- The Netherlands and Uttar Pradesh signed a MoU to set up a skill development centre to help farmers.
- Farmers would get information of not only food processing but also of how modern techniques can be also used for better produce of sugarcane, potato, dairy development and flowers.
- According to the MoU, Netherlands would assist Uttar Pradesh in solid waste management, urban development and infrastructure, water management, water supply, cleanliness of water resources, sewage treatment, transport management and revival of water bodies.
19) Cabinet approves amendment in the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) amendment Bill.
- Cabinet approves a MoU signed between India and the Swiss Confederation for cooperation in skill development.
- Cabinet approves establishment of new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences at Gorakhpur.
- Cabinet approves signing of Air Services Agreement between India and Mozambique.
- Cabinet approves procurement of Control Units, Ballot Units and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail Units during the years 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19.
- Cabinet approves India and Tunisia for strengthening bilateral cooperation in the field of Information and Communications Technology and Digital Economy.
- Cabinet approves the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2016.
- Cabinet approves Neyveli Lignite Corporation’s proposal for installation of 1980 MW coal based thermal power project at Ghatampur in Uttar Pradesh.
- Cabinet approves proposal of M/s. Ambuja Cements Limited for acquisition of 24% shares in its holding company-Holcim (India) Private Limited.
- Cabinet approves construction of a New Dry Dock of Cochin Shipyard Limited.
20) Government Approved for setting up of IT/ITES SEZs.
- Government has approved the proposal for setting up of IT/ITES Special Economic Zones in many parts of the Country. As on date, the Board of Approval (BoA) has approved 259 proposals for setting up of SEZ relating to Information Technology/ Information Technology Enabled Services (IT/ITES)/ Electronic Hardware sectors SEZs in many parts of the Country.
21) Bill introduced in Lok Sabha to bring 6 new IITs, ISM.
- A bill introduced in the Lok Sabha which aims at bringing the six new IITs as well as the Indian School of Mines (ISM), Dhanbad under the ambit of the IIT Act.
- These institutes need to be brought within the ambit of the aforesaid Act for the purpose of declaring them as institutions of national importance.
- The bill also aims at declaring ISM Dhanbad as an institute of national importance, integrate it with the IIT system and it would be called IIT (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad.
- The new IITs which the bill intends to incorporate in the system are IIT Tirupati, IIT Palakkad, IIT Goa, IIT Dharwar, IIT Bhilai and IIT Jammu.
22) Approval for Second Unit of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Station.
- The second unit of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP-2) attained after accord of regulatory and statutory clearances. This will be followed by various tests, connection to the grid and rising of power in steps to full power in line with the stage-wise clearances of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).
- The compliance certificates from Ministry of Environment and Forest and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board are issued for the plant.
- The capacity of KKNPP Unit-2 on full power operation would be 1000 MW. Electricity generated by central sector generating stations is allocated to the beneficiary states and union territories in the electricity region by the Ministry of Power.
23) Strategic Partnership for Skill Development in Aviation Sector.
- Airports Authority of India has entered into a strategic partnership for skill development in the aviation sector. AAI has already imparted skills training to 1000 youth in partnership with the Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC) and released funds to CIDC based on the progress of the project and placement offers to the candidates.
- Priority for job opportunity has been given while finalizing the partnership. NSDC, the Implementation organization has been advised to carry out market survey so as to ensure employment opportunity to at least 70% of the trained candidates.
24) ECI launched National Electoral Roll Purification 2016.
- The Election Commission of India (ECI) gives importance to enrolment of all eligible citizens and to assist electors to reach and cast their votes in a hassle free way by establishing Polling stations (PSs) at a conveniently located building. ``No voter to be left behind`` is the motto of ECI for year 2016.
- National Electoral Roll Purification (NERP) programme has been launched this week across the country with intensive verification by the Commissions’ field functionaries and stakeholders interaction, to enhance the purity and fidelity of Electoral Rolls (ERs) and to standardization of PS for electors convenience and facilitate electors reach his PS with ease.
25) Odisha to Set up Judicial Commission to Reform Jagannath temple.
- The people of Odisha over breaking of age-old traditions in Lord Jagannath Temple at Puri, the state government announced that a judicial commission will be set up to bring reforms in the management of the 12th century shrine.
- Stating that former administrator of Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Mohinimohan Tripathy would assist the commission to deal with six subjects.
- The subjects on which the judicial commission would deal would include security arrangement of the temple, proper management of the Lord`s rituals, devotees` amenities, training and amenities for the family members of servitors, propaganda of Jagannath cult and whatever the commission deems to be required for the best management of the Temple.
26) Green nod for Odisha power project.
- A State green panel has given first-stage clearance to Orissa Integrated Power Ltd (OIPL) for diverting 17.02 hectares of revenue forestland to set up a 4,000 MW in Sundargarh district in Odisha at a cost of Rs. 29,000 crore.
- The ultra mega power project (UMPP) requires a total of 1,302.36 hectares, Regional Empowered Committee (REC), the proposal of the Orissa Integrated Power Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of State-run Power Finance Corporation of India.
27) NDMC signs MoU with NEERI to develop sewage treatment plants.
- Develop green areas and revamp big and small parks under its jurisdiction, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) have signed an agreement with National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to develop 12 sewage treatment plants (STP).
- The council has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the agency that has an expertise in the field and the project will help increase the green cover in NDMC areas and curb dust pollution.
- There are 200 small parks in several colonies under NDMC and five big parks including Lodhi Garden, Nehru Park, and Sanjay Jheel, where the footfall is huge.