NATIONAL NOVEMBER 2017

NATIONAL NOVEMBER 2017

• Parliamentary panel to examine operational preparedness of armed forces
   A parliamentary panel will examine the operational preparedness of the armed forces and review the accidents involving strategic defence assets. 
  
  The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, headed by BJP MP B C Khanduri, will also assess the procurement policy relating to defence equipment. 
  
  According to a Lok Sabha bulletin the issue of preparedness of the armed forces is likely to be discussed in the next meeting of the panel
  
  The committee has also decided to "critically review" the accidents involving strategic defence assets and look into the quality of ration given to the forces especially in border areas. 
  
• Apex court to set up Constitution Bench to hear pleas against Aadhaar
  The Supreme Court has said, a constitution bench will be set up to hear a clutch of petitions challenging the Centre's decision to make Aadhaar mandatory for availing various services and government welfare schemes. A bench, comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said that the larger bench will commence hearing on these petitions in the last week of November this year. 
  
  Recently, a nine-judge Constitution bench had held that the Right to Privacy was a Fundamental Right under the Constitution. Several petitioners challenging the validity of Aadhaar had raised the issue that the scheme was violative of privacy rights. 
  
• Govt should ratify UN convention for extraditing criminals from foreign countries: Law Commission
  The Law Commission has said the government should ratify a UN convention to tide over difficulties in extraditing criminals from foreign countries due to the absence of a law preventing harsh treatment by authorities. 
  
  It also said that a bill should be introduced in Parliament to amend various laws to prevent torture by government officials, in case the government decides to ratify the UN convention on torture and other inhuman treatment. 
  
  The draft 'Prevention of Torture Bill, 2017' proposes "stringent punishment" to perpetrators to curb the menace of torture and to have a deterrent effect on acts of torture. The punishment could extend up to life imprisonment and include a fine. 
  
  The report submitted to the law ministry said the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 require amendments to accommodate provisions regarding compensation and burden of proof. 
  
  It recommended an amendment to section 357B to incorporate payment of compensation, in addition to the payment of fine provided in the Indian Penal. 
  
  The report also said, an effective mechanism must be put in place to protect victims of torture, complainants and witnesses against possible threats, violence or ill treatment. 
  
  The Commission recommended the State own the responsibility for injuries caused by its agents on citizens. In July this year, the Centre had asked the panel to examine the issue of ratifying the convention after a writ petition was filed in a court. 
  
• India tops list of new tuberculosis cases in 2016
  India has topped the list of seven countries, accounting for 64 per cent of the over 10 million new tuberculosis (TB) cases worldwide last year. 
  
  According to the Global TB Report 2017 released by WHO, India was followed by Indonesia, China, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria and South Africa. 
  
  The report said, an estimated 1.7 million people died from TB last year, including nearly 4 lakh people who were co-infected with HIV, recording a drop by 4 per cent as compared to 2015. 
  
  It also said, India along with China and Russia accounted for almost half of around 5 lakh multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases registered in 2016. 
  
• Supreme Court favours setting up special courts to deal with criminal cases involving politicians
  The Supreme Court on 1st November favoured creation of special courts to exclusively deal with criminal cases involving politicians and their speedy disposal, saying such a move would be in the interest of the nation. 
  
  Hearing a bunch of petitions, the apex court directed the Centre to place before it a scheme in this regard within six weeks. 
  
  It asked the Centre about the 1,581 cases involving MPs and MLAs, as declared by the politicians at the time of filing of their nominations during the 2014 elections, and the details of how many of them have been disposed of within one year as per its directions passed in 2014. 
  
  A bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Navin Sinha made the remarks after the Centre said decriminalisation of politics has to be done. 
  
  Additional Solicitor General Atmaram Nadkarni, representing the Centre, told the bench that the government is not averse to setting up of special courts for quick and early disposal of criminal cases involving politicians. 
  
  He said, recommendations of the Election Commission of India and the Law Commission favouring life-time disqualification of politicians convicted in criminal cases was under the active consideration of the Centre. 
  
  The bench directed the Centre to place before it the scheme for setting up of such special courts and also indicate the amount of funds that could be earmarked for the purpose. 
  
  The apex court asked the government to place these details before it within six weeks and fixed the matter for hearing on December 13. 
  
  The top court was hearing petitions seeking to declare the provisions of the Representation of People (RP) Act, which bar convicted politicians from contesting elections for six years after serving jail term, as ultra vires to the Constitution. 
  
• Delhi government needs Lieutenant Governor's nod, observes Supreme Court
  The Supreme Court 2nd November observed that the Delhi government requires the Lieutenant Governor's nod to govern the national capital. The court indicated that the Lieutenant Governor did appear to have the last word according to the constitution and the elected government would have to operate within this framework. The court however said, the city's administrative head also cannot sit on files beyond a reasonable period. 
  
  The observations came on a petition by the AAP government against a court verdict that held the Lieutenant Governor was the national capital's boss. 
  
  The five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, and consisting of Justices A K Sikri, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan said, law is very clear at present that LG partially enjoys delegated powers of President and partially he has to work in aid and advice of council of ministers. If there is a difference of opinion, then he may refer the matter to the President for early resolution. 
  
  The AAP government had in February told the Supreme Court that it has exclusive executive powers on matters within the ambit of the Legislative Assembly and neither the Centre nor the President or the Lieutenant Governor can encroach upon these. 
  
  It had said that the constitution has given a face and identity to a government in Delhi with Article 239AA and the executive decisions taken and implemented by it cannot be reversed by the Lieutenant Governor.The matter will next be heard on 7th November. 
  
• Border Roads Organisation builds world’s highest motorable road in Ladakh
  In a major feat, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has constructed the world’s highest motorable road in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, passing through Umlingla Top at a height of over 19,300 feet. The feat was achieved under Project Himank of the organisation. 
  
  Being close to Hanle, the 86km long strategic road connects Chisumle and Demchok villages, located 230 Kms from Leh. These villages are very near from the Indo-China border in eastern sector. 
  
• Tribal farmers in Rajasthan take pledge to preserve indigenous practices
  Hundreds of farmers from the tribal belt of southern Rajasthan took a pledge to preserve their indigenous agricultural practices and stop using chemical fertilisers and pesticides in their fields at a massive “tribal conclave” organised in Banswara earlier this week. The event laid focus on sustainable farming through rain-fed agriculture and safeguarding of forest, land and seeds. 
  
  The conclave was held at the historic Tripura Sundari temple in Umrai village of Banswara district to consolidate the findings of a fortnight-long Janjatiya Kisan Swaraj Yatra taken out as an outreach tour in the Vagad region, comprising Banswara and Dungarpur districts, last month. Farmers taking part in the yatra, which covered 101 villages, claimed their inalienable right on natural resources. 
  
  Tribal farmers addressing the conclave threw light on their struggle for self-reliance by applying their indigenous knowledge to agricultural practices in order to reap their benefits. The samples of soil, seeds and water from different tribal areas and the local produces, including fruits and vegetables, especially attracted the participants. 
  
  The nutritional value of vegetables such as rajan, dhimada, jhumka, arri and ragi, grown in the Vagad region, was highlighted on the occasion through their display, while the farmers were asked to make use of minor foograins such as kuri, kodra, bati, baota, kang, cheena, hama, hamli and gujro, which are on the verge of extinction. 
  
  The main organisers of the yatra and the conclave were Banswara-based Vaagdhara group and the Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture (RRA) Network. Vaagdhara secretary Jayesh Joshi said there was a need to promote the natural rain-fed agricultural techniques which could save the uncultivated nutritious food and make tribal farmers self-sufficient.

NATIONAL OCTOBER 2017

NATIONAL OCTOBER 2017

• Milk production over takes food grains 
  
  • According to the Central Statistics Office’s (CSO) detailed crop-wise estimates of the value of output from agriculture and allied sectors, the country’s farmers produced milk worth Rs 4,95,841 crore in 2014-15.
  • For the first time, the value of milk produced exceeded the total value of food grains (cereals plus pulses), which stood at Rs 4,86,846 crore, and was way above paddy at Rs 2,26,481 crore or wheat at Rs 1,28,998 crore, according to latest figures released this month.
  • In 1999-2000, the value of milk production, at Rs 88,092 crore, was not even two-thirds of cereals at Rs 1,34,096 crore, although it was more than that of paddy at Rs 70,416 crore and wheat at Rs 46,224 crore.
  • The CSO data reveals the value of fruits and vegetables production, too, crossing that of cereals; this again happened for the first time in 2014-15.
  • Between 1999-2000 and 2014-15, the value of horticultural produce has gone up more than five times.
  
  
• Supreme Court asks govt to take call on playing of national anthem in cinema halls
  The Supreme Court on 23rd October indicated that it may revise its order of December 1 last year making the playing of national anthem in cinema halls mandatory before screening of the movie. The court hinted that it may replace the word "shall" with "may". 
  
  A bench, comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud also said the Centre has to take a call in this matter. 
  
  The bench said this during the hearing when Attorney General K K Venugopal, appearing for the centre said the national anthem needs to be played in the cinema halls to bring in uniformity in this diverse country. The court's directions came on a PIL filed by Shyam Narayan Chouksey seeking directions that the national anthem should be played in all the cinema halls before a film begins. 
  
• INSV Tarini, with an all-women crew enter Fremantle Port in Australia
  Sailboat INSV Tarini, with an all-women crew, on 23rd October entered Fremantle Port in Australia during its maiden voyage to circumnavigate the globe. The Indian Navy said in a statement in New Delhi that this is the first-ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew. 
  
  The vessel is skippered by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi, and the crew comprises Lieutenant Commanders Pratibha Jamwal and P Swathi, and Lieutenants S Vijaya Devi, B Aishwarya and Payal Gupta. 
  
  Flagged off by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on September 10, the vessel has covered 4,800 nautical miles from Goa, crossing the Equator on September 17 and the Tropic of Capricorn on October 6.The vessel would return to Goa in April, 2018. 
  
• Bengal Govt to set up testing centres in collaboration with National Institute of Virology
  The West Bengal Government is going to set up centres for testing of viruses in collaboration with the National Institute of Virology, Pune. 
  
  The decision was taken after it was found that cases of acute encephalitis went down due to effective testing of the blood samples sent to national institutes like National Institute of Virology, Pune, but reports from which places take three to four days to reach hospitals in the state. 
  
  With the setting up of the centres here, the State Government will get reports of blood samples of affected persons within 24 hours. 
  
• Meghalaya Election department enters Limca Book of Records
  The Meghalaya Election department has entered the Limca Book of Records for the formation of a human logo by newly-enrolled young voters of Meghalaya on the 1st of July this year. 
  
  Limca official Garima Manon conveyed this in a message to the office of Meghalaya Chief Electoral Officer on 24th October. It will feature in the forthcoming edition of the Book. 
  
  A total of 2870 students from 113 schools, 3 colleges in the age group of 18 and 19 enrolled as new voters and formed 75 feet by 120 feet size human logo named You 'N' I. The logo formation was part of the launching of the statewide special drive to enrol left-out voters with a special focus on first-time electors. Election to the 10th Meghalaya Assembly is expected to be held in February-March, 2018. 
  
• Gujarat assembly elections on December 9 and 14
  Gujarat will go to polls in two phases on December 9th and 14th for 182 assembly seats. Announcing this Chief Election Commissioner A K Joti said 89 seats will go to polls in the first phase and the rest 93 in the second phase. 
  
  He said 4.33 crore electorates will exercise their right at 50128 polling stations. Notification for the first phase will be issued on 14th of November while 20th November will be the date of notification for the second phase. 
  
  Counting will be held on 18th December along with Himachal Pradesh, which goes to poll on 9th of next month. Mr Joti said EVMs with VVPAT will be used at all polling stations. He said 182 polling stations will be managed by women only. 
  
  Model code of conduct has come into force with immediate effect. The term of the Gujarat Assembly ends on 22nd January next year. 
  
• Odisha will be the ‘Focus State’ at World Food India-2017
  Odisha will be the ‘Focus State’ in the World Food India (WFI)-2017, the international food event to be held at New Delhi from 3 to 5 November 2017. More than 200 global companies from 30 countries would participate in the World Food India-2017. Odisha will be the ‘Focus State’ in the event. 
  
  Odisha would set up its own Pavilion with 12 stalls. It would showcase various processed food items of Odisha like spices, cashew, confectionary items, processed agro-food, and seafood. 
  
• President Ram Nath Kovind launches technocity project in Kerala
  Indian President Ram Nath Kovind launched the Technocity project in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala on 27th October. President, who is on a 2-day visit to the state, also laid the foundation stone of the first government building in the Technocity in Pallipuram. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that technocity project is expected to be completed by 2019. 
  
• Committee of two apex court judges to review orders of additional judges suitability
  The Supreme Court Collegium has decided that a committee of two apex court judges will evaluate the judgments of additional judges of high courts to decide their suitability to be made permanent. 
  
  The decision by the Collegium, led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, assumes significance as the government had recently urged the Collegium to have a relook at its decision to end the practice of evaluating the judicial performance of additional judges. 
  
  A candidate is first appointed as additional judge of a High Court. He or she serves a probationary period before being appointed a permanent judge. 
  
  On March 3, 2017, the Supreme Court Collegium had withdrawn a guideline issued in October 2010 by the then Chief Justice of India S.H. Kapadia for constitution of Judgment Committees by Chief Justices of High Courts for assessment/evaluation of judgments of Additional Judges of high courts for the purpose of determining their suitability for appointment as permanent judges. 
  
• Every writer has fundamental right to speak: Supreme Court
   The Supreme Court has refused to ban the controversial book Samajika Smugglurlu Komatollu penned by Kancha Ilaiah, saying every author has a fundamental right to voice ideas freely. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud junked a PIL filed by a lawyer seeking direction to the government to ban the book. 
  
  The apex court said, any request to ban a book has to be strictly scrutinised and curtailment of an individual writer or author's right to freedom of speech and expression should never be viewed lightly. The plea alleged that the writer had made baseless allegations against certain castes in his book and tried to divide the society on caste lines. 
  
  It said a criminal case had also been registered against him in Andhra Pradesh for hurting sentiments of people belonging to certain castes and urged the court to ban the book. 
  
• Centre transferred funds directly into gram panchayats accounts for the first time
  According to Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Nihal Chand, it was for the first time that the Centre had transferred funds directly into gram panchayats accounts, and prepared a five-year development plan of villages. 
  
  Every farmer should obtain "soil health card", which will carry crop-wise recommendations of nutrients and fertilisers required for the individual farms to help farmers to improve productivity through judicious use of inputs, he said. 
  
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates All India Institute of Ayurveda Sarita Vihar in New Delhi
  On the occasion of National Ayurveda Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) at Delhi’s Sarita Vihar on 17th October. 
  
  The first ever AIIA has been set up along the lines of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Build up as an apex institute under the ministry of AYUSH, the institution is expected to bring synergy between the traditional wisdom of Ayurveda and modern diagnostic tools and technology. 
  
• Footwear Design and Development Institute Act 2017 comes into force
  Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) declared an ‘Institute of National Importance’ under Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. The FDDI bill was passed by the Parliament in July 2017. The Provisions of FDDI Act 2017 have come into force. 
  
  Presently FDDI is imparting skill based graduate and postgraduate courses in the fields of footwear, leather goods, retail, and management to around 2,500 students across eight campuses spread over India. 
  
• PM Narendra Modi asks bureaucrats to speed up processes of governance
  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 17th October said silos are a "big bottleneck" in the functioning of the union government and asked bureaucrats to adopt innovative ways to break these to speed up various processes of governance. 
  
  He has asked the bureaucrats to work with dedication towards creation of New India by 2022. He conveyed the message during interactions with around 380 Directors and Deputy Secretaries working in various departments and ministries in the government of India. In the same vein, the prime minister said officers at the level of Director and Deputy Secretary must create teams, to achieve better results. 
  
• India among 5 nations that account for 50% of newborn deaths globally
  India is among the five countries – Pakistan, Nigeria, Congo and Ethiopia – that account for half of all newborn deaths in the world, according to a UN report. 
  
  The report, Levels and Trends in Child Mortality 2017, revealed that 5.6 million children died before reaching the age of five in 2016. 
  
  However, this is a marked decrease compared to 2000 when nearly 9.9 million children had died before turning five. 
  
  Despite the progress, neonatal deaths – defined as deaths during the first 28 days of life – accounted for 46 per cent or 7,000 every day. 
  
  Another 2.6 million babies were stillborn in 2016, the report said. 
  
  While India was accountable for 24 per cent of these newborn deaths, Pakistan accounted for 10 per cent, Nigeria 9 per cent, the Democratic Republic of Congo 4 per cent, and 3 per cent of the deaths occurred in Ethiopia. 
  
• Sushma Swaraj asks Indian mission to grant medical visa to Pakistan boy
  External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has directed the Indian High Commission in Islamabad to issue a visa to a Pakistani child for medical treatment in India. 
  
  The child's father had requested Mrs Swaraj to grant medical visa for treatment of Abdullah, saying he needed post-liver transplant evaluation in India. 
  
  The minister said that the treatment of the child must not suffer for want of medicine. 
  
  Ms Swaraj said, a medical visa has also been approved for a Pakistani woman, who wants to undergo liver surgery in India. 
  
• PM Modi lays foundation stone for slew of reconstruction projects in Kedarpuri
  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 20th October visited the Himalayan shrine of Kedarnath in Uttarakhand ahead of its closure for the next six months. Mr Modi laid the foundation stone for a slew of reconstruction projects in Kedarpuri, including renovation of Adi Guru Shankaracharya's tomb which was devastated in the flash floods. 
  
  The area surrounding the Kedarnath temple was destroyed in June 2013 after the Chorabari Glacier lake breached its embankment following heavy rain that caused flash floods in Mandakini river. 
  
• Union Government to organise Global Ayurveda meet in Kochi
  The State government will organize a four days International seminar and Global Ayurveda meet in Kochi on February 2018. 
  
  The main focus of this seminar will be showcasing Kerala’s achievements in health tourism, healthcare, and Ayurveda, she said after inaugurating the Ayurveda Day celebrations the other day. 
  
  The festival is being organised by the Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action in association with the State government. 
  
• Indian Railways to end VIP Culture
   The railway ministry has asked its senior staff to slug it out -- at home and at work -- as part of steps to end the VIP culture in India's national transporter. 
  
  The ministry has brought to an end a 36-year-old protocol where it was mandatory for general managers to be present on arrival and departure of the Railway Board chairman and other board members during zonal visits. 
  
  In an order on September 28, the ministry said that the guidelines regarding the protocol to be observed at airports and railway stations stand withdrawn with immediate effect. 
  
  Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani said no official will offer or receive bouquets and gifts at any time. Senior officials will also have to exercise restraint at home, he said. They will have to relieve the railway staff engaged as the domestic help at their homes. 
  
  Officials say that around 30,000 trackmen work at the homes of senior officials. They have been asked to resume duties. 
  
  Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has also asked senior officials to give up travelling in cosy saloons and executive class travel privileges and start travelling in Sleeper and AC Three-tier classes and mingle with passengers. These include members of the Railway Board, general managers of railway zones and divisional railway managers in each of the 50 divisions. 
  
• Remove ‘M’ from Aligarh Muslim University, ‘H’ from Banaras Hindu University, says UGC panel
  A Government audit of central universities has suggested that the words ‘Muslim’ and ‘Hindu’ be dropped from the names of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and Banaras Hindu University (BHU), respectively, to reflect their secular character. 
  
  The suggestion is contained in an audit of AMU by one of five committees set up by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on April 25 at the behest of the HRD Ministry to probe complaints of irregularities against 10 central universities. The AMU audit did not cover BHU but referred to the institution’s name in its report. 
  
  Apart from AMU, the institutions that were subjected to an “academic, research, financial and infrastructure audit” by the committees include: Pondicherry University, Allahabad University, Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University in Uttarakhand, Central University of Jharkhand, Central University of Rajasthan, Central University of Jammu, Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya in Wardha, University of Tripura and Hari Singh Gour University in Madhya Pradesh. 
  
  AMU and Pondicherry University were inspected by a committee comprising IIT-Madras professor Shripad Karmalkar, Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati University V-C Kailash Sodani, Guwahati University professor Mazhar Asif and IIM-Bangalore professor Sankarshan Basu. 
  
  The panel’s mandate was limited to infrastructure and its academic, research and financial operations in these universities. 
  
  In its audit of AMU, the committee suggested that the institution should either be called just ‘Aligarh University’ or be named after its founder, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. It cited the same reason to recommend that BHU’s name be amended, too. 
  
  According to panel members, who did not wish to be identified, the suggestion stems from the logic that AMU, being a centrally-funded university, is a secular institution. 
  
  The report has also flagged the culture of “inbreeding” in the university, in which a majority of faculty appointments are of its former students. The panel recommended a five-year gap for all ex-students before they can be recruited as teachers in AMU. 
  
  The audit said that the university’s tuition fee be increased to help raise more resources internally and the alumni representation on different AMU bodies, such as the university court, should be reduced. The report has raised concerns over complaints regarding teachers being promoted even when there are no vacant posts and asked UGC to look into such cases. 
  
• BJP wins 50 per cent gram panchayats in Maharashtra
  The Bharatiya Janata Party BJP on 9th October won around 50 per cent of the gram panchayats across Vidarbha, Marathwada, north Maharashtra and western Maharashtra. Results of 2,974 panchayats were declared on 9th October. While the BJP won 1,457 rural bodies, the Shiv Sena won 222, the Congress got 301 and the NCP won 194. The remaining sarpanch posts went to Independents and other outfits. 
  
  Elections for 3,131 gram panchayats across 16 districts were held on October 7 and 79 per cent votes were polled.
  
• Bihar cabinet approves reservation for Divyangs in govt jobs, educational institutions
  Bihar Government has approved reservations for persons with disabilities in government jobs and educational institutions. According to Special Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat Department Upendra Nath Pandey the State Cabinet gave its approval during a meeting presided by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Mr Pandey said the provision has been brought in accordance with the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. 
  
  The cabinet also approved establishment of a state advisory board for the empowerment of 'Divyangjan' as envisaged in the Act. Secretaries of various departments will serve as members of the board and it will also comprise representatives from districts. 
  
• Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister launches Indraprastha Gas Limited prepaid smart card
  Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on 11th October launched Indraprastha Gas Limited prepaid smart card in New Delhi for CNG consumers. 
  According to Mr Pradhan: 
  • The initiative is part of Digital India Campaign to take country forward with the help of technology.
  • Ministry is making every effort to use technology and methods to provide time saving and easily accessible customer service to consumers.
  • Distributed smart cards to some of the fleet as well as retail customers of IGL
  
  
• General Electric's first diesel loco arrives in India
  The first diesel-electric locomotive built by US conglomerate General Electric as part of a 2.5 billion US Dollars deal to supply 1,000 such engines to the Indian Railways has arrived in India. 
  
  The project, a joint venture between the Indian Railways and GE to supply and maintain modern diesel-electric locomotives of 4,500 Horse Power and 6,000 Horse Power to the public transporter, was announced in November 2015. GE clarified that the work on a diesel locomotive factory in Bihar's Marhowrah is on track. 
  
• Supreme Court asks Centre to strike a balance on Rohingya issue
  The Supreme Court on 13th October came close to ordering the government not to deport the Rohingya. It finally settled on merely observing that a balance should be struck between humanitarian concern for the community and the country's national security and economic interests. 
  
  The court was hearing a bunch of petitions, one filed by persons belonging to the community, against a proposed move to deport over 40,000 Rohingya refugees. 
  
  A three-judge Bench, led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, began by orally indicating that the government should not deport Rohingya “now”, but the government prevailed on the court to not pass any formal order, citing “international ramifications.” With this, the status quo continues even though the court gave the community the liberty to approach it in case of “any contingency.” 
  
  The court deferred the case to November 21 for detailed hearing. 
  
• Rajasthan Assembly to now get different motions from legislators online
  • Rajasthan Assembly will now get different motions from legislators online. Assembly Speaker Kailash Meghwal inaugurated the system in Vidhan Sabha Bhavan on 14th October.
  • Rajasthan Assembly has initiated a good practice to boost Digital India.
  • According to the Secretary of Rajasthan Assembly, Prithviraj from the upcoming session of the Assembly, the motion of attention, adjournment motion and other motions under different sections will be taken online.
  • The next session of assembly is beginning from 23 of this month.
  • Rajasthan Assembly is first assembly which has started getting and replying of the questions online.
  • It has saved time of legislators and government employees.
  
  
• President Ram Nath Kovind declares Urban Maharashtra as Open Defecation Free
   President, Ram Nath Kovind on 1st October said that a healthy and prosperous India will be built only on the foundations of a clean India. Mr Kovind said declaration of 'ODF' Urban Maharashtra is particularly relevant for the state as 49 per cent of Maharashtra’s people live in urban areas. 
  
• Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi inaugurates 3rd organic festival in Delhi
  Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi on 1st October inaugurated the 3rd annual Women of India Organic Festival at Dilli Haat in South Delhi. 
  
  The festival will be held till 15th of this month and it has on display India's most varied offerings of organic products ranging from food, personal care, home improvement, kitchen composters and solar products. 
  
  Mrs Gandhi emphasized the importance of going the organic way and organic food has been proven to contain far more vitamins, minerals and nutrients than similar foods produced with chemical fertilizers, pesticides and preservatives. 
  
  She said, now with the affordability factor coming into organic produce, concerted efforts should be made to promote this sustainable alternative and boosting the financial well-being of farmers as well as health of consumers. 
  
• Justice Rohini to head commission of sub categorization of OBCs
  Former Delhi High Court Chief Justice G. Rohini has been appointed by President of India as the head of Commission to examine the sub-categorisation of Other Backward Classes in exercise of the powers conferred by article 340 of the Constitution of India. 
  
  The composition of the Commission is: 
  • Chairperson -Justice (Retd.) G. Rohini
  • Member -Dr. J.K. Bajaj (iii) Member(Ex-officio)-Director, Anthropological Survey of India,
  • Member (Ex-officio)-Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India
  • Secretary of the Commission-Joint Secretary, Department of SJ&E, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
  
  
• President Ramnath Kovind declares Rural Gujarat as Open Defecation Free
  Indian President Ramnath Kovind has also declared the Rural Gujarat as ODF -Open Defecation Free- at a function held at Kirti Mandir in Porbandar. He has felicitated rural women for achieving ODF status for rural Gujarat. 
  
• Uttar Pradesh comes first in active gun licenses
  Uttar Pradesh is first on the list of States in the number of active gun licenses, with 12.77 lakh people authorised to carry weapons. Jammu and Kashmir comes second with 3.69 lakh people possessing arms licenses, show statistics released by the Home Ministry. 
  
  The country has 33,69,444 active gun licenses as on December 31, 2016. 
  
  Punjab, which witnessed terrorism in the 1980s and 1990s, has 3,59,349 active gun licences, most of which were issued during the two decades when militancy engulfed the State. 
  
  There are 2,47,130 active gun licenses in Madhya Pradesh, followed by Haryana where 1,41,926 people are authorized to carry weapons, it said. 
  
  Other States with a large number of licensed gun holders are Rajasthan (1,33,968 licenses), Karnataka (1,13,631), Maharashtra (84,050), Bihar (82,585), Himachal Pradesh (77,069), Uttarakhand (64,770), Gujarat (60,784) and West Bengal (60,525). 
  
  Delhi has 38,754 licensed gun holders, Nagaland 36,606, Arunachal Pradesh 34,394, Manipur 26,836, Tamil Nadu 22,532 and Odisha 20,588. 
  
  Assam has 19,283 active gun license holders, Meghalaya 18,688, Jharkhand 17,654, Mizoram 15,895 and Kerala 9,459, the figures show. 
  
  The lowest number of gun licenses is in small Union Territories such as Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, where 125 gun licenses each were issued
  
• Election Commission not fully ready yet for simultaneous polls 
  Simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies may not be possible in the near future even if legal requirements are met as the Election Commission of India will not be equipped with enough EVMs and VVPAT machines for the exercise anytime soon. The Election Commission had on 4th October said that it was “logistically equipped” by September 2018 to hold simultaneous polls. 
  
  The Election Commission had sent to the Ministry of Law and Justice on May 5, 2016, where it said that the commission would need at least 25 lakh VVPAT units for simultaneous polls. As per a procurement order placed this April, Election Commission will take possession of only 16 lakh such units by September 2018. “Even if the polls were to be conducted in 2019, the deficit cannot be met with in a few months as the manufacturers are working in full capacity now. 
  
• Centre sets study group to examine problems of people along IB, LOC
  The Centre has set up a study group to examine the problems being faced the people living near the International Border and the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir due to ever-present threat of cross-border firing from Pakistan. 
  
  The group will meet people living in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir, security forces deployed there, district administration officials and local public representatives and submit its report within two months. Special secretary in the home ministry Rina Mitra will head the team. 
  
  According to the home ministry, the competent authority has approved the constitution of a study group for considering various problems being faced by the people residing near IB and LoC in the wake of regular threats of cross-border firing. 
  
  Pakistan has violated the ceasefire more than 600 times so far this year, the highest in a decade, in which eight civilians and 16 security personnel were killed. 
  
  The study group would look into broadly three issues: demand for land for relocation in case of shelling, construction of more bunkers and compensation issues related to shelling. 
  
  The panel will prepare a detailed report on the issues being faced by the people living near the IB and the LoC and submit recommendations. 
  
  India shares a 3,323-km long border with Pakistan of which 221 km IB and 740 km LoC fall in Jammu and Kashmir. 
  
• Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao led to improvement in sex ratio at birth
  The government said, there has been an improvement in sex ratio at birth in 104 districts selected for the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme, which aims at checking female infanticide and educating the girl child. 
  
  According to the Secretary, Women and Child Development (WCD) Ministry, RK Shrivastava, out of the total 161 districts where the programme is being implemented, an increasing trend in Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) is visible in 104 districts. 
  
  The WCD ministry now plans to extend this programme to all the districts of the country with the focus on the 56 of the total 161 districts that have shown a decline in SRB. 
  
  The BBBP scheme is one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet projects and was launched by him in January, 2015 in Haryana's Panipat. It focuses on districts with the worst child sex ratio (CSR) as per the 2011 Census. 
  
• Draft Haj Policy proposes abolishing Haj Subsidy
  Abolishing subsidy for Haj pilgrims and allowing women above 45 to travel in a group of at least four without a male member are some of the key highlights of a proposed Haj policy drafted by a committee appointed by the Centre. 
  
  The proposed Haj Policy 2018-22 by the panel headed by former secretary Afzal Amanullah also recommends bringing down the number of Embarkation Points (EPs) from which pilgrims can take flights to Saudi Arabia from the present 21 to nine. The draft was submitted to Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on 7th October
  
  The Minority Affairs ministry said the policy has been drafted in light of a 2012 Supreme Court order asking the Centre to abolish the Haj subsidy gradually by 2022. 
  
  Till now, women pilgrims could not travel without a male Mehram. The term Mehram refers to a male a woman cannot marry at any time in her life (i.e. father, brother or son etc) Women aged below 45, however, will have to be accompanied by male Mehrams, according to the policy. 
  
  It proposes to increase the quota for Mehrams from 200 to 500. The cut in funds meant for subsidy will be used for educational empowerment and welfare of Muslims
  
  The policy suggests sending pilgrims by ship, relatively less expensive than flights. The policy says the Saudi government will be consulted regarding Haj travel by ship and thereafter floating an EOI (expression of interest) to gauge the market for such travel. 
  
  The committee also suggested formally ascertaining willingness of Saudi Arabia to the proposal of transportation of pilgrims by ship for the pilgrimage. Also, it said, the security concerns that are present, particularly regarding Somalian piracy and instability in Yemen and adjacent areas need to be factored in. 
  
  According to the policy, the nine EPs will be Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Cochin. It also proposes to build suitable Haj houses at these EPs "to which states and districts will be tagged properly".
  
  India has an annual Haj quota of 1.70 lakh devotees. The policy proposes to ensure the stay of all Indian Haj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia within Mina. 
  
• Foundation stone laid for national waterway on Krishna river
  Indian Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on 3rd October laid the foundation stone to develop the stretch on River Krishna from Muktyal to Vijayawada as part of the 4th National Waterway at Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh. The 82-km inland waterway is the Phase-1 of the National Waterway-4 under the Sagar Mala project and will be used mainly for transportation of cement and construction material for the new capital city Amaravati. The project will have four floating terminals and three fixed terminals to handle cargo operations. According to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari currently 28 kilo meters of national highways are being added every day. The Centre sanctioned projects worth over 1 lakh 27 thousand crore rupees to the state under Sagarmala project. Seven National Highway projects in the state have also been dedicated to the nation on the occasion. 
  
• Ministry of Health ranks first in Swachh Bharat initiative
  The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been adjudged as the best department for its contribution during ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’, an inter-ministry initiative of the Swachh Bharat Mission. 
  
  The Ministry observed the Swachhta Pakhwada from February 1-15. The award was presented on the third anniversary of the Mission on October 2. Health Secretary C. K. Mishra received the award on behalf of the Ministry. 
  
• India, Djibouti agree to establish regular political consultations
  India and Djibouti have agreed to establish regular political consultations at the level of the Foreign Office. 
  
  It was decided during the delegation level talks between President Ram Nath Kovind and President of Djibouti Ismail Omar Guelleh. An agreement in this regard was signed in the presence of of both Presidents. 
  
  During wide-ranging talks with his Djiboutian counterpart, President Kovind made specific reference to areas of common concern and interest such as terrorism, renewable energy and particularly Djibouti’s support for membership of the International Solar Alliance, maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region and technical and capacity building assistance by India to enhance employment opportunities for Djibouti’s young people. 
  
  Mr Kovind has reached Ethiopia on the second leg of his two-country visit to Africa. 
  
  The President will conclude the day by addressing an Indian community reception in Addis Ababa. 
  
  President Kovind is the first Indian President to visit Ethiopia in 45 years and the third overall.

NATIONAL SEPTEMBER 2017

NATIONAL SEPTEMBER 2017

• eProcurement system in Telangana gets smarter
  The eProcurement system in Telangana is all set to get a new fillip. An improved and new version of eProcurement application will go live on October 3. 
  
  One of the major upgrades in the new version would be making transactions more transparent through digital payment towards EMD (Earnest Money Deposit) – refundable amount for quoting a tender). 
  
  Thus, refunds will be reverted to respective accounts or originating card (credit/debit card) immediately after finalisation of the tenders in case of applicant failing to win tender or auction. 
  
  Besides proving to be very efficient in the procurement processes and maintaining transparency, the eProcurement project has been delivering benefits such as cost savings to various departments as well as reducing tender processing time significantly. The new facility has been developed after receiving feedback from various departments seeking additional features on the existing platform. 
  
  A steering committee headed by the Principal Secretary for IT, Electronics and Communications finalised the development of the new version of eProcurement and eAuction system. 
  
  Following a request from Telangana State Technology Services Limited (TSTSL), the State government has approved the new version and gave nod for launching its services commencing from October 3
  
  The new version will be ready for usage for all government departments, corporations, local bodies, universities and also public sector undertakings of Telangana State with effect from midnight of October 3. Officials said that tenders which were published prior to the new version will be completed as usual on the old platform, while all new tenders will be published on the new platform of eProcurement application. 
  
• Tamil Nadu govt constitutes commission headed by retired high court judge Arumugasamy to probe Jayalalithaa's death
  Tamil Nadu government has constituted an inquiry commission under a retired high court judge Justice Arumugasamy to probe former chief minister J Jayalalithaa's death. According to the state Chief Minister E K Palaniswami Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden residence in Chennai would be converted into a government-run memorial. 
  
• Centre launches Divyang Sarathi Mobile App 
  Centre on 26th September launched Divyang Sarathi - an accessible and comprehensive mobile App for easy information dissemination to Divyangjans. 
  
  The unique features of the App are its audio notes embedded in it which converts the written information into an audio file. 
  
  Adjustable font size is also one of the feature which can be altered as per requirement. It has been developed bilingually in Hindi and English. 
  
  This mobile application aims at providing all relevant information pertaining to the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, including its various Acts, rules, regulations and guidelines, schemes and information about the various outreach institutions, employment opportunities in an accessible format. 
  
  Launching the advanced version of Divyang Sarathi in New Delhi, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot said, this mobile application is bound to empower the Divyangjans by providing easier and convenient access to information. 
  
  He said, they will be able to understand all details pertaining to the schemes, scholarships, statutes, institutional support systems and other relevant and crucial information at the click of a button. 
  
• Central Scheme for modernization of state police forces 
  The Cabinet Committee on Security on 27th September approved the implementation of an umbrella scheme for modernization of state police forces in the next three years. 
  
  According to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the internal security, law and order, women security, weapons procurement, hiring of helicopters and other requirements will be covered under the scheme. 
  
  The scheme has three thousand core rupees as central assistance for 35 worst Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts. 
  
  It will also have 100 crore rupees outlay for North Eastern States for police infrastructure up-gradation, training institutes and investigation facilities. 
  
  According to the Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad: 
  The Cabinet decided to increase the retirement age of Central government doctors other than Central Health Service (CHS) to 65 years. 
  
  The decision will benefit around 1445 doctors of various ministries and departments of the Central government. 
  
• Kandla Port renamed as Deendayal Port
   The Kandla Port one of the top 12 major ports in the country renamed as Deendayal Port in the name of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay. The port’s journey began in 1931 with the construction of a jetty by Maharao Khengarji. It became the number one port in India and created history by handling 100 million tonnes cargo in a year. 
  
• Gujarat to be first big state to use EVMs with VVPAT
  Gujarat will be the first big state where the coming Assembly elections will be conducted with Electronic Voting Machine equipped with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT). 
  
  State Chief Electoral Officer and Principal Secretary Mr. B. B. Sawain announced this on 28th September. He said this is for the first time that entire Gujarat Assembly elections will be held using the with VVPAT covering all the 50,128 polling booths. 
  
  Giving demonstration of the EVM with VVPAT to news persons, Mr Sawain said that as many as 70,182 VVPAT machines will be used in the state for the Assembly elections. He said the VVPAT was also used on a pilot basis in 2012 in the state. 
  
• Home Ministry sets up expert committee to suggest ways to tackle cybercrime
  A high-level committee set up to recommend new laws or amendments to deal with hate speech on the Internet, has submitted its report to the Home Ministry. 
  
  The committee, headed by former Secretary General of the Lok Sabha, T K Viswanathan, has recommended appointing cybercrime coordinators in all states and establishing cybercrime cells in each district. 
  
  It has also suggested replacing some clauses of the IT Act and amending some sections of the IPC. A Ministry spokesperson said that the report is being examined. The committee was formed after the Supreme Court struck down Section 66 A of the Information Technology Act. 
  
• India sends 62,000 food packages in relief material for Rohingya in B’desh
  India has sent relief materials, including 62,000 food packages, to Bangladesh for Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, who poured into this country following the ethnic violence in the neighbouring Buddhist-majority nation. 
  
  Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla handed over the relief materials to Bangladesh authorities at southeastern Chittagong Port. Shringla praised Bangladesh for successfully handling the “great humanitarian crisis
  
  Shringla said diplomatic efforts were underway at “multidimensional and bilateral levels” to reach a constructive solution for ensure “true justice and peace in Myanmar”. 
  
  The Indian Naval ship INS Gorial carried the goods as part of ‘Operation Insaniyat’, an Indian High Commission official said. 
  
  An aircraft carrying another consignment of relief goods weighing 53.50 tonnes from China also reached on 28th September at Chittagong’s Shah Amanat International Airport. The Chinese government sent another 57 tonnes of relief materials for the Rohingyas 
  
  Earlier, two Indian cargo flights carrying 107 tonnes of relief materials arrived at Chittagong on September 14 and 15. 
  
  The US also said it will provide an additional USD 6 million to the UN World Food Program (WFP) to address the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh while this funding was in addition to the USD 1 million provided to WFP earlier this year. 
  
  Bangladesh, which is facing a big influx of Rohingyas from Myanmar, has called on the international community to intervene and put pressure on Myanmar to address the exodus. 
  
  According to the UN estimates, nearly 500,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar’s Rakhine State into Bangladesh since August 25 when fresh wave of violence erupted. 
  
  According to media reports, the violence began when Rohingya militants attacked police posts in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine State. 
  
  Rohingya residents — a Stateless mostly Muslim minority in a Buddhist-majority nation — allege that the military and Rakhine Buddhists responded with a brutal campaign against them, according to the reports. 
  
  Bangladesh had earlier said the new influx of Rohingya refugees is an unbearable additional burden on the country which has been hosting nearly 500,000 Myanmar nationals who had to leave their country in the past due to communal violence and repeated military operations. 
  
• Six governors appointed
  Assam Governor Banwarilal Purohit was on 30th September appointed the Governor of Tamil Nadu, giving the State Raj Bhavan a fulltime resident after a gap of more than a year. 
  
  Mr. Purohit was among the four Governors appointed by President Ram Nath Kovind to fill existing vacancies. Maharashtra Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao has held dual charge of both the States after the term of UPA appointee K. Rosaiah ended in August 2016. 
  
  Jagdish Mukhi will replace Mr. Purohit in Assam. In turn, Mr. Mukhi has been replaced by former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi (retd.) as the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 
  
  BJP vice-president Satyapal Malik has been appointed the Governor of Bihar. The post had fallen vacant after the BJP’s decision to field Ram Nath Kovind as President. Former member of the Bihar Legislative Council Ganga Prasad has been appointed the Governor of Meghalaya. Mr. Purohit was holding additional charge of Meghalaya. 
  
  Brigadier B.D. Mishra (retd.) will be the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh. Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya was holding the additional charge of the State. 
  
• Union Government notifies Wetland Rules 
  The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) notified new Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017 to prohibit range of activities in wetlands. Wetland is transitional land between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or it may be land covered by shallow water. 
  
  There are 115 wetlands officially identified by Central Government and of those 26 are identified as wetlands of international importance under Ramsar Convention. 
  
• PM Modi dedicates Sardar Sarovar Dam to the nation
   Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the Sardar Sarovar Dam at Kevadia in Narmada district of Gujarat on 17th September. This project the Narmada water will not only benefit the farmers Gujarat but also those from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajashan. 
  
  Over 18 lakh hectares of land in the state will come under irrigation through the dam as Narmada water will start flowing to more than 9,000 villages of Gujarat through a network of canals. 
  
  The project will also help in supplying drinking water to about 4 crore people. The power generated from the dam will be shared among three states - Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. 
  
  The dam will irrigate 2.46 lakh hectares of land in Barmer and Jalore districts of Rajasthan. Sardar Sarovar project is the biggest dam in terms of volume of concrete used in it. It is also the second biggest dam in the world after the Grand Coulee Dam in the United States. 
  
• Incentives for dairy sector in Telangana
  Telangana State Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao showered incentives and subsidies for the diary sector. Accordingly, farmers will get Rs. 4 a litre of milk as incentive and 50 per cent subsidy for buying a buffalo. 
  
  The financial incentive to be launched from September 24 will be applicable to all dairy development societies and in line with those being enjoyed by the Vijaya Dairy Development Society. The other major societies are the Mulkanur Dairy, Nalgonda, Ranga Reddy and Karimnagar district’s Development Societies. 
  
  Through these societies, the 50 per cent subsidy for farmers buying a buffalo will be implemented. The subsidy will be 75 per cent if the farmer is from the SC/ST community. 
  
  In return, the Chief Minister has asked every farmer to plant six saplings in household and name them after family members. The scheme will commence after two months. As was done in the case of distribution of sheep a few months ago, the beneficiaries themselves will identify and buy the buffaloes. The subsidy will be routed through the dairy development societies. The total milk production in the State from the three main societies is around 7 lakh litres. 
  
• Shaheed Gram Vikas Yojana launched
  Jharkhand Government has launched the Shaheed Gram Vikas Yojana which aims at developing villages of freedom fighters. BJP President Amit Shah along with Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das launched the initiative from Ulihatu Village, the birth place of freedom fighter and Jharkhand's tribal icon, Birsa Munda. 
  
• International Yoga Festival Starts in Kashmir
  Jammu and Kashmir governor N N Vohra inaugurated the second International Yoga Festival and International Yoga Sports Championship 2017 in which about 300 people from across the world are participating. 
  
  The festival is being organized by the Yoga Society of Kashmir at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre that about 300 participants from various parts of India, Vietnam, Taiwan, Canada, Bulgaria, USA, and Nepal are participating in the festival. 
  
  The Yoga is enormously beneficial for the growth of a healthy mind and body and Vohra emphasized that learning to practice yoga, especially from a young age helps in developing the required mental and physical discipline which enables the practitioner to lead a wholesome, stress-free and balanced life. 
  
• NIA court grants bail to two 2008 Malegaon bomb blast accused
  A special NIA court in Mumbai on 18th September granted bail to two accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case. 
  
  Sudhakar Chaturvedi and Sudhakar Dwivedi alias Shankaracharya, facing conspiracy charges, were granted bail by the Court. 
  
  Both are accused of attending conspiracy meetings, where the terror attack was planned, along with others. 
  
  All the accused were booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), besides under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). 
  
  The court while granting bail observed that since the NIA has dropped MCOCA from the case the confessions of the accused are inadmissible. 
  
  Six people were killed and nearly 100 others injured when a bomb strapped to a motorcycle exploded in Malegaon town in Nashik district on 29th of September in 2008. 
  
• Govt inaugurates first Pension Adalat for Central govt employees
  • Union Minister for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the first Pension Adalat and a pension app for Central Government employees in New Delhi on 20th September.
  • The Adalat aims to quick resolve long pending pension cases.
  • The initiative will inspire state governments to take such measures for their employees.
  
  
• Tripura to set up family welfare committees
  Tripura becomes the first state in the country to set up family welfare district committees to examine the complaints of women against their husbands and in-laws and find an amicable solution. Tripura High Court is the first high court among 24 high courts of the country that has constituted the family welfare district committees. The new system would be valid for the next six months and after that National Legal Services Authority (NLSA) would submit a report of its performance to the apex court, on the basis of which a new course of action would be decided. 
  
• First of six Scorpene-class submarines handed over to Navy
  The state owned Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai delivered the first of six Scorpene-class submarines to the Indian Navy on 21st September. The submarine will be commissioned soon. The development marks a major milestone in Indian Navy's submarine programme as the vessel is expected to bolster India's maritime prowess. 
  
  The six submarines designed by French naval defence and energy company DCNS, will replace the Indian Navy's aging Sindhughosh and Shishumar class of submarines. 
  
  A Mazagon Dock Ltd statement said, the second of the Scorpenes, Khanderi is currently undergoing the rigorous phase of sea trials. The third Scorpene, Karanj is being readied for launchlater this year. The rest are in various stages of outfitting. 
  
  The construction of the submarine INS Kalvari which was named after a deep sea tiger shark began in 2009. The submarine was undocked from pontoon on 6 April 2015 and completed the Basin trials and Harbor acceptance trials in April 2016. On 2 March 2017, INS Kalvari test fired Exocet anti-ship missile in the Arabian Sea. 
  
• Ashok Gajapathi Raju Inaugurates new campus of Indian Aviation Academy
  The Union Minister of Civil Aviation P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju on 21st September inaugurated the new state of the art campus of Indian Aviation Academy (IAA) in New Delhi. 
  
  With the inauguration of this new world class campus, the IAA academy aims to enhance and augment its training and hostel capabilities to more than double. 
  
  The Indian Aviation Academy was constituted under the aegis of NIAMAR (National Institute of Aviation Management and research Society) on 22nd July, 2010 as a joint training academy of Airports Authority of India, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and Directorate General of Civil Aviation. 
  
  The aim of the academy is to provide training and conduct research and consultancy services in various areas of the aviation sector, like Airports and Aviation Management, Safety Regulations, Security and other related areas, said a statement from Aviation ministry. 
  
  IAA runs training programmes in Airports Operations & Aviation Safety, Airport Engineering & Planning, Air Cargo Management, Environment concerns in Aviation, besides regulatory training through DGCA and Security training through BCAS. 
  
  AAI also offers internationally recognised aviation accredited programmes to participant across the globe in cooperation with ICAO, IATA and ACI. AAI has also acquired full membership of ICAO Train air Plus programme. 
  
  The New IAA campus has been equipped to meet the skilling and training needs of the future as a large number of professionally skilled and trained manpower are required to operate, manage and maintain the future international air transport system. 
  
  The new IAA campus is spread over 8 acres and has 12 training halls of different capacities, two computer based training facilities and auditorium of sitting capacity of 200 apart from meeting rooms, library and video conferencing facility. 
  
• TN Assembly Speaker disqualifies 18 AIADMK MLAs loyal to TTV Dhinakaran
  In Tamil Nadu, the Assembly Speaker has disqualified 18 dissident AIADMK MLAs loyal to its sidelined leader TTV Dhinakaran on 18th September. 
  
  A statement by the Assembly Secretary K.Boopathy in Chennai has said the action has been taken against them under the anti-defection law. The disqualification comes just a day after the O.Panneerselvam and Edappadi Palaniswamy factions of the party announced their merger. 
  
  19 dissident AIADMK MLAs had submitted letters to the state interim Governor Vidyasagar Rao on 22nd of last month withdrawing their support to chief minister Palaniswamy. Later, one among the 19 rebel members switched over to the ruling camp, who has been spared from the axe 
  
  Meanwhile, the disqualified MLAs have decided to file a petition before the Madras High Court seeking to nullify the Speaker’s action. 
  
• Rajnath Singh launches intelligence wing of SSB, WARB App
  Home Minister Rajnath Singh has launched intelligence wing of Sashastra Seema Bal, SSB, and Welfare and Rehabilitation Board App, WARB in New Delhi on 18th September. The paramilitary force guards India's borders with Bhutan and Nepal. The intelligence wing will gather actionable information. 
  
  The app WARB which was also launched on the occasion contains features to facilitate retire CAPFs and Assam Riffles personnel to get their grievances redressed, seek skill development and other relevant and important information. 
  
• Newton is India's official entry to Oscars 2018
  Eros International's Newton, directed by Amit V Masurkar's, starring Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi and Raghubir Yadav is India's official entry in the Best Foreign Film language category at the Oscars 2018 as stated by Film Federation of India (FFI). The film received positive response at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year and released in cinemas in India on 22nd September to positive critic reviews. 
  
• PM Modi flags off Varanasi-Vadodara Mahamana Express
  Country's two large cities, Varanasi and Vadodra, one known for spirituality and other known for trade facilitation, were connected after Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off Mahamana Express on 22nd September. The Mahamana Express will also reduce the travel time by 7 hours as the 1,531-km journey between the two cities will now take 27 hours 30 minutes. 
  
• Ramayan Stamp launched: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a postage stamp based on 'Ramayana' in Varanasi and said that stamps are a wonderful way to preserve history. 
  
• Indias first electric bus service launched 
  Himachal Pradeshbecame the first state in India to introduce electric buses. The Transport Minister GS Bali flagged off India's first electric bus on the 51 kms long Manali-Rohtang Pass. With this initiative Himachal becomes first in the world to ply electric buses at an altitude of 13 thousand feet. 
  
• India third in nuclear power installations: study
  India is third in the world in the number of nuclear reactors being installed, at six, while China is leading at 20, the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2017, released this month, shows. The number of nuclear reactor units under construction is, however, declining globally for the fourth year in a row, from 68 reactors at the end of 2013 to 53 by mid-2017, the report says. 
  
  The latest report further reveals that most nuclear reactor constructions are behind schedule, with delays resulting in increase in project costs and delay in power generation. 
  
  There are 37 reactor constructions behind schedule, of which 19 reported further delays over the past year. In India itself, five out of the six reactors under construction are behind schedule. Eight nuclear power projects have been under construction globally for a decade or more, of which three have been so for over 30 years. 
  
  Data gathered by the authors shows that global nuclear power generation increased by 1.4% in 2016 due to a 23% increase in China, though the share of nuclear energy in electricity generation stagnated at 10.5%. By comparison, globally, wind power output grew by 16% and solar power by 30%. Wind power increased generation by 132 TWh (terawatt hours) or 3.8 times, and solar power by 77 TWh or 2.2 times more than nuclear power’s 35 TWh respectively. Renewables represented 62% of global power generating capacity additions. 
  
  Russia and the U.S. shut down reactors in 2016, while Sweden and South Korea both closed their oldest units in the first half of 2017, the report notes. 
  
• Rajasthan launches world's first processed olive leaf tea
   Rajasthan has added one more feather to its cap with launching of world’s maiden processed olive leaf tea. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje inaugurated the new initiative on 9th September. 
  
  India’s first processed olive leaf tea unit has been set up at Bassi in Rajasthan. Spread on 20,000 square feet area with investment of approximately Rs3 crore, now the processed olive leaf tea is ready to be served to people of India and rest of the world as well. 
  
  Olive tea has great health benefits such as it reduces risk of cancer, keeps heart healthy, anti-viral properties, rich in antioxidants, reduces blood pressure, amplifies immunity, rejuvenates skin, aids in diabetes and is an anti-inflammatory agent. 
  
  Being rich in antioxidants and vitamin C and being free of caffeine, it has a potential to become an alternative to the daily drinks that people consume at large such as green tea, coffee, black tea and more. 
  
  Coming at a time when people want to make a shift to healthy habits due to the ever increasing stress that comes with fast-paced lifestyle, olive tea is definitely going to help the people. 
  
• WHO ready to help India eliminate TB by 2025
  India is committed to eliminating tuberculosis (TB) by 2025, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) which is ready to help the country achieve the target by developing strategies in collaboration with the government to fight the deadly disease. 
  
  The World Health body has called on countries in South- East Asia Region to build on recent momentum aimed at ending TB by 2030, commending their resolve to take action and urging all countries to review and align national plans with the Delhi Call to Action issued in March. 
  
  According to WHO, across the region, TB remains the largest cause of death and suffering due to any communicable disease among the most productive age groups. 
  
  Although the region accounts for about one quarter of the world’s population, it has nearly half the number of new TB cases and close to 40 per cent of TB deaths globally, WHO said. In recognition of TB’s outsized burden, accelerating progress towards the 2030 target – which requires a 90 per cent reduction in TB deaths and 80 per cent decrease in TB incidence – is now one of WHO South-East Asia Region’s Flagship Priority Areas of work. 
  
• Chakma and Hajong refugees living in Northeast to get citizenship
  The Centre will grant citizenship to all Chakma and Hajong refugees living in the Northeast but without diluting ST status and rights of indigenous people. 
  
  The issue of Chakma-Hajong refugee came up for discussion on 13th September at a high level meeting convened by Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi. 
  
  The meeting was attended by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. 
  
  According to Rijiju, a middle path will be chosen so that 2015 Supreme Court order to grant citizenship to Chakma-Hajong refugees could be honoured and the rights of the local population are not diluted. 
  
  Several organisations and civil society in Arunachal Pradesh have been opposing citizenship to the Chakma and Hajong refugees saying it would change the demography of the state. 
  
• Home Ministry cancels foreign funding license of JNU, DU, IIT Delhi and ICMR
  Many prominent higher education institutions, including Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi University (DU), IIT-Delhi and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), are among several hundred organisations which have been barred by the Centre from receiving foreign funds. 
  
  The Union Home Ministry has cancelled their registration under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 (FCRA) as they have reportedly failed to file their annual returns for the last five years. 
  
  No organisation or institution is allowed to receive funds from abroad unless it is registered under FCRA. It is mandatory for such organisations to submit their annual income and expenditure statements to the government. An educational institution, for instance, needs its FCRA registration number to receive donations from its alumni based abroad. 
  
  Among the other organisations whose FCRA licences have been revoked are: the Supreme Court Bar Association, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Panjab University, Gargi College (Delhi), Lady Irwin College (Delhi), Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre, Gandhi Peace Foundation, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, Armed Forces Flag Day Fund, School Of Planning & Architecture (Delhi) and FICCI Socio Economic Development Foundation. 
  
• Kerala to open India's first transgender-exclusive clinics
  Kerala opens India's first transgender-exclusive clinics at government medical colleges across the state. 
  
  They are planning to open Transgender Clinics in all government medical colleges in the state. We also plan to provide facilities for their surgery at least in two medical colleges. The first clinic will be set up at the government medical college of Kottayam within the next two months and will be one of the first clinics to provide the sex-change surgery. 
  
• India’s first advanced Homoeopathy Virology lab inaugurated in Kolkata
  India’s first state of art virology laboratory inaugurated at Dr Anjali Chatterjee Regional Research Institute for Homoeopathy in Kolkata, West Bengal. The lab plays important in developing new drugs and technologies in Homoeopathy to combat emerging challenges of viral diseases. The laboratory is only one of its kind in India for conducting basic and fundamental research in Homoeopathy for viral diseases like influenza, dengue. 
  
• Union Government reconstitutes six Committees of Cabinet
  The Union Government reconstituted six Committees of the Cabinet after recent ministry reshuffle. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and Dharmendra Pradhan were also included as permanent members of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). 
  The six committees of Cabinet are: 
  • Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) - It is responsible for all appointments of higher ranks in the Central Secretariat, Public Enterprises, Public Enterprises and Financial Institutions.
  • Cabinet Committee on Accommodation (CCA) - It is responsible for the allotment of accommodation for various top positions in the Government of India.
  • Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA): It deals with the activities pertaining to the economics of the country.
  • Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA): It looks into the matters related to the progress of government business in the Parliament of India.
  • Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS): It is one of the most important committees in India, it looks into the matters of defense expenditures and National Security.
  
  
• Supreme Court asks Centre for fast track courts for cases against MP, MLAs
  The Supreme Court has asked the government to consider legislating on setting up of new fast-track courts to expedite criminal case trials against parliamentarians and legislators. 
  
  A bench of Justices J Chelameswar and S Abdul Nazeer said, Parliament had the competence to come up with a law and create necessary infrastructure for setting up of such courts for speedy disposal of cases against lawmakers. 
  
  The court's remarks came on a plea filed by an NGO for creating a permanent mechanism to investigate candidates whose assets have grown disproportionately during their tenure as MLAs or MPs. Attorney General KK Venugopal agreed that fast-track courts were the need of the hour. 
  
• Six-month cooling period for granting divorce can be waived: Supreme Court
  The Supreme Court has held that the minimum cooling period of six months for granting the decree of divorce under the Hindu law can be waived by a trial court if there was no possibility of cohabitation between an estranged couple. 
  
  The 1955 Hindu Marriage Act provides for a statutory cooling period of six months between the first and the last motion for seeking divorce by mutual consent to explore the possibility of settlement and cohabitation. 
  
  The apex court said, the object of the cooling off period was to safeguard against a hurried decision if there was otherwise a possibility of differences being reconciled. 
  
  It said, though every effort has to be made to save a marriage, but if there are no chances of reunion and there are chances of fresh rehabilitation, the court should not be powerless in enabling the parties to have a better option. 
  
  The court also said, in conducting such proceedings, the trial court can use the medium of video conferencing. The bench was dealing with a plea filed by an estranged couple which had sought waiver of the six month period on the ground that they have been living separately for the past eight years and there was no possibility of their re-union. 
  
• Government says no drought-like situation in the country
  Government has dismissed media reports regarding drought in 225 districts in 17 States as factually incorrect, saying there is no drought like situation in the country. 
  According to Agricultural Ministry: 
  • There is deficit rainfall reported in 95 districts but sowing is normal and satisfactory
  • The rainfall in first fortnight of this month in many States will improve the situation and the yield is expected to be the same as last year
  • During the current monsoon season, the rains have been normal and Ministry is regularly monitoring the agricultural situation.
  • Many States particularly, North east states are receiving heavy monsoon rains.
  • The Kharif crops coverage in almost all the States have been satisfactory and the rains during this month in Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Odisha and Jharkhand have improved moisture in the soil
  • During 2017-18, the area sown under all Kharif crops is over one thousand 41 lakh hectares against the normal of corresponding period of one thousand 14 lakh hectares.
  • Some areas experienced deficit rains after sowing of kharif crops and States have already started assessment of impact in such areas.
  
  
• Swacchata campaign launched
  Indian President Ram Nath Kovind launched the nationwide campaign Swacchata Hi Sewa from Ishwariganj village in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh on 15th September. Emphasising that cleanliness is the real service to humanity, Mr Kovind administered a pledge to people for their commitment to the cause. 
  
  The President said the objectives of the Swachhta Mission cannot be achieved without active participation of common people. 
  
  Nagaland joined the rest of the country in launching Swachhata Hi Sewa. In the state capital Kohima, a pledge was taken to create a clean, healthy and new India. 
  
  The objective of the Swachhta campaign is to mobilise people and reinforce the public movement for sanitation to contribute to Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of a Clean India. The fortnight long campaign will conclude on 2nd of October on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. 
  
• Supreme Court passes a slew of directions on prison reforms across India
  The Supreme Court passed a slew of directions on prison reforms on 15th September. It has directed all state governments to appoint counsellors and support persons for counselling prisoners, particularly first-time offenders. 
  
  It also directed all states to study the availability of medical assistance to prisoners and take remedial steps wherever necessary. 
  
  A bench of Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta directed Chief Justices of the high courts to register a 'suo motu' public interest litigation with a view to identify the next of kin of prisoners who have admittedly died an unnatural death as revealed by the National Crime Records Bureau during the period between 2012 and 2015 and even thereafter and to award suitable compensation. 
  
  The top court also directed the Ministry of Woman and Child Development to discuss with the official concerned of the state governments and formulate procedures for tabulating the number of children, if any, who suffer an unnatural death in child care institutions where they are kept in custody either because they are in conflict with law or because they need care and protection. 
  
  The bench was hearing a 2013 PIL on prevailing inhuman conditions prevailing in 1,382 prisons across the country. 
  
• World Telugu Conference from December 15 in Hyderabad
  The World Telugu Conference will be held from December 15 to 19. A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting meeting chaired by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on at Pragathi Bhavan on 12th September. He instructed that the preparatory programmes should commence forthwith. 
  
  The government earlier decided to organise the conference in October. However, a World Tourism Conference is scheduled from October 5 to 9, in which representatives from 90 countries are participating. Moreover, the global entrepreneurship forum, in which representatives from 170 countries are participating, is also being held in Hyderabad from November 28. As the entire official machinery is busy with these two prestigious conferences, it was decided to organise the World Telugu Conference in December. 
  
  The Chief Minister announced sanction of Rs 50 Crore for organising the conference. While Rs 5 crore would be given given to Telangana Sahitya Akademi and Rs 2 crore will be allotted to Official Language Commission for expenses. The Telangana Sahitya Akademi will be the nodal agency for the World Telugu Conference. Chief Minister has instructed all the educational institutions in the State both private and public to teach Telugu as a compulsory subject from 1st to 12th standard. The Chief Minister made it clear that recognition and permissions would be given to only such institutions which make Telugu mandatory. For those opting for Urdu, it would be optional. 
  
  Chief Minister asked the Sahitya Akademi to prepare syllabus to be taught to primary, secondary and higher and intermediate classes. The syllabus should be framed and textbooks should be printed at the earliest, he said. 
  
  The syllabus finalised by the Sahitya Akademi will be taught in all the educational institutions and they are not expected to print textbooks and teach syllabus according to their whims and fancies. The government will strictly implement the policy, the Chief Minister declared. 
  
• India’s First Lithium-Ion Battery Unit in Gujarat
  Suzuki Motor invest more than Rs 1,150 crore along with Japanese partners Toshiba and Denso to set up India's first lithium-ion battery facility in Gujarat. 
  
  The announcement by the parent of the country's largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki is a major boost to the government's ambitious vehicle electrification and Make in India initiatives. It will hold half the stake and meanwhile, Toshiba will own 40% and Denso the remaining 10%.
  
• India's First Centre for Animal Law set up at Hyderabad
  India's first Centre for Animal Law established at the city-based NALSARUniversity of Law. Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi inaugurated the centre according to a release issued by Humane Society International (HSI). The Centre will create curriculum on animal welfare laws, including developing topics for research. It will also conduct workshops on animal laws and animal welfare issues with judicial magistrates, animal welfare advocates, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders in the government. 
  
• Nine new Ministers inducted into Union Council of Ministers
   Four Union ministers were promoted to Cabinet rank and nine new Ministers of state were inducted in the Union Council of Ministers on 3rd September. 
  
  Nirmala Sitharaman has been appointed as country's new Defence Minister while Piyush Goyal is the new Rail Minister in addition to Coal. 
  
  Dharmendra Pradhan has been given additional charge of Skill Development. Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has been elevated to the Cabinet rank. Suresh Prabhu is now new Commerce Minister, while Nitin Gadkari has been given additional charge of Water resources. 
  
  Former diplomat Hardeep Singh Puri will be the new Housing and Urban affairs Minister, Ex Home Secretary R K Singh has been given the charge of Power and New and Renewable Ministry. 
  
  Former IAS officer Alphons Kannanthanam will be new Tourism Minister and Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, while former Mumbai Police chief Satyapal Singh will be the Minister of state for Human Resource Development and the Minister of state for Water Resources. 
  
  Lok Sabha MP from Madhya Pradesh Virendra Kumar is made Minister of state for Women and Child Development and Minister of State in Minority Affairs. 
  
  Lok Sabha MP from Karnataka Anant Kumar Hegde is new Minister of state for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. Another Lok Sabha MP from Rajasthan Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will be the Minister of state in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. 
  
  Loksabha MP from Bihar Ashwini Kumar Choubey has been made Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare. While Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh Shiv Pratap Shukla will be the new Minister of state for Finance. President Ram Nath Kovind administered the oath of office and secrecy to them at Rashtrapati Bhavan. 
  
• President lays foundation stone for Link-4 of SAUNI Yojna in Gujarat
  Indian President Ramnath Kovind on 4th September laid foundation stone for Link-4 of Saurashtra Narmada Irrigation Scheme- SAUNI Yojna at Jasdan in Rajkot district of Gujarat. The link - 4 is a part of ambitious SAUNI project to be completed at the cost of 10 thousand crore rupees. 
  
  The Scheme aimed to fill up about 115 dams by the overflowing waters of Sardar Sarovar Dam on Narmada River. The entire project will benefit more than 2 lakh acres of farm land and more than 900 villages of 7 districts of Saurashtra. 
  
• Collectors now nodal officers for FACCs in Telangana
  The Telangana State government on 4th September entrusted the district Collectors with the job of issuing proceedings for constitution of Farmers Associations Coordination Committees (FACCs) at revenue village and mandal levels. Commissioner and Director of Agriculture (CDA) will nominate the names for district level coordination committees by September 9. 
  
  Orders have been issued making the Agriculture Department as State nodal agency, while the CDA as State nodal officer for constituting FACCs. The district Collectors have been designated as district nodal officers and will be assisted by district agriculture officers. 
  
  After the list of committee members is finalised by the district in-charge Minister by September 9, the Collectors will constitute FACCs on behalf of the State government. They will also submit the list of coordination committee members for districts to the Commissioner and Director of Agriculture who will nominate them for district level FACCs. 
  
  A coordinator at revenue village, mandal, district and State level will also be nominated for the FACCs by the State government. 
  
  In all, 10,733 village level, 589 mandal level and 30 district level FACCs are being constituted across the State. So far, farmers meetings were held in nearly 2,000 villages and over 850 village FACCs have been constituted. 
  
  The State government has decided to constitute the FACCs to oversee implementation of the proposed Investment Support Scheme providing Rs 4,000 per acre during each season to all farmers and enable them meet expenses towards seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and other investment in field operations. 
  
  Another Rs 4,000 per acre will be provided, if the farmers cultivate land during rabi season as well. Only practising pattedars residing in village will bes are considered for nomination in the FACCs. 
  
• No Indian institute in top 200 in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2018
  Poor performance in internationalising their campuses and a low research score have pulled down Indian higher education institutes such as the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (IISc) and some of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2018. 
  
  While IISc, Bangalore has dropped from the 201-250 band in the previous rankings to the 251-300 band, IIT-Delhi and IIT-Kanpur have fallen from the 401-500 band to the 501-600 band. IIT-Madras fell from the 401-500 band to the 601-800 cohort. 
  
  THE on 5th September published the 14th annual edition of its World University Rankings, a list of the top 1,000 universities from 77 countries. According to THE, India’s performance has deteriorated, with its number of universities in the top 1,000 declining from 31 to 30. 
  
  The University of Oxford retains first place in the World University Rankings. The University of Cambridge climbs two places to second, overtaking the California Institute of Technology and Stanford University, both joint third. While the US continues to dominate the rankings, Chinese universities are climbing rapidly. 
  
  The Indian government is also setting up an empowered committee to select 20 institutes with the aim of having them ranked in the top 500 and eventually top 100 global universities. 
  
  The government announced in August it would put on hold its plan to allow foreign universities to establish campuses and award degrees in the country but said the 20 universities chosen for the excellence initiative would be free to recruit foreign faculty, admit more foreign students and collaborate with foreign institutions. 
  
• TADA Court awarded death sentence in the 1993 Mumbai Blast case
  In the 1993 Mumbai Blast case, the special court for Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Prevention Act awarded death sentence to Tahir Merchant and Feroz Abdul Rashid Khan. 
  
  The court has awarded life imprisonment to gangster Abu Salem and Karimullah Khan. Riyaz Siddiqui has been sentenced for 10 years. This was the second leg of the trial - in the first leg that concluded in 2007, the TADA court had convicted 100 accused in the case, while 23 people were acquitted. 
  
  The court held that Tahir Merchant was amongst the main conspirators. The court noted that he worked with absconding conspirator Tiger Memon and participated in several conspiracy meetings in Dubai. 
  
  The court had in June convicted six persons, including mastermind Mustafa Dossa and Salem, in the case. It, however, let off accused Abdul Quayyum, for want of evidence. All the seven accused were facing multiple charges which included criminal conspiracy, waging war against the Government of India and murder. Dossa died of cardiac arrest on June 28 in Mumbai shortly after being convicted. 
  
  This was the second leg of the trial. The main trial of 123 accused ended in 2006 with the conviction of 100. Yakub Memon, brother of prime absconding accused Tiger Memon, was hanged in 2015. The Mumbai blast of March 12, 1993, resulted in 257 deaths and over 700 were injured. 
  
• Telangana Civil Supplies Department to track stocks at ration shops with T-Ration app
  Information, including the location and route map of fair price shops and stock positions, has now become more accessible than ever with the Telangana Civil Supplies Department introducing a smartphone application christened T- Ration. 
  
  Finance and Civil Supplies Minister E Rajendar launched the app on 8th September. T- Ration app would make things easier for ration cardholders, and ensures transparency in all aspects. In the past, there were many irregularities and cardholders were clueless over the availability of stocks in fair price shops. The app would provide all such information to cardholders right on their mobiles
  
  The app provides information on seven aspects, apart from enabling the public to track the status of stocks in godowns. For officials, it would provide information pertaining to 13 aspects helping them to monitor the work online and ensure transparency
  
  Cardholders can obtain stocks from any fair shop en route to their office or on the way home. All they need is log onto the mobile app and check the nearest fair price shop
  
  Regarding installation of e-PoS machines in fair price shops, he said the project of installing the machines in all the 17,500 fair price shops would be completed by November. Once this is done, a ration cardholder from Adilabad can obtain stocks from a fair price shop in Mahabubnagar. 
  
  This apart, efforts are onto organise procurement of paddy and other payment related aspects through the T- Ration app, he said, adding that this would aid in ascertaining details of day-wise procurement, amount paid to farmers and pending if any. 
  
• Nestle sets up First Food Safety Institute in India
  The new Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) CEO Pawan Kumar Agarwal inaugurated the Nestle Food Safety Institute in Manesar, Gurugram. The partnerships with private parties on food safety and standards are an imperative for FSSAI. It is an effort to implement a first world regulatory ecosystem in India. The company is working with Nestle India for setting up the institute at Manesar. 
  
• India’s first Hyperloop to come up in Andhra Pradesh
  India’s first Hyperloop project will come up in Andhra Pradesh connecting its city centres, Vijayawada and Amaravati. Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB) inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) for developing the project. Hyperloop Technology is brainchild idea of technology entrepreneur Elon Musk who dubs it as the fifth mode of transportation. It is a system of magnetically levitating capsules (pods) that are sent at high speeds through low-pressure tubes. 
  
• Union Govt to launch School Chalo Abhiyan to enroll 80 lakh kids
  Government will undertake a programme known as ‘school chalo abhiyan’from 2018 to enrol “70-80 lakh” students in India who are out of schools. Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar announced it at the celebration of 51st International Literacy Day-2017.