NATIONAL JULY 2015

NATIONAL JULY 2015

• Road development in extremism affected areas slow in Chhattisgarh, says CAG report
  In Chhattisgarh, the progress in road development in left wing extremism affected areas is very slow. Comptroller and Auditor General of India report has pointed out that only 30 percent of the sanctioned road could be constructed during the last five years. According to Accountant General for Chhattisgarh Bijay Kumar Mohanty, 2010 kilometers of road construction was sanctioned under Road Requirement Plan for left wing extremism affected areas during year 2009-2014 for Chhattisgarh. 
  
  However, till March 2014 the physical progress was only 618 kilometers. According to Report, there were instances where government instructions and contract conditions were overlooked, which led to execution of work not as per specifications and also avoidable costs and excess payment. 
  
• Terrorist attack in Punjab
   On 27th July, Punjab experienced terrorist attacks. Three armed militants, allegedly from across the border, stealing a car after injuring its owner, killing three civilians in a state-run bus and capturing a police station, using the arms within to shoot dead five policemen in a day-long standoff in Gurdaspur. 
  
  By evening, the three, suspected to be part of the Lashkar-e-Taiba or the Jaish-e-Mohammed, were shot dead. The terrorists reached Parmanand village at the Jammu & Kashmir-Punjab border, where they tried to hijack a tempo and, subsequently, a Maruti 800 after injuring its driver. They also sprayed bullets on a bus, killing a roadside vendor. 
  
  The terrorists had grenades with 'Made in China' marks, sophisticated weapons, military uniforms and GPS units. A superintendent of police was killed in the operation. 
  
• Govt notifies new guidelines regarding adoption of children
  Women and Child Development Ministry has notified revised guidelines regarding adoption of children effective from the first of August this year. These 2015 guidelines will provide for more effective regulation for adoption of orphan, abandoned and surrendered children and would bring more transparency and efficiency in the adoption system. 
  
  With the new guidelines, it would be possible for Prospective Adoptive Parents to track the status of their application making the entire system more user-friendly. 
  
  The maximum combined age for married couple has been increased from 105 years to 110 years to encourage adoption of older children. A minimum 25 years age gap between the child and adoptive parents has been prescribed under the guidelines. 
  
  There is more clarity in adoption of special needs children, older children and siblings. Older children and siblings would no more be considered as special needs children. NRIs will be treated at par with resident Indians in terms of priority regarding referral of a child. 
• Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan to be renamed after Dr APJ Abdul Kalam
  Human Resources Development Minister Smriti Irani said the Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan will be renamed after former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. The scheme was started by Dr Kalam himself. 
  
  Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan focuses on connecting school-based knowledge to life outside the school and making the learning of science and mathematics a joyful and meaningful activity. It also aims at nurturing a spirit of inquiry and creativity and the effective use of technology amongst children. 
  
• Gurdaspur attackers identified through CCTV footage
  The three terrorists who created mayhem on 27th July before being eliminated were caught on a CCTV camera whose footage surfaced in a significant development in the attack case. On 28th the forensic team reached the Dinanagar police station to collect the samples from the terror attack site. 
  
  The entire area inside the police station the police station has been cordoned off and security has been beefed up. Bullet firing marks were visible on the walls of the police station and the hospital adjacent to it. Shanta, wife of a policeman is an eye witness of the incident. 
  
  During the terrorist attack, Shanta and her family evacuated their home but now they are back home. On the other hand, the Swat team which gunned down 3 terrorists feel that these terrorists were highly trained and well armed. 
  
  A day after the terror strike in Dinanagar in Gurdaspur district of Punjab, there's still little clarity on who carried it out. There are many unanswered questions which will be clear only after the investigation is over. However, life in Dinanagar has come to normal, the terrorist attack failed to sabotage the high spirit of the people. 
  
• Gujarat issues notification making voting compulsory for local body polls
  Gujarat government has issued a notification making voting compulsory for people of the state during elections to local self governing bodies. The notification would mean that people have to compulsorily vote during the elections of municipal corporations, municipalities, and all village panchayats. The Act has also made provisions to penalize those who fail to vote. However, the notification has not specified what punishment will be given to voters who fail to exercise their franchise. The state government also issued another notification making voting compulsory for elected representatives of local bodies, who would face disqualification if they do not vote. 
  
• Cash for vote case: Telangana ACB files charge sheet against Revanth Reddy & others
  Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) probing the cash-for-vote case involving TDP MLA A Revanth Reddy, on 28th July filed a preliminary charge sheet against Reddy and three others in a local Hyderabad court. The charge sheet was filed against Revanth Reddy, Bishop Sebastian Harry, Reddy's aides Uday Simha and M Jerusalem. 
  
  The charge sheet has cited 39 witnesses and several documents. ACB Additional Superintendent of Police M Malla Reddy said, one more charge sheet against another TDP MLA Sandra Venkata Veeraiah and others will be filed soon. 
  
  In May, Telangana nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson had lodged a complaint with ACB alleging that he was offered Rs 5 crore by Revanth Reddy to vote in favour of a Telugu Desam MLC nominee in Telangana Legislative Council polls held on June 1. 
  
  Stephenson represents Anglo-Indian community in Telangana Legislative Assembly. A case was subsequently registered and on May 31, ACB arrested TDP's Deputy Leader in the Telangana Assembly Revanth Reddy along with Sebastian and Simha. All the three are currently on bail while M Jerusalem had approached the high court and got a stay over his arrest. 
  
• Errors found in caste data: Govt
  The Union Government on 28th July more than 8.19 crore errors had been detected in the data of which 1.45 crore faults continue to exist. A total of 8,19,58,314 errors have been found in caste particulars and all States and Union Territories have been informed for rectification of these errors. The States have rectified 6,73,81,119 errors. However, 1,45,77,195 errors remain
  
  Maharashtra with 69.1 lakh errors in the census data tops the list. Currently, there are 13.9 lakh errors in data from Madhya Pradesh, 11.6 lakh errors for West Bengal, 7.2 lakhs for Rajasthan, 5.4 lakh for Uttar Pradesh, 2.9 lakhs for Karnataka, 1.4 lakhs for Tamil Nadu, which were yet to be rectified. 
  
  On July 3, the government withheld the caste-based data from the first Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) released in eight decades. 
  
  The government noted that data relating to socio-economic features of households in rural areas was released by the Ministry of Rural Development on July 3. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, however, did not release any data relating to urban areas. 
  
• SC upholds commutation of death to life sentence for Rajiv Gandhi killers
  The Supreme Court on 29th July confirmed its decision of commuting the death sentence to life imprisonment of three persons convicted of killing former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The apex Court dismissed the curative petition filed by the Centre which was seeking a review of the decision in February last year. Centre's curative petition said that the victims in the former Prime Minister's assassination case were not heard before commuting their death sentence. 
  
  In February last year, the Court had commuted the death sentence of three persons - Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan, citing the 11-year delay in deciding their mercy petitions. The three convicts are lodged in a Vellore prison. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991 in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. 
  
• Cabinet approves amendments to the anti-Hijacking bill
  A comprehensive anti-hijack bill that provides for death penalty for hijackers even in the event of on-ground staff casualties was on 29th July approved by the Union Cabinet which also widened the definition of this crime. 
  
  Almost 16 years after an Indian Airlines aircraft was hijacked in Kandahar, the tough measures were cleared by the Cabinet at its meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi through amendments in the Anti-Hijacking Bill, 2014. 
  
  In the earlier Bill, hijackers could be tried for death penalty only in the event of death of hostages, such as flight crew, passengers and security personnel. Besides broadening the definition of hijacking, the Anti-Hijacking Bill, 2015 also provides for an enhanced punishment to the perpetrators as well as the area of jurisdiction. The definition of hijacking has been widened to include in its purview individuals acting in concert with hijackers. 
  
  The Anti-Hijacking Bill 2014, introduced in Rajya Sabha in December last, was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture. 
  
  The parliamentary panel submitted its report in March this year, wherein it had suggested various changes including making hoax calls a punishable offence and providing adequate compensation for victims of hijacking. The committee had also asked the government to look at adequate definition of the terms 'hostage' and 'security personnel'. 
  
• India to surpass China's population by 2022
  According to the United Nations Organization, India will surpass China to become the most populous nation in the world by 2022, six years sooner than previously forecast and the country is projected to retain the top spot till 2100. The 'World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision' launched at the UN Headquarters in New York yesterday projected that within seven years, the population of India is expected to surpass that of China. 
  
  Currently, the population of China is approximately 1. 38 billion compared with 1.31 billion in India. Around and after 2022, India's population is projected to continue growing for several decades to 1.5 billion in 2030 and 1.7 billion in 2050, while the population of China is expected to remain fairly constant until the 2030s, after which it is expected to slightly decrease. 
  
  According to the forecast issued in 2013, India was expected to surpass China's population by 2028 but the latest report predicts that India will overtake its Asian rival six years early by 2022. 
  
  The report said during 2015-2050, half of the world’s population growth is expected to be concentrated in nine countries - India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, US, Indonesia and Uganda - listed according to the size of their contribution to the total growth. India's life expectancy at birth will also improve over the next decades, growing from 71.7 years in 2025-2030 to 75.9 years in 2045-2050 and 84.6 years in 2095-2100. 
  
• India's green cover increased by 5871 sq km: Govt
  The Rajya Sabha was informed on 30th July that there has been a net increase of 5871 square kilometres in the country’s forest cover. The total forest cover in the country is 697,898 square kilometres which is over 21 per cent of its total geographical area. Among the metropolitan cities, Delhi tops with 180 square kilometres of forests followed by Bengaluru with 97 square kilometres, Hyderabad with 88 square kilometres. Mumbai has over 86 square kilometres of forest area while Chandigarh‘s forest cover stands at 34 square kilometers. 
  
• 1993 Mumbai blast convict Yakub Memon hanged
  Yakub Memon, the lone 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict whose death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court, was hanged to death at Nagpur Central Jail early 30th July. Memon was hanged at Nagpur Central Prison at 7 am, the hour set by the TADA court for execution of his death warrant, that came under repeated challenge by his legal team. 
  
• August 7 declared as National Handloom Day
  The Centre has declared 7th August as National Handloom Day beginning from this year throughout the country. Informing this on 31st July, Textiles Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar said, the first National Handloom Day will be launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai on 7th August. He said, the Sant Kabir Awards and National Awards for the years 2012, 2013 and 2014 will be awarded on the occasion. 
  
  The Minister said, a new India Handloom brand for better market positioning of quality handloom products would also be launched by the Prime Minister. 
  
  All state governments have been requested to arrange celebration of this day by encouraging active participation of all segments of the society. 
  
  Observance of National Handloom Day would generate awareness about the importance of handloom industry, promote handloom products and lead to increase in income of weavers. Over 43 lakh persons are engaged in handloom weaving and allied activities in India as per the last handloom census. 
  
  They expressed happiness of the handloom industry for recent policy initiatives, which they said, would help the handloom industry. The delegation also gave suggestions and inputs to the Prime Minister, for the handloom sector. 
  
• India's first harbour defence system commissioned in Kochi
  In Kochi, the integrated underwater harbour defence and surveillance system was commissioned on 31st July to strengthen security in the western coastline. According to Defence sources, this system is first of its kind in the country and also part of Navy’s initiative to strengthen coastal security. The system was inaugurated by Chief of Southern Naval Command Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba. 
  
  The integrated harbour defence system commissioned is capable of detecting, identifying, tracking and generating warning for all types of surface and underwater threats to harbour security. It was designed by Israel Aerospace Industries and consists of advance coastal surveillance radars, sensors and sound navigation and ranging systems. 
  
  Presence of divers and under water threats could be detected with the help of this automatic system. Such a system is fitted in over 150 locations across the world. And Kochi is the first harbour in the country to commission this integrated surveillance system. It will be commissioned in other parts also in the later stage. 
  
• Maharashtra govt announces construction of 800 kms Nagpur-Mumbai expressway
  In a major move in the surface transportation in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on 31st August announced construction of an 800 kms Nagpur-Mumbai expressway. This Nagpur-Amravati-Aurangabad-Ghoti-Mumbai expressway, also called Communication Super-expressway, would be build at the cost of Rs. 30,000 crore. 
  
  This project would be completed in coming five years and the travel time between the state capital and second capital would be brought down from 14 hours to 10 hours. This super-expressway will become a road to development for the backwards regions of northern Maharashtra, Marathwada and Vidarbha in the state. 
  
  This would be a six-lane road and in the first phase a four lane road would be constructed. This road will be equipped with CCTV cameras, wi-fi facility and optical fibre network. Besides this, the state government also plans to develop IT parks, smart cities, and education hubs along the road. 
  
• CII, Yi launch organ donation initiative
  Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Coimbatore Zone, and Young Indians (Yi) have jointly launched an awareness drive on organ donation. As part of the initiative, a website www.giftanorgan.org will be launched on August 2. It will have information on organ donation. 
  
  The awareness drive will include putting up of posters and hoardings in public places, conduct of awareness meetings at the units of the CII members and educational institutions, social media campaign and special meetings. The campaign started this month and would be completed in three phases during the next one year. 
  
  Raja Sabapathy, convener of the healthcare panel of CII — Coimbatore, said the awareness initiative is a joint effort of all the leading hospitals in the city and the Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu. 
  
  The hospitals have the required skill sets and more than 50 per cent of the organ donations in the State during 2015 were from Coimbatore. A public awareness session will be held on August 2 and nearly 1,000 people were expected to participate. On August 6, a meeting on organ transplant implementation will be held. 
  
• Action Plan for Ancient Culture, Folk Art, Folk Music
  The Government of India has set up seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) having their headquarters at Patiala, Udaipur, Allahabad, Kolkata, Dimapur, Nagpur and Thanjavur with the objectives to preserve, promote and disseminate the traditional folk and tribal arts and culture of all the States/ Union Territories
  
  The ZCCs have been carrying out various activities and organizing programmes at the national, zonal and local levels in accordance with their aims and objectives, implemented through various schemes. 
  
  The Government provides regular plan support for implementation of various schemes. 
  
  The regular plan support earmarked for all ZCCs for implementation of their Action Plan in the current financial year 2015-2016 is ` 59.91 crores. 
  
  The Government will continue to preserve and promote the folk and tribal arts and culture of all the States/ Union Territories by carrying out various activities and organizing programmes at national, zonal and local levels through ZCCs. 
  
• Central regulatory regime for AYUSH drugs
  The Government has considered setting up a structured central regulatory regime for AYUSH drugs. In this regard, the current proposal is to have a vertical structure for AYUSH in the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). 
  
  Procedural steps for setting up this structure have been initiated but the timeframe for which cannot be specified at this stage. 
  
  Presently, the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules there under have exclusive provisions for AYUSH drugs, which are enforced by the State Governments. 
  
  For regulating the practice of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy, the Government has established Central Council of Indian Medicine and Central Council of Homoeopathy under the provisions of Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970 and the Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973 respectively. 
  
• New simplified Guidelines for Adoption of Children come into effect
  The new simplified Guidelines Governing Adoption of Children 2015 have come into effective from 31st July. Women and Child Development Ministry has notified the revised guidelines on 17th of last month for governing adoption of children issued by the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA). 
  
  According to official release, the revised guidelines have been framed keeping in mind the issues and challenges faced by CARA, Adoption Agencies and Prospective Adoptive Parents. It said, the new guidelines are intended to provide for more effective regulation for adoption of orphan, abandoned and surrendered children. The Ministry said, this will bring more transparency and efficiency in the adoption system. 
  
  The completely revamped Central Adoption Resource Information Guidance System (CARINGS) will facilitate the adoption of maximum number of adoptable children and ensure a smoother adoption process by curbing undue delays. 
  
  CARINGS will contain a centralized data bank of adoptable children and Prospective Adoptive Parents. The Ministry said, all the District Child Protection Units will be connected online to CARINGS. 
  
• Delhi govt notifies Witness Protection policy
  Delhi Government has notified a policy regarding protection of witnesses with provisions for a protection fund. The AAP government said that the Delhi Witness Protection Scheme will ensure protection of witnesses in crucial cases. 
  
  According to the Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi becomes the first state to notify such policy. Delhi High court in 2013 had directed Delhi government to frame a witness protection policy to provide guidelines and principles which the police, prosecution and executive agencies will have to follow for protection of witnesses. 
  
  According to officials, the policy envisages categorisation of witnesses, creation of witness protection fund, types of protection and procedure for processing such request by the competent authority. 
  
• Rural women beat urban counterparts to use social security schemes
  Women in rural India seem more concerned about their own and family’s security than their counterparts in urban areas. According to the latest gross enrolment data of three social security schemes, the number of rural female participants is higher than urban females. 
  
  As on July 16, over 1.98 crore rural women got enrolled in three schemes — 
  • Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana or PMJJBY (for life insurance),
  • Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana or PMSBY (for accidental insurance cover) and
  • Atal Pension Yojana or APY (pension scheme) — while the number of urban women enrolled in these was over 1.93 crore.
  
  Total enrolment across the three schemes has crossed 10 crore. There could be many reasons for higher female participation in these three social security schemes. First, the premium rate is low. Second, there is minimal paper work. And third, these schemes work on auto debit. For PMJJBY, the annual premium is Rs. 330 for insurance cover of Rs. 2 lakh. It also covers death due to any reason and people in the age group of 18-50 years are eligible. 
  
  The annual premium in PMSBY is just Rs. 12. It offers risk cover of Rs. 2 lakh for accidental death (including due to natural calamities) and permanent total disability, and Rs. 1 lakh for permanent partial disability. Both these schemes — life as well as non-life — need annual renewal after payment of premium. The paper work, too, is minimal, as one just needs to fill a form and submit it to the bank where the beneficiary has an account. The bank has to be instructed to debit the premium amount directly from the account. 
  
  Apart from the low premium, the success of Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana is ensuring higher enrolment in social security schemes, said officials. As on July 8, the total number of Jan Dhan accounts was 16.73 crore, of which 6.64 crore are in rural areas. 
  
  Though, rural women outnumbered urban ones across the three schemes put together, the scheme-wise details show that rural folks have a better record in life and non-life insurance, while urban women are far ahead in the pension scheme. 
  
  There is a very small difference between the enrolment of rural and urban men. Officials said rural men could soon surpass urban ones, as cities are exposed to more social security opportunities. The schemes, announced during the Budget, were launched on May 9. 
  
• DoT release Net neutrality report
  The much anticipated department of telecom panel report on net neutrality is in, in report DoT recommendations have tried to balance the scales between consumer and service providers' interest particularly in case of over the top services like Whatsapp, Viber, Skype and Youtube, but the final decision has to be taken by the union cabinet in a structured manner leaving ample room for a flurry of debate and discussions among all stakeholders. 
  
  The debate over net neutrality is far from over. The Department of Telecommunication has released the net neutrality report. The panel led by AK Bhargava has recommended the core principles of the net neutrality be adhered to. 
  
  The Committee recommended "over-the-top services" what we all commonly known as WhatsApp, Viber, Skype, YouTube should be actively encouraged. 
  
  The Committee explicitly names Facebook for its creation, Internet.org, and says that content and application providers cannot be permitted to act as gatekeepers, "even if it is for a public purpose". Net neutrality implies that equal treatment be accorded to all Internet traffic and no priority be given to an entity or company based on payment to content or service providers such as telecom companies, which is seen as discriminatory. 
  
  The neutrality debate flared up in India after telecom operator Airtel launched a platform, Airtel Zero, that would allow free access of some websites on its network. However, the companies were asked to pay Airtel for joining the platform. 
  
• PM Modi launches career counselling portal NCS
  Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the inaugural session of 46th Indian Labour Conference in New Delhi launched a career counselling portal NCS. The move is aimed at modernising all government-run employment exchanges and providing an online platform to job seekers and employers. According to a Labour Ministry press release stating way forward for the NCS project, the government has planned integration (of portal) with CBSE database for verification of candidate academic performance. 
  
  It is also planned to integrate NCS with PAN and TAN database for authentication of employers. Under the NCS project, Labour Ministry is transforming the National Employment Service comprising a network of 978 employment exchanges into NCS by leveraging information technology to improve the delivery of services. 
  
• Singapore government submits master plan for seed capital area of Andhra Pradesh
  Envisaging "a smart, green and sustainable" city, the Singapore government on 20th July presented `Master Plan for the Seed Capital Area (SCA)' to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. 
  
  SCA would be the seat of administration. Singapore's second minister for trade and industry S Iswaran presented the plan, the final of the three-stage Master Plan, to Naidu at Rajahmundry where Godavari Maha Pushkaram is underway. 
  
  The SCA Master Plan is meant for an area of 16.9 sq km on the northern part of the Capital City (named Amaravati) coming up in the Vijayawada region. The Singapore government had earlier submitted the master plans for capital region and the capital city. 
  
  The capital region would be spread over 7,420 sq km and the capital city over 215 sq km. Seed capital would be spread over 16.9 sq km with estimated population of three lakhs. 
  
  The six key factors taken into consideration for the master plan are providing jobs and homes, world-class infrastructure, quality living, protecting identity and heritage and resource management and environment. 
  
• Yakub Memon to be hanged on July 30 as SC rejects curative petition
   Nine years after a Special TADA Court in Mumbai had awarded the death sentence to 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon, the Supreme Court on 21st July turned down his curative petition, the last legal option the convict had and thereby cleared the way for his execution. An apex court bench headed by Chief Justice HL Dattu rejected Memon's petition challenging an earlier decision to uphold the death sentence. 
  
  Yakub Memon, who is currently lodged in the Nagpur central jail, was on July 27, 2007 sentenced to death by Justice (Retd) P D Kode, who was then the special judge of the court set up under the Terrorists and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act in Mumbai. However, his sentence was upheld by a Supreme Court bench headed by then Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan on March 21, 2013. 
  
  Chartered accountant by profession, Yakub Abdul Razak Memon, was in 2007 found guilty of conspiracy in the 1993 serial blasts. 13 almost simultaneous explosions had ripped through Mumbai on 12 March 1993, killing 257 people. Yakub who has been in custody since 1994, is the younger brother of Tiger Memon, who along with Dawood Ibrahim masterminded the blasts and are absconding. Yakub was held guilty of distributing arms and ammunition, detonators and explosives to other accused and also of funding terror activities.He is the only one of 11 people whose death sentence in the case has been upheld till 21st July. The sentences of the others were commuted to life imprisonment. 
  
  A special TADA Court had on April 29 this year fixed July 30 as Yakub’s execution date after the Supreme Court dismissed his review petition against his mercy plea's rejection earlier that month. Meanwhile, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam who had led the prosecution team during the trial in Mumbai TADA Court called the Apex court’s decision as historic and said that it would send a strong signal to the people in the country and across the border that guilty would not be spared. According to Nikam because of Yakub's help, at least 13 to 14 accused travelled to Pakistan from Mumbai via Dubai to obtain training in handling of arms and ammunition used in the serial blasts. 
  
• Former Union Minister PK Thungon convicted in 17 year old graft case
  Former Union Minister P K Thungon and three others were on 21st July convicted by a Delhi court in connection with a cheating and corruption case lodged by CBI 17 years back, after which they were taken into custody. 
  
  Special CBI Judge Ajay Kumar Jain held 69-year-old Thungon and others guilty of offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery of valuable security and offences under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. 
  
  The court ordered that Thungon, who was the then Minister of State, Ministry of Urban Affairs and Employment and other convicts to be taken into custody and fixed the matter for arguments on quantum of sentence on July 27. 
  
• OBC status for Jats: SC rejects Centre's review plea
  The Supreme Court on 21st July dismissed the plea of the Centre seeking a review of its March 17 verdict that set aside a notification to include Jats in the central list of Other Backward Classes (OBC) category in 9 states to accord quota benefits to them. A bench, headed by Justice Ranjana Gogoi, in the in-chamber proceedings, decided to reject the pleas filed by Jats' bodies, saying that they lacked merit. 
  
  The Centre had moved the apex court on April 2 seeking a review of its verdict after Prime Minister Narender Modi had met Jat community leaders and assured them of finding a solution within the legal framework. 
  
  In its review plea, it had said that the Centre's power to make available quota for a community is not dependent on the advice of National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC). While dismissing a petition by a group of Jat students seeking benefits of reservation under OBC category in post-graduate medical and dental courses two days ago, the apex court, however, had said NCBC's recommendations would be ordinarily binding on the government. 
  
  The government's plea had further said that the test laid down by the apex court in the Mandal judgement for determination of "social, educational and economic backwardness" of Jats had been complied with.It had said, the decision to include Jats in Central OBC list was taken after various state panels furnished reports favouring the inclusion. Earlier, a bench of justices Ranjan Gogoi and R F Nariman, setting aside the March 4, 2014 notification that had enabled Jats to claim reservation in nine states, had said that "possible wrong inclusions" cannot be the basis of further inclusion and reservation should be given only to the "most distressed".
  
• Govt extends interest subvention scheme to banks to ensure availability of crop loans
  The government has extended interest subvention scheme to public sector banks, private sector commercial banks, rural regional banks, cooperative banks and NABARD to ensure availability of crop loans of up to 3 lakh rupees to farmers at seven per cent per annum. The decision to continue interest subvention on short term crop loans was taken on 21st July by the Union Cabinet for the current fiscal. The Cabinet also approved an additional interest subvention of three per cent per annum for those farmers who repay on time. 
  
  The government also decided to provide interest subvention to small and marginal farmers with Kisan Credit Cards for loans against negotiable warehouse receipts post-harvest at annual interest of seven per cent for six months. The government will also give relief to farmers affected by natural calamities, where the interest subvention of two per cent will continue to be available to banks for the first year on the restructured amount. 
  
  Government has also decided a central agricultural university in Samastipur, Bihar, and also the existing agricultural university at Pusa will be converted into an international level institution through strengthening of infrastructure, manpower and other provisions. Besides, the cabinet also gave its in-principle nod for the revival of banana research centre at Goraul in Vaishali, Bihar. 
  
• Puducherry first to get Smart city nomination
  Puducherry has emerged as the first nomination to be received by the Urban Development Ministry in less than a month of launch of Smart City Mission. Government of Union Territory of Puducherry has nominated its capital city for inclusion in the 100 Smart Cities Mission. Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu complimented the Puducherry government for being the first to send Smart City nomination and urged Chief Minister N.Rangaswamy to keep up the momentum. Ministry is in regular contact with all the states and Union Territories regarding progress of Stage-1 of ‘City Challenge’ competition ever since they were asked to send their nominations by the end of this month. 
  
• LG rejects DCW chief appointment
  Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Najeeb Jung has rejected the appointment of Swati Maliwal as Delhi Commission for Women Chief by Arvind Kejriwal Government, saying his approval had not been sought on the issue. 
  
  The LG, who has been locked in a tussle with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over appointment and transfer of senior bureaucrats, declared the appointment of Maliwal as "ultra vires" of the rules. 
  
• AP Cabinet approves master plan for new capital; first phase by 2018
  The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet on 22nd July approved the master plan for the new capital - Amaravati - submitted by the Singapore team. 
  
  It was also decided to constitute a five-member committee to undertake study tours of several cities in the world and make suitable suggestions. The Cabinet has decided to shift as many government offices as possible to Vijayawada and Guntur from Hyderabad. 
  
  The Cabinet also approved allocation of 2,297 acres for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Kurnool district and also 100 acres to a private company in Vizianagaram district for development of a golf course. 
  
  It was also decided to regularise the government sites encroached upon by the poor in certain areas of the State and a Cabinet sub-committee will be constituted to implement the initiative. 
  
• Health problems second largest cause of suicides in India
  According to National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data feature health issues or illness as the second largest cause of suicides in the country after family problems. 
  
  According to NCRB data for 2014, various kinds of illness accounted for 18% of suicides during 2014, whereas bankruptcy or indebtedness- considered a major reason behind farmer deaths -accounted for only 1.8% of suicides. 
  
  States like Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, where the rate of farmer suicides is high at almost 30%, also account for a significant number of suicides due to health problems. While only 5% of all suicides in these states are due to debt or bankruptcy, illness accounted for 26.2% and 21.5% of in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra respectively. 
  
  Punjab, Andaman and Nicobar, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Kerala also have high share of suicides due to poor health, according to the data. 
  
  Mental illness was a major cause for suicides contributing to 7104 deaths during 2014. However, other critical diseases like cancer, AIDS and paralysis also lead to suicides. According to the data, cancer accounted for 582 suicides, whereas AIDS and paralysis were responsible for 233 and 408 deaths respectively. 
  
• SC gives states power to release life convicts, but with rider
  The Supreme Court on 23rd July allowed state governments to exercise its powers of remission to release life convicts with a rider that this will not apply to cases probed by central agencies like CBI and for those incarcerated under central laws such as TADA. 
  
  Lifting its stay imposed over a year back, the apex court said relaxation would also not apply where the convict has been awarded life term in sexual offence cases of rape and murder. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice HL Dattu, made it clear that this interim order would not be applicable in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case in which the Centre's plea against the Tamil Nadu Government's decision to grant remission for release of the seven life convicts is under consideration. 
  
  The apex court modified its July 9, 2014 order by which it had restrained all states from exercising power of remission for releasing life convicts from jail in the wake of the controversy triggered by the Tamil Nadu Government's decision to grant remission for release of three such convicts, whose death sentence in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case was commuted to life term by it on February 18, 2014. 
  
  The restoration of the states' power of remission under sections 432, 433 of CrPC to release life convicts may be used for considering relief for those life convicts who have undergone prison term of 14 or more years. While specifying the conditions, the bench said such power cannot be exercised in cases in which prison terms are specified to continue till life or for a specified period like 20 to 25 years. 
  
• CAG report on Performance of ITBP 
  According to the Comptroller and Auditor General, CAG, the performance of Indo-Tibetan Border Police, ITBP has been adversely affected as ordnance factories did not supply necessary arms and ammunition to the force after taking advance payments. 
  
  In its report tabled in Parliament, it said, scrutiny of records between 2009 and 2013 shows that the payment of over 15 crore rupees was made as advances to different ordnance factories for supply of emergent requirement of arms and ammunitions. 
  
  The CAG said the supplies should have been made within nine months of taking advance. The auditing body has recommended that the Home Ministry should look into the issue of advance payment to the ordnance factories and take effective steps to remove the inefficiencies in the system, by making the factories more accountable and ensuring timely supply of urgently needed arms and ammunitions to ITBP. The ITBP guards the sensitive Sino-India border. 
  
• Deen Dayal Upadhya Gram Jyoti Yojana inaugurated
  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated NDA government’s Deen Dayal Upadhya Gram Jyoti Yojana in Patna on 25th July. Through the scheme, the Centre aims to provide uninterrupted electricity supply to each rural household across the nation by 2022. The elements of agricultural and non-agricultural feeders would be separated to restore power units in rural areas. 
  
  Under the Yojana, there are projects of 76,000 crores rupees out of which subsidy of 63,000 crores rupees will be given by the central government. The Centre has approved a grant of 8,000 crores for the project in Bihar. 
  
  PM Modi, who is on his maiden visit to Bihar after becoming Prime Minister, also laid foundation of the first phase of the much-awaited Jagdispur-Haldia gas pipeline project. Through this pipeline, LPG customers in Patna will get gas in their homes. 
  
  The Prime Minister also dedicated permanent campus of Indian Institute of Technology, Patna, to the nation. He also inaugurated the Incubation Centre for Medical Electronics at the institute. 
  
  Besides, Mr. Modi inaugurated Daniawa-Biharsharif new rail line. With this rail line, the distance between Patna and Rajgir will be reduced by 12 kms. Mr Modi also flagged off the Patna-Mumbai Air-conditioned Suvidha Express and Rajgir-Biharsharif-daniawa-Fatuha Passenger train. The Prime Minister also announced 5,000 crore rupees for several national highway projects in Bihar. 
  
  Later, the Prime Minister participated in the foundation day of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). He stressed on the chatur kranti-Saffron (energy) revolution, Green revolution, White revolution and Blue revolution. 
  
• IPL fixing: Delhi Court discharges all 36 accused including S Sreesanth
  Former India capped cricketer S Sreesanth and all the other 35 accused persons in the IPL-6 spot fixing case were today discharged by a Delhi court. Other two prominent IPL players -- Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan -- who were on bail, like Sreesanth, were also discharged in the case. The three cricketers were representing IPL team Rajasthan Royals when the scandal broke. 
  
  They were arrested in May 2013 for alleged spot fixing in some matches of IPL 6. However the court had granted bail to Sreesanth, and various others accused for lack of evidence against them. 
  
  Six persons including underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his aide Chhota Shakeel were declared proclaimed offenders. 
  
• Defence Min inaugurates Armed Forces Preparatory Institute
  Defence minister Manohar parrikar on 25th July dedicated to the nation the state of art Mai Bhago Armed Forces preparatory institute for girls in Mohali. MBAFPI is a project of the Punjab state government to prepare young girls for induction into prestigious National Defence Academy - NDA. 
  
  This institute is on the lines of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute for boys already being run in Mohali. 
  
• Rajamundry renamed as ‘Rajamahendri’
  Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on 24th July announced that the government had decided that a new project titled ‘Akhanda Godavari Project’ would be gifted to Rajahmundry under which the 35 km stretch connecting Gammon Bridge and Dowleswaram Barrage would be developed as tourist hub. 
  
  He also sanctioned Rs. 100 crore as token advance for the project. In another landmark move, the Chief Minister declared that Rajahmundry would henceforth be known ‘Rajamahendri’ to highlight the glory of the city. 
  
• Supreme Court dismisses Vijay Mallya's plea in FERA violation case
   The Supreme Court on 13th July dismissed liquor baron Vijay Mallya's plea seeking quashing of criminal proceedings against him in a case pertaining to violation of foreign exchange rules. 
  
  A bench headed by Justice J S Khehar also imposed Rs 10 lakh as costs on Mallya in the case. Earlier, the apex court had issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the UB Group chief's plea against the Delhi High Court order turning down his appeal for quashing criminal proceedings in a trial court for alleged "wilful" disobedience of summons issued to him by the ED
  
  The ED had alleged that Mallya violated the provisions of Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) in arranging funds to advertise his liquor products abroad over a decade ago. The agency wanted to question Mallya in connection with a contract signed in December 1995 with London-based firm Benetton Formula Ltd for promotion of the Kingfisher brand abroad. 
  
  Mallya had allegedly paid 200,000 dollars to the British firm for displaying the Kingfisher logo in Formula One World Championships in London and some European countries in 1996, 1997 and 1998. The money was allegedly paid without prior approval from the RBI in violation FERA norms. 
  
• Govt launches initiative to select 100 women achievers
  The government on 14th July launched an initiative to select 100 women achievers in the country. The drill is the same again—log on to a specific Facebook page, put up a photo or video showing the woman who you think have changed lives in your community and you are all set. 
  
  The 100Women Initiative is a collaboration of ministry of women and child development with Facebook, aimed at acknowledging the difference the selected 100 women have made in communities across India. All that needs to be done is submit a nomination on the ministry of women and child development Facebook page between 15 July and 30 September 2015, fill the nomination form, and submit a photo or video showing the nominee in action in their community. 
  
  Such social media initiatives, however, seem to be fast replacing real public spending by the government on women’s empowerment. It spent only a third of the Rs.90 crore budget allotted to the child-sex ratio programme in 2014-15. This year, it slashed the ministry of women and child development budget by 45%.
  
• 27 die in stampede at Rajahmundry
  At least 27 pilgrims, 13 of them women, died and 20 others injured in a stampede at a major bathing spot on the banks of the Godavari river where a huge crowd of devotees had gathered on the opening day of 'Pushkaram' festival at Rajahmundry on 14th July
  
  A major religious event held once in 12 years, hundreds of people drawn from different parts of the state had converged on the river bank to take dip in the river on the auspicious occasion. 
  
• Maha assembly passes Right to Services Bill
  The Maharashtra assembly on 14th July passed the historic Right to Services Bill in the absence of the Congress and NCP members. The bill has been unanimously passed by the assembly and will now be tabled in the state council. The bill will empower citizens to avail their rights in stipulated time with less efforts and cost. This bill will pave way for curbing corruption, bringing transparency and empowering citizens. The services will be provided electronically and will be brought on e-Platform. 
  
• PM launches Skill India campaign
  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15th July launched the Skill India campaign in New Delhi on first ever World Youth Skills Day. The Prime Minister also formally launched the National Skill Development Mission, and unveiled the National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikash Yojana was also rolled out on an all India basis on the occasion. 
  
  The Prime Minister said the government has waged a war against poverty through skill development. Under this programme the government helps youth in meeting job requirements, creating self confidence and fill them with renewed vigour. 
  
  According to the Minister for Skill Development Rajiv Pratap Rudy, only 3.5 percent of Indian population is skilled and government has set a target to skill 40.02 crore people by 2022. 
  
• SC's doubts over laymen in NJAC
  The Supreme Court on 15th July differed with the Centre on the provision of nominating two eminent persons in the National Judicial Appointments Commission. A five-judge bench headed by Justice J S Khehar said inclusion of laymen in the new system of judicial appointments cannot work. The observations came during the final day of hearing. The arguments lasted 31 days. The Court has reserved its judgement on the constitutional validity of the NJAC Act. 
  
• Telangana first State to make IT parks differently abled-friendly
  Telangana will soon be the first State in the country to make its IT and ITES buildings differently abled-friendly. In a first-of-its-kind initiative undertaken by the NASSCOM Foundation, 175 companies based out of two IT parks in Hyderabad will go for retrofitting their buildings to suit the needs of differently abled employees. 
  
  This would mean that companies will have common areas including cafeterias, restrooms, cubicles and elevators with facilities to aid their current and prospective employees who are differently-abled. From entry and exit gates that have ramps to placing biometric devices at accessible heights and washrooms that have handles for wheelchair-bound people, retrofitting is expected to ensure inclusive work environments. Also, efforts are on to make websites of these companies accessible to such persons by including voice features among others. 
  
  In this direction, the NASSCOM Foundation is already conducting accessibility audits in the parks at Madhapur and Nanakramguda where companies including Wipro, Accenture, Oracle, Microsoft, L&T Infotech, HCL, TCS, Deloitte, CA Technologies and Cyient are based. While the Foundation has entered into talks with other States, Telangana is the first to implement the audit and accessibility surveys, officials confirmed. 
  
  While around 25 companies have already been audited, 100 more are to undertake internal audits in the coming year. Officials at the NASSCOM Foundation said the first of the multistage process was expected to be completed in one year. 
  
  The process is expected to increase the percentage of differently abled employees in these companies within a span of five years. 
  
• Government forms expert group for classification of caste data
  The government on 16th July said it will release the caste census data at an appropriate time. It has set up an expert group headed by NITI Ayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya to collate caste count to classify this caste data. 
  
  According to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the expert group will be serviced by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and Tribal Welfare. Other members will be nominated by the two ministries. 
  
  The Central Government had decided to collect data on Caste through the SECC vide the then Cabinet's approval dated 19th May 2011. The SECC was conducted by the respective State/UT Governments. 
  
  The field survey on economic data has since been completed and the socio economic data relating to rural areas has been released by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD). 
  
  The cabinet also gave its approval for the second phase of eCourts Mission Mode Project at an estimated cost of Rs 1670 crore. 
  
  The eCourts project of the Government is aimed at providing necessary hardware and software applications to enable courts to deliver e-services to citizens, and to enable the judiciary to better monitor and manage the functioning of courts. 
  
  The Cabinet gave its approval for the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP) Phase-II. The second phase will be implemented in the States of Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and West Bengal with World Bank Assistance at a total cost Rs 2,361 crore to address the vulnerability of the coastal community to cyclone. 
  
  The Cabinet has also decided to redevelop 400 railway stations across the country. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Swiss Challenge method will be adopted for redeveloping the stations. The Minister also said that an expert committee will be set up to examine the proposals received for redevelopment work. 
  
• NGT refuses to relax ban, orders computerized permits in Rohtang Pass
  Refusing to provide any relaxation for conducting commercial activity at Rohtang Pass, National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed state government to submit a comprehensive report for compliance of its orders issued earlier by taking into account opinions of all stakeholders, so as not to affect their livelihood. The tribunal also made it clear that from now on, only computerized permits would be issued for Rohtang Pass and journey beyond. 
  
  NGT's circuit bench headed by its chairman Justice Swatanter Kumar, while hearing the case, expressed its surprise over non-compliance of state government's orders issued earlier. It observed that even the Himachal Pradesh high court orders issued in 2012 were not complied with by the government. 
  
  Referring to plying of CNG vehicles on Manali-Rohang route, NGT clarified that bigger buses like those with 60 seats would not be allowed. It said that the state government is at liberty to consider 10-seater or 20-seater buses that run on hybrid engines. 
  
  On the issue of relief and rehabilitation of people affected in the Rohtang Pass area, advocate general (AG) Shravan Dogra informed the tribunal that the ministry of environment and forests had recently accorded in-principal approval to the government proposal and work would be started as soon as the land is transferred. 
  
  Dogra said that eco-friendly market would be set up at Marhi and eco-friendly toilets at Marhi and Rohtang Pass area. He said the proposal to set up ropeway between Vashishth and Rohtang was in its final stage and assured strict regulation of garbage collection system from the mountain pass area. He said there would be a separate track for horse-riding in Rohtang Pass area, once the land is transferred. 
  
  The tribunal directed the government to ensure that horses remain within restricted area to save fragile ecology of Rohtang Pass. It was also decided to have special magistrates appointed by the state government to challan people found littering the Rohtang Pass. 
  
• India's longest road tunnel to come up by July next year
  India's longest road tunnel, being built on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, will be opened for general traffic in July next year and would reduce the distance between the two cities by 30 km. 
  
  Under it the National Highway Authority of India engineers drilled a hole through the final section of the tunnel between Chennai and Nashri thereby making the structure full through. 
  
  The 9.2 km tunnel is part of 286 km-long four-laning project of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway at a cost of over Rs 2500 crore. Once this tunnel becomes operational it will reduce the traffic jams on National Highway-1A that occur due to snowfall and avalanche in winter at Patnitop. 
  
• Govt brings 39 more drugs under price control
  The government has brought 39 more drugs, including the drugs to treat diseases such as diabetes and digestive disorders, under price control as part of its efforts to make medicines affordable in the country. As per the notification of National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, NPPA , the prices of formulations including Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride, Cefotaxime, Paracetamol, Domperidone and Metformin+Glimepiride have been fixed. The new medicines are the latest additions to the price control list, which covers over 500 drugs. 
  
  Earlier in May, NPPA had capped the prices of 30 formulation packs, including those used to treat diseases such as tuberculosis and asthma. At present, the government caps prices of essential drugs based on the simple average of all medicines in a particular therapeutic segment with sales of more than 1 per cent. In other cases, companies are allowed to hike prices by only up to 10 per cent in a year. 
  
• NCRB data on road accidents
  According to National Crime Records Bureau, sixteen Indians died in road accidents every hour in 2014, Tamil Nadu, and Chennai, in particular, has high levels of road fatalities. Reckless driving is the main reason for the deaths
  
  The National Crime Records Bureau’s Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India report for 2014 was released late on 17th July. The numbers show a slight increase in traffic accidents and a slight decline in suicides. 
  
  Over 1.4 lakh people died in road accidents in 2014, a slight increase over the previous year. Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu account for a third of all traffic accident deaths. Two-wheelers account for over a quarter of all fatal road accidents, the largest number of them in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. 
  
  The number of suicides, which has been declining since 2011, decreased marginally to 1.3 lakh in 2014. 
  
  This amounts to a national suicide rate of 10.4 per 1 lakh population, which would place India in the top third of global suicide rates. 
  
  Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal between them account for a third of all suicides. The southern states including Kerala and Tamil Nadu have twice the national suicide rate as a proportion of their populations. 
  
  Family problems, illness, marriage problems and love affairs gone wrong were among the top stated causes, while housewives, as in previous years, were the largest affected population by occupational category. 
  
  This is the first time that the NCRB has collected detailed data on farmer suicides. In all, 12360 people working in agriculture committed suicide in 2014. However, the NCRB’s definition of a farmer does not include agricultural labourers; as a result, 5650 of these were classified as ‘farmer suicides’, nearly half of them in Maharashtra alone. 
  
  Officially, 40 per cent of these suicides were classified as being on account of “farming related issues” or indebtedness and bankruptcy, 22 per cent were on account of “family problems” and 15 per cent attributed to illness. Of all farmers who committed suicide, 45 per cent were classified as small farmers (one to two hectares) and 28 per cent were marginal farmers (with less than 1 hectare). 
  
  Over 1.4 lakh people died in road accidents in 2014, a slight increase over the previous year. Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu account for a third of all traffic accident deaths in the country. 
  
• Inter linking of rivers advised
  The Centre has stressed that the river interlinking programme was crucial for water and food security, and sought the cooperation of the States in implementing it. The Ken-Bewta link between Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh will be the first project. 
  
  Chairing the fifth meeting of the Special Committee for Inter-linking of Riversy, Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sanwar Lal Jat urged water-surplus States to appreciate the national need for interlinking rivers in a spirit of goodwill and cooperation. 
  
  The various clearances related to environment, forest and wildlife protection for the Ken-Betwa link were at an advance stage of processing. 
  
  The Detailed Project Report for the Par-Tapi-Narmada link was expected to be ready within a month. After this, the Damanganga-Pinjal link would be taken up, though the issue of water sharing between Maharashtra and Gujarat needed to be addressed. 
  
• Talks with Nepal on
  The National Water Development Agency proposed to take up the Sapt-Kosi project, which would facilitate the Kosi-Ghagra link and help in flood control in Bihar. For this, talks were on with Nepal. The Manas-Sankosh-Teesta-Ganga link, in consultation with the governments of Assam, West Bengal and Bihar, was also under consideration. This project would make water available to the southern States. 
  
  Some of the water-scarce States demanded that the project be implemented within a definite timeframe. Some others wanted the links relating to their State to be declared national projects. 
  
• Farmer suicides went up to 12,360 in 2014: Report
  The number of suicides by farmers and farm labourers increased five per cent at 12,360 in 2014 against 11,772 in the previous year, showed a report by the National Crime Records Bureau. Of this, 5,650 were farmers, while 6,710 were agriculture labourers. 
  
  The report on Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India in 2014, segregated farmers from those who are engaged in agriculture as labourers, while in 2013 it had included all those engaged in farming, irrespective of being a farmer or a labourer. 
  
  Bankruptcy and indebtedness accounted for the major cause of suicides at 22.8 per cent, followed by family problems at 22.3 per cent. Only, 19 per cent of the total farmer suicides in 2014 were related to poor farming, the data showed. 
  
  Maharashtra with 2,568 suicides topped the chart, followed by Telangana with 898 suicides. Madhya Pradesh too was not far behind and 826 farmer suicides were recorded in 2014. Out of the total 5,650 farmers who committed suicide in 2014, 4,446 owned land, while just 701 had leased land. 
  
  The data showed that small and marginal farmers - owning less than two hectares - accounted for around 72.4 per cent of the total suicides, while the remaining held more than 2 hectares. In Maharashtra and Telangana, around 53.1 and 14.5 per cent of the total farmers committing suicide were small and marginal in 2014. 
  
  More than half of the farmers committing suicide, at around 66 per cent, were in the age-group of 30 years to 60 years and an overwhelming of them were men. 
  
  Maharashtra, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka accounted for almost 89.5 per cent of the total 5,650 farmer suicides in 2014. 
  
  India's farm growth in 2014-15 dipped to almost 1.1 per cent as per the new GDP series as against 3.7 per cent in the previous year, as both the kharif and rabi harvest was impacted first due to uncertain monsoon and thereafter on account of unseasonal rains. 
  
• PMKSY to subsume three irrigation programmes
   The newly launched Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana(PMKSY), with an allocation of Rs 50,000 crore spread over a period of five years, will amalgamate three major ongoing irrigation programmes of the Centre to achieve a holistic development of irrigation potential, according to the Agriculture MinisterRadha Mohan Singh. 
  
  The programmes, which would be brought under one roof, are the accelerated irrigation benefit programme of the ministry of water resources, integrated watershed management programme of the ministry of rural development and land resources, and the farm water management component of the national mission on sustainable agriculture of the department of agriculture. 
  
  The Union Cabinet last week cleared the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sinchai Yojana (PMGSY). The scheme would be implemented in project mode, which means the district administration draws up its own irrigation plan with the help of district forest officers, a lead bank officer and other departments. The state irrigation plan will be an amalgamation of all district plans. 
  
  According to official data, till 2011-12, around 46.34 per cent of India's net sown area of around 140.80 million hectares was under irrigation. In 2000-01, around 40.5 per cent of net sown area was under irrigation, a rise of around 5.8 percentage point in a decade. 
  
  Allocation: Rs 50,000 crore spread over a period of five years
  • Subsumes three major ongoing irrigation programmes of the Centre - accelerated irrigation benefit, integrated watershed management and farm water management component of the national mission on sustainable agriculture
  • Rs 1,500 crore would be spent to develop rain water structures, check dams and contour buildings under the watershed management programme
  • Rs 2,000 crore for ongoing projects under the accelerated irrigation benefit programme and also for construction of field canals
  • Rs 1,800 crore will be spent on developing water harvesting structures
  
  
• Railways rolls out 50,000th coach
  Railways on 6th July rolled out its 50,000th coach. Rolling out the coach, manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) at Chennai It is totally different from the first coach rolled out from the factory over 60 years ago. 
  
  According to Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu that there have been many changes in terms of quality,interior design, speed, fuel consumption, noise reduction in the coach manufacturing technology since the first coach was manufactured. 
  
  Integral Coach Factory was set up in 1955. ICF manufactures various types of AC and non-AC coaches including EMUs (Electrical Multiple Units) and DEMU (Diesel Electrical Multiple Units). 
  
• Centre clears plan to set up telephony network in NE region
  The Central Government has approved a comprehensive developmental plan for telephony network in the North East region at a cost of Rs 5336.18 crore. The project will connect 8621 villages and will be commissioned by September 2017. Chief General Manager, (NE Circle-1) DP Singh said this in Meghalaya capital Shillong. 
  
• India launches broadband products developed by C-DOT in Digital India initiative
  India on 6th July launched four world class broadband products by C-DOT, becoming at par with all other developed countries in respect of quality telecommunication services and penetration of advanced broadband based services. 
  
  Union Minister for Communication and IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad launched the products in the presence of his Kenyan counterpart Fred Marang’I Okengo in a function organized at C-DOT Campus, in New Delhi. 
  
• Cash-for-Vote case: ACB arrests one more sitting TDP MLA
  Telangana state Anti Corruption Bureau has taken another TDP MLA Sandra Venkata Veeraiah into custody in cash for vote case. After questioning for more than seven hours the ACB has arrested Veeraiah in Hyderabad on 6th July. 
  
  The investigation into Cash for Vote case has taken a new turn with the arrest of Veeraiah, TDP MLA from Khammam for his alleged involvement in the whole incident. Veeraiah expressed inability on health grounds when the ACB summoned him for inquiry into the case last month. But, he appeared before the investigation agency this morning after receiving the second summon for appearance. After grilling for seven hours continuously, the ACB took him into custody. 
  
• Govt decides to develop villages within 10 km of IB on priority
  All villages located within 10 kilometres of the international border will be developed on a priority basis with special emphasis on promotion of sports activities and rural tourism. This was decided by the Home Ministry in consultation with Ministries of Rural Development, Sports, Health and Human Resources Development. 
  
  A fresh guideline has also been issued by the Home Ministry saying that the Border Area Development Programme, BADP has been extended to cover all the villages which are located upto 10 kilometres of the international border. The funds under BADP are provided to the states as a 100 per cent non-lapsable special central assistance. The programme is supplemental in nature and the budget allocation for the financial year 2015-16 is Rs 990 crore. 
  
  The list of schemes permissible under BADP has been expanded to include schemes and activities relating to swatchhta aabhiyan, skill development programmes, promotion of sports activities in border areas, promotion of rural tourism or border tourism and protection of heritage sites. Construction of helipads in remote and inaccessible hilly areas, which do not have road connectivity, skill development training to farmers for use of modern or scientific technique in farming, organic farming are some other areas to be given emphasis. 
  
  Border Area Development Programme has been implemented in 367 border blocks of 104 border districts in 17 states. The main objective is to meet special developmental needs and well-being of the people living in remote and inaccessible areas situated near the international border and to saturate the border areas with the entire essential infrastructure through convergence of central, state, BADP, local schemes and participatory approach. 
  
• Nagaland declared as ‘disturbed area’
  The Centre has declared Nagaland state as a “disturbed area” as it finds that a “dangerous condition” prevails in the State and armed forces should assist the civil administration in maintaining law and order. The decision came almost a month after NSCN-K, the dominant Naga rebel group, attacked an army convoy in Manipur’s Chandel district and killed 18 soldiers. 
  
• CBI to probe Vyapam; notice to MP govt, Centre
  The Supreme Court has issued notice to Central government and others on petition demanding removal of Madhya Pradesh Governor in Vyapam scam. The apex court transferred case probe to CBI. The Apex Court admitted pleas of Congress leader Digvijay Singh and three whistle blowers seeking an apex court-monitored CBI probe into Vyapam scam. A bench headed by chief justice HL Dattu had agreed to give an urgent hearing over the scam and had posted all petitions to be heard on 9th July. 
  
  A petition seeking removal of Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav on the ground of his alleged involvement in the massive admission and recruitment scam in the state also come up for hearing in the supreme Court. 
  
  Earlier The Madhya Pradesh High Court deferred hearing of state government's plea for handing over Vyapam scam probe to CBI till 20th of this month. Jabalpur bench of the High Court cited pendency of PILs relating to Vyapam scandal in Supreme Court to defer the hearing. 
  
• Gujarat and Tamil Nadu lead in project clearance in coastal areas
  The State Coastal Zone Management Authorities (SCZMA) of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu have topped in granting clearances to proposed projects in last two decades. A recent report by the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) and Namati, titled “Coastal Zone Management Authorities (CZMAs) and Costal Environments: Two decades of regulating land use change on India’s coastline” shows that Gujarat topped the list with 93% rate of project clearance, with only one project was rejected out of 76 proposals. 
  
  Tamil Nadu has the second highest rate of project clearance with 86%. It is followed by Andhra Pradesh (85%) and Karnataka (85%), while Odisha featured at the bottom in this list with 70% rate. In case of Karnataka and Goa, where the total number of proposals received is much higher, 1310 and 1297 respectively, majority are of renovation, reconstruction and repairing. 
  
  As per the report since the time they were set up, the nine SCZMAs have examined over 4,500 project proposals. On an average, 15 projects (in which, at times, hundreds of small repair, reconstruction or individual housing needs are clubbed under one project head) are considered in a meeting, lasting half a working day. 
  
  The study analyses the structure, functioning and performance of CZMAs, by using data from over 350 CZMA meetings between January 1999 and March 2014. 
  
  It relies on 39 interviews with sitting and ex-members of the CZMAs and staff, consultants and officers of the MoEFCC in charge of implementation of the CRZ Notification and analyses the functioning of CZMAs on their key tasks - project appraisals, coastal zone mapping, action against violations and conservation of coastal areas. 
  
  The report further noted the sombre condition on post-clearance monitoring by the SCZMAs as none of the States had uploaded the half-yearly compliance reports received from the project proponents on their respective websites as required under the CRZ notification, 2011. Poor post-clearance monitoring can also be the reason of heavy workload on SCZMAs. 
  
• India’s population crosses 127 crore mark
  The second highly populated country in world, India’s population recorded as 127,42,39,769, which is growing at a rate of 1.6 per cent a year, and could make the country the most populous in the world by 2050. 
  
  The Indian population is 17.25 per cent of the global population, as per Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh or National Population Stabilisation Fund (NPSF), an autonomous body under the Union Health Ministry which has raised concerns about over-population related problems, if the rate persists. 
  
  Noting that India’s population was growing at a faster rate than China, which is now the world’s most populous country at around 1.39 billion, an official of the Fund said that the country could become the most populated one by 2050. 
  
  The population of India, at 1.21 billion as per the 2011 Census, is almost equal to the combined population of the U.S., Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Japan put together. 
  
  The population of several States match, and in some cases, exceed that of several large countries. For example, the population of U.P. is almost that of Brazil, the fifth most populous country in the world. 
  
• Haryana initiates statewide birth defect surveillance
  Haryana has initiated statewide birth defect surveillance in collaboration with World Health Organisation (WHO) and Centre for Disease Control (CDC). Soon all district hospitals will be linked to this surveillance activity. This was revealed at a 2-day State level workshop on birth defect surveillance concluded at Chandigarh on 11th July. 
  
  MoU on kill development
  Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship on 11th July signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to establish a framework for joint action to address the need for skilled human resources in the health sector. 
  
  Besides achieving the national goals of skilling youth, the MoU shall also seek to upgrade the quality and reach of human and infrastructural resources. 
  
• On the trust India stands at 2
  India has secured second position amongst 40 countries in a survey of trust in national governments for 2014 conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Switzerland has emerged at the top with Norway coming in third. 
  
  For the purpose of the survey, trust represents the confidence of citizens and businesses in government to do what is right and perceived as fair, according to the OECD ‘Government at a Glance 2015’ report. 
  
  This is the only survey that collects data on the issue of trust in governments. It is a sampling survey of 1,000 citizens in each country conducted by World Poll, which has been doing it since 2005. Between the two selected survey years of 2007 — the year before the financial and economic crisis started — and 2014, trust levels in India dropped by 9 percentage points. 
  
  However, India scored less than the OECD average and came 24th out of 35 countries in the comparison on protection of fundamental rights. 
  
  These are rights established under international law: the right to equal treatment and the absence of discrimination, the right to life and security of the person; due process of law and rights of the accused, freedom of opinion and expression; freedom of belief and religion, absence of arbitrary interference with privacy etc, the report says. 
  
  India fared similarly on the count of constrained government powers where the top ranking countries – Denmark, Finland and Norway – demonstrate a highly balanced distribution of authority within societies. 
  
• Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan (RAA) launched
  Former President of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam on 9 July 2015 launched the Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan (RAA) in New Delhi. The abhiyan aims to inculcate a spirit of inquiry, creativity and love for Science and Mathematics in school children. Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan is a concept developed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. 
  
  Under Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan, government schools will be mentored by Institutes like IITs/IIMs/IISERs and other Central Universities and reputed organisations through innovative programmes, student exchanges, demonstrations, student visits, etc to develop a natural sense of passion towards learning of Science and Math. 
  
• Indian Agricultural Research Institute at Hazaribagh
  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 28th June laid the foundation stone of Indian Agricultural Research Institute at Hazaribagh in Jharkhand. 
  
  Later, in the presence of PM Modi, an MoU to set up a new steel plant was signed among Ministry of Steel, National Mineral Development Corporation and State Mineral Development Corporation of Government of Jharkhand. A Special Purpose Vehicle will be set up under this agreement. After this agreement, Jharkhand will be a pioneer in steel production of about 300 million tonnes by 2025. 
  
• Sahibganj first district to have toilets under Clean Ganga project
  Sahibganj, a district in Jharkhand skirted by the Rajmahal Hills, is to stop the disposal of human waste into the river Ganga. The Centre has identified 77 villages in Sahibganj where toilets with waste disposal facilities would be constructed by the end of 2015-16. 
  
  Sahibganj, the only district in Jharkhand which has the Ganga flowing through it, will feature not only a confluence of the Prime Minister's pet campaigns, Clean India and Clean Ganga. 
  
  A part of the Santhal Parganas, Sahibganj, with nearly a third of its 1.15 million people being tribals and Dalits and a significant OBC population, is also important as a melting pot of people from West Bengal, Bihar and Bangladesh. It borders Bihar's Katihar and Bhagalpur districts, West Bengal's Malda and Murshidabad are barely 90 km from the Farakka barrage. 
  
  For starters, the entire district has been mapped to know whether a household has a toilet or not. The central government plans to construct toilets with proper waste disposal facilities in 600 villages situated along the banks of Ganga starting from Uttarakhand to West Bengal. All 600 villages are expected to get a toilet by the end of 2019. 
  
  To enable beneficiaries to avail government funds quickly, the Centre is planning to rely on a sophisticated system wherein the beneficiaries would only have to upload the picture of the toilet constructed by him through whatever means, and the government would send a team to verify it. 
  
  As soon as the verification is done, the Centre would release the fund from its account to the beneficiary. A total allocation of Rs 12,000 has been granted for each toilet unit, irrespective of the total cost of structure. Other cities, part of the project are Varanasi, Kanpur, Allahabad, Patna, Mathura, Gangasagar and Haridwar. 
  
• Public, private stakeholders join hands to battle defecation demon
  A broad coalition has been launched to bring together public and private stakeholders in the sanitation space, to make the country free of open defecation. 
  
  The India Sanitation Coalition, launched by drinking water and sanitation minister Chaudhary Birender Singh, includes 51 organisations and several individual experts. The initiative, launched under the aegis of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), will comprise four task forces with cross-sector representation having specific goals and representing all coalition members. 
  
  Prime Minister Narendra Modi had set 2019 as the deadline for the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), which aims to attain an "open-defecation-free India" primarily by constructing toilets in all rural households. 
  
  The baseline survey on sanitation carried out in 2013 has shown that out of 180 million rural households, 110 million do not have access to toilets. Although a large number of toilets have been constructed, 18 million among these have been reported to be defunct. 
  
• India ranks 143rd on global peace index; Iceland tops list
  India ranks 143rd on a global peace index, lagging way behind the likes of Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh with Iceland emerging as the most peaceful nation in the world. 
  
  According to the nonprofit Institute for Economics and Peace, Iceland, the thinly populated island in the midst of the North Atlantic has retained its place as the most peaceful country in the world. The institute released its Global Peace Index for 2015 recently, which ranks 162 nations around the globe based on factors like the level of violent crime, involvement in conflicts and the degree of militarisation. The nations are given a score on that basis. The more the score, the less peaceful the country is. 
  
  India is ranked at 143 on the index with a score of 2.504. The number of casualties from internal conflict also rose in India where a Maoist insurgency stills runs rife. The downgrade in India's score is tempered, however, by an improvement in political stability. 
  
  Afghanistan remains the most lowly ranked in South Asia at 160. Bhutan (18), Nepal (62), Bangladesh (84) and Sri Lanka (114) are all ranked above India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. US is also ranked at a lowly 94 scoring badly in terms of militarisation, homicides and fear of violence. China is ranked 124. 
  
  Syria and Iraq where the Islamic State terror group has taken over large swathes of land are at the bottom of the table as the least peaceful countries. 
  
• 10 years age relaxation for the disabled in central govt jobs
   A relaxation of ten years in age will be allowed for the visually-challenged, hearing-impaired, and persons suffering from locomotor disability or cerebral palsy in case of direct recruitment to all posts under the central government. 
  
  Further, those belonging to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories will get 15 more years and those from Other Backward Class (OBC) will be entitled for 13 years relaxation, as per new rules formed by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on 29th June. 
  
  However, the relaxation is applicable with the condition that maximum age of the applicant shall not exceed 56 years, the new rules said. Earlier, there was a provision of five years of concession in upper age limit (10 years for SC/ST, eight years for OBC) for recruitment to Group 'A' and 'B' posts, otherwise than through open competitive examination. There was a provision of ten years of concession in upper age limit for Group 'C' and 'D' posts filled through employment exchanges. 
  
  The age concession to the persons with disabilities shall be admissible irrespective of the fact whether the post is reserved for person with disabilities or not, provided the post is identified suitable for the relevant category of disability, it said. 
  
  The relaxation of age limit would be permissible to such persons who have a minimum of 40 per cent disability, it said. 
  
• 2 more VYAPAM accused die in MP; number up to 25
  Two more accused in the high-profile MPPEB scam died in Gwalior and Indore, adding another murky dimension to the massive scandal in which 25 accused and witnesses have died so far
  While Dr Rajendra Arya's death at Birla Hospital in Gwalior on 28th June was clearly due to an illness, the death of 29 year old Narendra Singh Tomar, in Indore jail has raised some serious questions. Rajendra Arya hailed from Sagar but has worked in Gwalior and Chambal regions. 
  
  Dr Arya, who reportedly holds an MBBS degree, had allegedly helped two students clear Pre-Medical Tests conducted by MPPEB in 2007 and 2008, respectively. 
  
  In the second incident, Tomar, a veterinarian, complained of chest pain and was rushed to Maharaja Yashwant Rao Hospital where he was declared brought dead. 
  
  A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into his death. He was posted as the Assistant Veterinary Officer at Raisen before being embroiled in the MPPEB scam, also known as the Vyapam scam. He was an accused in the Pre-Medical Test conducted by MPPEB in 2009. Tomar was said to have arranged for impostors who had written the papers in place of genuine aspirants. 
  
  About Vyapam Scam
  Vyapam scam was a massive admission and recruitment scam involving politicians, senior officials and businessmen. Indore Bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court served notices to Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) and Medical Council of India (MCI) following a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by parents of some students after reports that more than 300 ineligible candidates managed to get into the merit list. 
  
• People in cities fall sick more often, says NSSO survey 
  A health survey conducted by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) shows that more people fall ill in urban areas compared to rural India. During a 15-day reference period, 89 per 1,000 persons reported sick in rural India against 118 persons in urban areas. 
  
  The survey also reaffirmed the fact that the lion’s share of the country’s health burden is still shouldered by the private sector, with more than 70 per cent spells of ailment (72 per cent in the rural areas and 79 per cent in the urban areas) being treated by the private sector. 
  
  Despite a separate ministry to promote alternative medicine, allopathy still rules the roost in the country as more than 90 per cent of urban and rural population prefer that treatment. 
  
  NSSO, which is under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, has released the key indicators of Social Consumption in India. 
  
  Health — generated from data collected during the period January to June 2014 in its 71st round survey. One of the vital components of the survey was dedicated to collecting information relevant for determination of the prevalence rate of different diseases among various age-sex groups in different regions of the country. 
  
  The indicators are based on the central sample consisting of 4,577 villages in rural areas and 3,720 urban blocks spread over all states and union territories of India. The total number of households, in which the schedule was canvassed, was 36,480 in rural India and 29,452 in urban India. Medical treatment of an ailing person as an in-patient in any medical institution was considered as hospitalised treatment. In the urban population, 4.4 per cent patients were hospitalised at some time during a reference period of 365 days. 
  
  The proportion of persons hospitalised in rural areas was lower (3.5 per cent). In rural India, 42 per cent hospital treatment was carried out in a public hospital and rest, 58 per cent, in a private hospital. For urban India, the corresponding figures were 32 per cent and 68 per cent. For each hospitalised case, higher amount was spent for treatment by people in the private hospitals (Rs 25,850) than in the public hospitals (Rs 6,120). The highest expenditure was recorded for treatment of cancer (Rs 56,712) followed by that for cardio-vascular diseases (Rs 31,647). 
  
  The average medical expenditure per non-hospitalisation case was Rs 509 in rural India and Rs 639 in urban India. Worryingly, about 86 per cent of rural population and 82 per cent of urban population are still not covered under any health expenditure support scheme. 
  
• Scheme to put brakes on accidents
  In a bid to stem the steady rise in road accidents, Government unveils a mega plan to set up 5000 professional driving schools in the country; India witnesses 5 lakh road accidents every year, 377 die in road accidents every day. 
  
  Majority of Road accidents in India are a direct result of neglect of road safety procedures and traffic rules. The grave oversight not only outs the vehicle driver and occupants at risk , it also increases the danger for others. 
  
  The law and regulations are sufficient to control the menace, but the speeding vehicles often tend to zoom past by circumventing the law or simply ignoring them. 
  
  Many of those who are behind the wheel in the country do not even possess a valid dirver's licence. Perhaps to bridge the gap and spread the message that mere changing gears and balancing the vehicle does not constitute driving, govt has come up with a proposal to open up 5000 driving schools in the country. 
  
  According to the collected data, India witnesses around 5 lakh raod mishaps every year. The fatality rate in rather high and around 1.4 lakh people die each year in these accidents. It means that there is a road accident practically every minute in India and a life is lost every 4 minutes. 
  
  Considering these facts, opening of new driving schools is an essential aspect of not only teaching driving techniques to the learners, but also inculcating a sense of responsibility and traffic etiquettes in the common man. 
  
• SC objected mediation or compromise in rape cases
  Supreme Court of India on 1st July, in a Judgment said that it would be a "spectacular error" to adopt a soft approach on cases of rape or attempt to rape and there cannot be any compromise or mediation in such cases. The bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra has given this judgment. 
  
  The strong remarks came as the apex court criticised a Madhya Pradesh High Court judge who was influenced by the compromise entered into between the accused Madan Lal and the parents of the seven-year-old victim and had set aside the conviction and five-year sentence for the rape. 
  
  The apex court also stressed that the courts should remain absolutely away from any "subterfuge", like the perpetrator entering into wedlock with the victim, to adopt a soft approach in a case, as "any kind of liberal approach has to be put in the compartment of spectacular error". 
  
  The state government had appealed against the High Court verdict holding guilty the accused only for lesser offence of outraging the modesty of the minor with a restricted punishment to the period already undergone, which was slightly more than a year. 
  
  The Supreme Court bench remitted the case to the High Court for a re-appraisal of the evidence and a fresh decision, with an order that the accused will be taken into custody forthwith. 
  
• Amnesty slams India on AFSPA; wants spl. rapporteur for probe on disappearances
  In a report that called for an end to the use of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Jammu and Kashmir, human rights group Amnesty International has released a detailed report on the basis of 58 case studies of alleged excesses by the armed forces in the State. 
  
  The report recommends that India withdraw AFSPA, turn over cases of alleged human rights violations and disappearances to civil courts, and invite the UN Special Rapporteur and the UN Working Group on disappearances to visit with “unimpeded access” to victims and witnesses. 
  
  “By not addressing human rights violations committed by security force personnel in the name of national security, India has not only failed to uphold its international obligations, but has also failed its own Constitution
  
  The report — “Denied: Failures in accountability for human rights violations by security force personnel in Jammu &Kashmir” — suggests that the government has neutralised all the allegations with AFSPA’s Section 7, which allows the armed forces to kill anyone in the State on the basis of a mere suspicion. 
  
  Amnesty researchers had interviewed the family members in the 58 cases and they said they hold the armed forces responsible for the deaths of their dear ones at various stages of the 25-year-long Kashmir conflict. While it acknowledges progress on a few cases like the Machil ‘fake’ encounter, where five soldiers were sentenced to life imprisonment, the report concludes that most cases involving areas where AFSPA is used go uninvestigated. 
  
  The issue of AFSPA has often been a point of contention between the Centre and State government, with the latter repeatedly demanding the withdrawal of the law that protects Army personnel, especially from areas where the Army is not operating. However, despite several promises in the past, the Cabinet has never accepted the demand. 
  
  The Amnesty report says the Army has dubbed “more than 96 per cent of all allegations of human rights violations against its personnel in Jammu & Kashmir as false or baseless.” 
  
• Integrated National Policy for Skill development approved
  Cabinet approves country's first integrated National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship aimed at empowerment by skilling on a large scale and promotion of innovation based entrepreneurship
  
  Three-tiered high powered institutional framework headed by PM to be set up for National Skill Development Mission. Union Cabinet has approved National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to bridge the skills gap and to promote the industry engagement. 
  
  The National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015 acknowledges the need for an effective roadmap for promotion of entrepreneurship as the key to a successful skills strategy. 
  
• Defence Ministry launches ARPAN software for the Army
  The Indian Army on 2nd June launched a new software that will computerise the records of over 12 lakh serving soldiers. 
  
  The software, ARPAN 3.0, was launched by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as part of the ‘Digital India Week’. It is an upgraded version of ARPAN 2.0, which has been used to partially digitize the records. The software will digitise details of soldiers, including personal documentation, unit administration, salary, leave, transfer and postings, besides various reports and returns. An Army official said the software has been developed jointly by the Army Software Development Centre (ASDC) and Tech Mahindra. 
  
  The software would be used across 45 of the Army’s record offices in the country in a year. Other long-term plans of the army include developing automation applications for equipment procurement, storage, maintenance, logistics management and a geographic information system (GIS), connectivity for which is provided through the secure Army Data Network, available to all units of the Indian Army. 
  
• Centre launches voice based 24x7 Toll free National Health Portal
  Centre launches voice based 24x7 Toll free National Health Portal to disseminate information on various health issues. Portal is to help crores of people living in remote areas while the information is initially available in English, Hindi, Tamil, Bangla and Gujarati. 
  
• Nineteen states join online platform for issuing green clearance
  Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar launched a web portal for online submission of applications for environment clearance by State Environment Impact Assessment Authorities for Category B projects in New Delhi on 2nd June. The web portal has been launched across the country and nineteen states have joined it instantly. 
  
  The new portal is a landmark and online processes have raised the levels of transparency and accountability. The online submission of applications will also speed up clearance processes, while maintaining the rigours of Environment Clearance process. Speaking on the occasion, Secretary in the Ministry, Ashok Lavasa said the Ministry is targeting to bring all the clearances required and Hazardous Substances Management Rules online. 
  
• Govt releases first ever Socio-Economic and Caste Census in 80 years
  Government on 3rd July released the first ever Socio-Economic and Caste Census, SECC, in eight decades in New Delhi. The document will be essential for policy makers both at Centre and state level and the document will form the basis of helping government target groups for support in terms of policy planning. 
  
  The data addresses the multi dimensionality of poverty and provides an opportunity for evidence based planning with a Gram Panchayat as unit. The Government, however refrained from releasing the caste-based data in the Census. 
  
  According to the census: 
  • One out of three families living in villages is landless and depends on manual labour for livelihood.
  • There are a total number of 24.39 crore households in the country, of which 17.91 crore live in villages. Of these, 10.69 crore households are considered as deprived.
  • The deprivation data reveal that 5.37 crore or 29.97 percent households in rural areas are landless deriving a major part of their income from manual labour.
  • About 30 per cent of rural households belong to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe(ST) group. As per the census, 29.43 per cent of the households belong to the SC and ST category across the country. It also showed that over one-third of population living in rural areas is illiterate.
  • The SECC process, which had begun during the UPA government in 2011, had led to a huge political controversy with OBC leaders from various political parties including the then government, making a strong pitch for enumeration of caste in the SECC on the lines of the 1931 census.
  
  
  Other points
  • This is the first such Census released after 1932 and contains various details with regard to specific regions, communities and economic groups and measures the progress of households in India.
  • Releasing the Census, jointly with Rural development Minister Chaudhary Birendra Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the data will help in better targeting of government policies.
  • According to the Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birendra Singh, the government will use the use the data in all its programmes to benefit rural households.
  
  
• Microsoft to set up Digital Village in Maharashtra 
  Microsoft will set up a "Digital Village" in Maharashtra and provide technology support for health care services in remote tribal areas. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met India-born Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on 2nd July and informed that Microsoft will setup a pilot project at Melghat in Amravati district in this regard. Fadnavis also informed through a series of tweets that the technology major has also agreed to set up a cyber-security centre at Pune. 
  
• Most still prefer general to technical education: NSSO
  Latest data released by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) suggest the gap between the number of students opting for general education and those pursuing technical and professional courses remain high. 
  
  Data released by the NSSO showed out of every 1,000 eligible students (aged 15-29), an overwhelming 850 pursued general studies, with only 126 students attending technical or professional courses and 24 enrolled in vocational courses. The data was collected from across 4,577 villages and 3,720 urban blocks across the country, during January-June 2014. 
  
  According to the NSSO, general education refers to degree courses in general universities, while technical or professional courses pertain to those with hands-on training in one or more disciplines, in addition to theoretical classes. Courses offered by Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), National Vocational Training Institute, Regional Vocational Training Institutes, among others, are considered vocational courses. 
  
  Among those attending professional and vocational courses, the distribution among various disciplines was skewed, with an overwhelming majority pursuing engineering courses. Courses from recognised ITIs and those in the fields of agriculture, education and chartered accountancy also attracted many students. 
  
  Gender had a large imprint on the distribution. In absolute numbers, male students were primarily present across engineering, while the number of female students was more for disciplines such as management, information technology and computer science. 
  
  Among students enrolled in general education, commerce courses trailed those on humanities and science. Humanities courses were the top choice for about half the male students; for female students, it was more than half. 
  
  In recent months, the central government has been focusing on the Skill India campaign and a concentrated policy push for this is expected in the next few weeks. The government aims to impart specific industry-based skills to students who might later join the country’s workforce as proficient labour, raising productivity. The Cabinet has already cleared a national policy for skill development and an institutional structure for skill training.