NATIONAL MAY 2015

NATIONAL MAY 2015

• India set to become water scarce by 2025: report
  According to EA water, a consulting firm in water sector, India would become a country with wate scarcity by 2025. It has told that due to demand-supply mis-match, the water sector is expected to see investment of $13 billion from overseas players in the next few years, a new study has said. 
  
  With increasing household income and increasing contributions from the service and industrial sectors, the water demand in the domestic and industrial sectors increasing substantially
  
  The study conducted by EA Water, a leading consulting firm in water sector. 
  
  Nearly 70 per cent of country’s irrigation and 80 per cent of domestic water use comes from groundwater, which is rapidly depleting. 
  
  However, overseas players from Canada, Israel, Germany, Italy, United States, China and Belgium see big investment opportunity worth $13 billion in the domestic water sector. The industry is expected to receive Rs. 18,000 crore in the next three years, the report said. 
  
  The country provides huge opportunities across the spectrum in infrastructure development for water supply and wastewater management. The industrial market is going to be the big opportunity till 2020, with growth in wastewater recycling and industrial water treatment, the report said. Maharashtra is emerging as a hub for the water sector. Over 12 international companies have already set up design and engineering centers in Mumbai and Pune. 
  
• Gujjars call off agitation after Rajasthan govt agrees to 5% quota in jobs
  Gujjars have called off their agitation following an agreement with Rajasthan government on the reservation issue. The two sides reached the agreement during the fifth round of talks held in Jaipur last night. According to Rajasthan Health Minister Rajendra Singh Rathore, the state government has, in principle, agreed to give five percent reservation to Gujjars under the special backward class category. 
  
  In this regard, a separate bill will be introduced in the coming session of Rajasthan Assembly after getting it approved from cabinet
  
  To give statutory status to the reservation, the Centre will be asked to include this in the ninth Schedule of the Constitution. It was also decided that a committee will be formed to review the progress on different points listed in the agreement. 
  
• Delhi Govt has jurisdiction of arrest: HC
  Delhi government's anti-corruption branch has the jurisdiction to arrest policemen, the Delhi High court held on 25th May while dismissing bail application of a head constable who was arrested by the ACB in a corruption case. 
  
  A bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi disallowed Anil Kumar's bail application saying his submission that the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Government of National Capital Territory Delhi (GNCTD) does not have the competence or jurisdiction to act on the complaint of the complainant is rejected. The head constable was arrested on May 2 from the Sonia Vihar police station in Northeast Delhi by the ACB. 
  
  Earlier on May 14, the high court had pulled up the Delhi police for questioning the jurisdiction of ACB in arresting Kumar. He was arrested after a scrap dealer filed a complaint on the anti-corruption helpline 1033 that Kumar had been demanding Rs 20,000 as bribe and threatening to implicate him in false cases. 
  
• Swiss name two Indians under probe
  Two Indian women figure among scores of foreign nationals with Swiss bank accounts, whose names have been made public by Switzerland in its official gazette for being probed in their respective countries. 
  
  Making public these names, the Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA) has asked the two Indians to file an appeal within 30 days before the Federal Administrative Court if they do not want their details to be shared with the Indian authorities under their ‘mutual assistance’ treaty on tax matters. 
  
  However, no further details — other than their dates of birth — were made public for the two “Indian nationals” — Sneh Lata Sawhney and Sangita Sawhney. India has been pushing the Swiss authorities for a long time to share information on the suspected tax evaders. 
  
• Singapore hands over capital city master plan to AP government
  The master plan for Andhra Pradesh's capital city was handed over by Singapore's Second Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on 25th May. Andhra Pradesh's capital city to be called as Amaravati would be constructed on the banks of the Krishna river, between the cities of Vijayawada and Guntur. According to CM It is a green and Blue plan….
  • It is a 'green' plan, because of its emphasis on public transportation and not merely private transportation. It is green because it has considered forms of alternative transportation like cycling and other connectivity elements. It will set a new benchmark not just by Indian standards but by international standards
  • It is also a 'blue' plan. It's a blue plan because with very rich water resources and the idea is to take advantage of that in order to enhance amenities
  The plan also envisages a great deal of economic activity evolving in the proposed city over the next "several decades"
  
  The plan has taken into consideration transportation requirements and environmental aspects. Earlier, the Singapore government had submitted its master plan for the Andhra Pradesh capital region. The plan for the seed capital would be given in mid July. 
  
• PM launches DD Kisan Channel
  Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the DD Kisan Channel in New Delhi on 26th May. The Prime Minister said, farmers need guidance and knowledge about the global developments in the sector to take advantage of changes. This channel will help farmers in educating them in agricultural practices. 
  
  Noting that the channel will help carry modern science and technology to agriculture fields, Narendra Modi said, it will restore the confidence of youth in farming. Mr Modi advised the farming community to trifurcate the land and devote one third to traditional farming, one third to animal husbandry and the remaining to cultivation of timbre. 
  
• Ganga-Brahmaputra basin mapped
  The Ganga-Bramhaputra Basin together store around 960 cubic km of water, researchers have claimed in a first first-of-its-kind study after mapping the rivers, and said it will help understand droughts and floods to better manage water resources in the region. 
  
  Scientists from India, the U.K., France and Bangladesh undertook mapping of the two rivers during 2003 to 2007 from the basins with the help of satellite images. This study is the first of its kind as these estimates have never before been calculated for the Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin. The research also said that both surface and sub-surface water storage also show strong year-to-year variability. 
  
  The Ganges-Brahmaputra basin covers a large area, extending over India, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Bangladesh. The basin houses rivers, floodplains, lakes, wetlands and the largest delta in world, all of which contribute significantly to the regional climate; groundwater, surface water and rainfall form an interconnected cycle and are constantly affecting each other. 
  
  The study was aimed at understanding the relationship between these elements by quantifying water storage at different levels, and variations across years. 
  
  For this the researchers used satellites Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), Envisat and studied the rivers right from its origin to its mouth that gave them a bird’s eye view. 
  
  The researchers believe that these new datasets will provide an opportunity to study the signatures of droughts and floods, and ultimately to help better manage water resources in the region. 
  
• HP sets up satellite tracking system to check forest fire
  In Himachal Pradesh, the state forest department has set up the satellite tracking system to check the forest fire incidents during summer season so that precious forest wealth could be saved in the state. Awareness campaign was being launched throughout the state for protection of forests from fire and the local people were also being involved in detecting fire incidents. 
  
  The precious forest cover in Himachal Pradesh is the main wealth and identification of this hill state. In every summer the forest fire remains a big challenge before the forest department and now under the satellite tracking system, continuous vigil was being kept on the forests. 
  
  The forest officials would receive SMS on their mobiles through the system immediately after any fire incident. Besides it 700 participatory committees had been constituted, more than 90 water tanks constructed and nearly 100 watch towers had been erected so that the people could easily detect fire incidents. 
  
• HC judgment in favor of Greenpeace 
  The Delhi High Court on 27th May allowed Greenpeace to gather domestic donations in two accounts frozen by the government, extending a lifeline to the environmental group that says it is facing the first forced shutdown of one of its global units. 
  
  The government blocked foreign funds in seven bank accounts of Greenpeace India in April saying the group had misreported foreign funds and spent unaccounted money to obstruct developmental projects. 
  
  Justice Rajiv Shakdher of the Delhi High Court permitted the environmental group to operate two bank accounts for immediate transactions after the group said it was left with no funds to pay wages to hundreds of staff across India. The government says it found glaring holes in Greenpeace's balance sheet and suspended its financial operations for six months. 
  
  Greenpeace workers - who have campaigned against coal mines in forests, genetically modified crops, nuclear power and toxic waste management - said their activism did not hurt the country's economy and were determined to continue. A further court hearing is due in September. 
  
• Sex ratio improves in Haryana after launch of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme
  The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme launched to save and educate girl child from Panipat in Haryana by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the 22nd of January is bearing fruit. The number of females against 1000 males has now touched the figure of 900 in Panipat, which was 853 in 2013. The sex ratio in other districts in the state including Jind, Rohtak, Sonipat and Panipat has also improved considerably. 
  
  The Sukanya Samridhi Yojana, a scheme launched at Panipat to financially empower girl child and schemes like "Aapki Beti Hamari Beti", Rs 100 crore Haryana Kanya Kosh and "Haryana Kuposhan Mission" launched by the state government on women International Day have played a vital role to make the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign a success in the Haryana. The postal department has opened around 1.5 lakh Kanya Samridhi Yojna accounts in Haryana. 
  
  The state government is working effortlessly to boost the people through awareness programmes, financial help and conducting regular checks on ultrasound centers under PNDT Act. 
  
  In Haryana Kanya Kosh, Chief Minister Manohar Lal has given Rs 1 lakh from his monthly pay and 51 lakh from discretionary fund and Haryana Women and Child Development Minister Kavita Jain also contributed Rs 5 lakh. The gesture has conveyed a positive message to the people. Chief Minister has also raised the amount of various awards given to women for outstanding performance in different fields. 
  
  The award money given under Indira Gandhi Mahila Shakti Purskaar has been raised from one lakh to 1.5 lakh and for kalpana Chawla Shourya purskaar from 51 thousand to one lakh. The girls born after January 22 have been given cheques of Rs 51,000 each under Aapki Beti Hamari Beti scheme. 
  
  The social organizations, village panchayats and moreover Jat organizations responding to Prime minister`s appeal are also playing a pro-active role in saving the girl child. 
  
• North East’s first Mega Food Park opens in Assam
  The first Mega Food Park of North Eastern region was inaugurated on 28th May at Tihu in Assam’s Nalbari district. Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, had inaugurated the Mega Food Park along with Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and MOS Home Kiren Rijiju. 
  
  The modern infrastructure for food processing created at North East Mega Food Park will benefit the farmers, growers, processors and consumers of Assam and adjoining areas immensely and prove to be a big boost to the growth of the food processing sector in the State of Assam. North East Mega Food Park has been set up in 50 acre of land at the cost of Rs. 76 crore. 
  
  The project is having facilities of fully operational industrial sheds for SMEs, developed industrial plots for lease to food processing units, Dry Warehouse of 10000 MT, Cold Storages of 3000 MT, Common Effluent Treatment plant, Quality Control Labs etc. The Park also has a common administrative building for office and other uses by the entrepreneurs. 6 PPCs are also proposed to be set up at Nagaon, Badarpur, Tinsukia, Barapani, Krishnai and Kajalgaon which will provide facilities for primary processing and storage near the farms. 
  
  Minister of State for Home Mr. Kiren Rijiju said that the Mega Food Park shall go a long way in helping the farmers of the North East. He said that the NE Region has great potential for Food Processing and the Government has taken many steps to promote the Food Processing sector as well as Organic Farming in the region. 
  
• 20th Law Commission submitted report 
  The 20th Law Commission of India on 22 May 2015 submitted the 257th report titled Reforms in Guardianship and Custody Laws in India to the Union Minister of Law and Justice. The report reviewed the current laws dealing with custody and guardianship and came up with draft legislative amendments in the form of the Hindu Minority and Guardianship (Amendment) Bill, 2015 andthe Guardians and Wards (Amendment) Bill, 2015 to the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956 and the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 respectively. Major amendments deal with the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 by introducing a new chapter (Chapter IIA) on custody and visitation arrangements including the concept of joint custody. 
  
• National panel seeks govt nod to divide OBCs 
  The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has sought the government's nod to categorize backward castes in the central list of OBCs into three groups, and limit each group's claim to a fraction of the 27% reservation. 
  
  Known as "sub-categorization", the idea is rooted in the grievance that "forwards among the backwards" are cornering the 27% Mandal quota because the "backwards among the backwards" are unable to compete with them owing to their inferior educational and financial status. 
  
  As a remedy, the OBCs are to be divided into sub-groups, with communities with similar levels of "social, educational and economic backwardness" to be clubbed together and apportioned a part of the 27% quota. The quantum allocated to each sub-group would be in proportion to their population. 
  
  It will ensure that "forwards among backwards" only compete with each other for a slice of the 27% quota, and not monopolize the entire quota cake. It will leave the "backwards among backwards" to vie with each other on a level-playing field. 
  
  Though resented by stronger OBCs like Yadavs/Kurmis as it would limit their quota benefits, sub-categorization is demanded by weaker castes who complain that the former have usurped their share. 
  
• India gives USD 2.1 mln to WHO
  India on 18th May announced a contribution of USD 2.1 million to the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a "reflection" of its commitment to the global health body and its mandate
  
  Health Minister J. P. Nadda, assumed the presidency at the 68th World Health Assembly. According to him…
  • Inequities of resources has a direct correlation with the inequities of health" and there was a need to redouble efforts in the post-2015 development agenda to surmount "ever increasing public health challenges".
  • These challenges include among others communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, anti-microbial resistance, impact of climate change on health and impact of universal health coverage.
  • Reducing health inequities among the countries and within countries, providing sufficient human resources for health, ensuring access to affordable medicines and diagnostics and preventing diseases by promoting healthy lifestyles are other challenges
  • India will contribute another USD 1,00,000 for the member state mechanism on SSFFC (Substandard/ Spurious/ Falsely-labelled/Falsified/ Counterfeit) medical products.
  • The presidency of WHA, the top decision making body of the WHO, is based on a regional rotation practice and saw India assuming presidency after 18 years.
  
  
• Help sought for Clean Ganga project 
  The Namami Gange project is spread over five years and covers 41 tributaries of Ganga. Rs. 7272 crore has been set aside for interventions in existing, defunct projects while Rs. 12,728 crore has been allocated for new initiatives. This is a four-fold increase since the new government came to power. Since 1985, Rs. 4168.55 crore has been spent on cleaning the river. 
  
  The National Mission for Clean Ganga that has been assigned the task of cleaning the river, is focussed on abatement of pollution and has designed its interventions around this. However, it is seeking partnerships and is tailoring its projects so that state governments, local municipalities and panchayats have a stake and take ownership of the projects for sustainability. 
  
  To speed up the process of cleaning the river, the Mission has sought the participation of institutions, donors, overseas Indians, business and corporate houses to donate their might and money for projects or sponsoring projects to clean up the river . Already pilot projects have been launched in eight cities. The challenge is to set up a drainage system in thickly populated cities. 
  
  The urgent need is to bring down lean season BOD levels in the river to 10 mg/litre/day, the Total Suspended Solid levels to 10 mg/litre/day and Total Faecal Coliform to 100 mg/litre/day. These levels run into over lakhs at present. 
  
• Swachh Bharat: Sub group of CMs meet in Chandigarh
  In the second meeting of sub group of Chief Ministers held under the chairmanship of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu at Chandigarh on 19th May, use of available indigenous technology was stressed for the success of Swachch Bharat Mission. 
  
  Besides Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Chief Ministers of Haryana, Maharashtra , Mizoram and representatives of remaining member states participated in the meeting. After the meeting Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu while addressing a press conference said that latest technologies available in the country will be used for waste management so that Swachch Bharat Mission could be made a success. 
  
  According to Chandra Babu Naidu Sanitation is a major problem and it also leads to health problems. Waste could be used for generating power and central government is already giving tax relaxation for it. He said that power generation from waste will help in managing the 50 percent waste of the country. India to host PATA Travel Mart 2015 in September at Bangalore. 
  
  India will host the Pacific Asia Travel Association, PATA Travel Mart 2015 in September at Bangalore. This is to make India a round the year tourist destination. PATA travel mart is the premier travel trade show in the Asia Pacific region. It brings together international buyers and sellers and provides platform for promoting tourism destination of countries. 
  
• Global Warming could submerge swathes of coastal land in Kochi
  Within 100 years, rising sea levels caused by global warming could submerge large swathes of coastal land in Kochi, Kerala's second most populous city, scientists at the Goa-based National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) have predicted. 
  
  Inundation scenarios created by NIO scientists R. Mani Murali and P.K. Dinesh Kumar using satellite imagery and a digital elevation model have also warned that Kochi, a city the duo claims has "expanded rapidly and heavily stressed from environmental perspectives", will create "harmful effects" for the population as well as the coastal environment and severely impact fishing, agriculture and other socio-economic activity. The two scenarios simulated by the scientists for a one-metre and two-metre sea level rise are in sync with the globally accepted levels of sea rise of 0.5 metre to two-metres over the coming century. 
  
  For the sea level rise scenarios of 1m and 2m, the total inundation zones were estimated to be 169.11 km2 and 598.83 km2 respectively using Geographic Information System (GIS). The losses of urban areas were estimated at 43 km2 and 187 km2 for the 1m and 2m sea level rise respectively which is alarming information for the most densely populated state of India," said the research paper published earlier this year. 
  
  The results obtained conclusively point that sea level rise scenarios will bring profound effects on the land use and land cover classes as well as on coastal landforms in the study region. Coastal inundation would leave ocean front and inland properties vulnerable, the study further says, adding that increase in water levels would alter the coastal drainage gradients resulting in flooding and intrusion of salt water in coastal aquifers. 
  
  Kochi, formerly known as Cochin, is the second most populous city in Kerala and serves as an important maritime trade, fishing and recreational, medical tourism hub. Most of the picturesque city lies at sea level and is spread along a coastline around 48 km in length. 
  
  The reason why the NIO report gains immediate significance is because of the rapid urbanization, which has brought human settlements perilously close to the Arabian sea. The city already has the inglorious distinction of having the highest number of Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) violations across Kerala, which if one goes by the study, now stand the risk of being submerged to the sea level rise in the coming years. 
  
• EC ready with legal framework to allow proxy, e voting for NRIs
  Overseas Indians may have moved a step closer to casting their franchise in Indian elections by proxy or e ballot as the Election Commission has come out with a legal framework for it. 
  
  An expert committee in the Election Commission working on the issue has forwarded the legal framework to the Law Ministry to amend electoral laws to allow overseas Indians use proxy voting and e ballot facility. 
  
  According to Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi, the data shows that only 10 to 12,000 NRIs have voted because they don't want to spend dollars to come back to vote. While NRIs are free to cast their votes in constituencies they are registered, as per the proposal they would also be allowed to use the option of proxy, which as of now is only available to service personnel. 
  
  Another option would be to use postal ballot delivered to them by electronic means to cast their vote. This would mean amending the current laws governing right to vote. 
  
• Neolong Valley opens for tourists first time since 1962
  The Nelong Valley near the India-China border, which was closed for civilians after the 1962 war, has been opened for tourists. The valley, 45 km ahead of the border, falls under the Gangotri National Park in Uttarkashi district. Foreigners are not allowed in the valley. 
  
  At 11,600 feet, the valley is a cold desert, home to the snow leopard and the Himalayan blue sheep and offering a view of the Tibetan Plateau. After the 1962 war, villagers were shifted out of the valley and Indo-Tibetan Border Police checkpoints were set up in the villages. 
  
• Unemployment rate is highest in Lucknow
  Unemployment rate for men is the highest in Lucknow among major cities, while Patna tops the chart for women, according to the National Sample Survey. The statistics is among class 1 cities, the unemployment for males, rate in usual status (adjusted) was the highest for Lucknow (8.5 per cent) and for females it was the highest in Patna (34.6 per cent), according to the report based on employment and unemployment survey conducted in the 68th round of National Sample Survey during July 2011 to June 2012. Hyderabad was at third place with a rate of 5.9 per cent. 
  
• The President's Estate becomes Wi-Fi enabled with 30 Wi-Fi access points
  The President's Estate has now become Wi-Fi enabled with the President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurating 24 Hot Spots with 30 Wi-Fi access points. Indian President Mukherjee advised the concerned authorities to ensure availability of infrastructure for Internet and Information and Communication Technology enabled services across the country. 
  
  He said, Wi-Fi services could be rolled out in public places both in urban and rural India. Mr Mukherjee said that India ranks third after China and USA in terms of number of internet users. He, however mentioned that, only 20 percent of country's population has access to internet. Union Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Ravi Shankar Prasad was also present on the occasion. 
  
• 33% seats reservation proposed for women in Andaman and Nicobar police dept
  Andaman & Nicobar Police on 21 May 2015 proposed to reserve 33 percent of the seats for the posts of constable and sub-inspector for women. At present, women police consists only 18 percent part Andaman and Nicobar police. Earlier in June 2014, Gujarat Government also announced 33 percent quota for women in police force. 
  
• Modernised IISCO Steel Plant inaugurated
  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated modernized IISCO Steel Plant in Burnpur, West Bengal the Prime Minister on 10th May. 
  
  According to him India would have to work for increasing production, value addition to mineral resources and developing the skills of youths to fight poverty in the country. 
  
  India is exporting iron ore and then importing steel from China. T
  
  The newly modernized plant, built at a cost of Rs. 16,840 crore to the nation.This will increase the capacity of the plant under SAIL from 4.26 lakh tonnes of steel annually to 2.5 million tonnes per annum. 
  
• AP govt. to launch digital repository of land records soon
  The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to create a digital repository of land records in the state. The online portal, to be launched shortly, is aimed at bringing in transparency and ensuring easy verification during registrations or applying for loans from banks. 
  
  The digital repository will incorporate technology for e-governance and categorizes the details of land into information about the owner, area, assessment, water rate, soil type, nature of possession of land, liabilities, tenancy and crops grown. One can also view individual/village adangal and other details on the website. 
  
  According to the state government, users could enter their Aadhaar card number to view their land details. They can also search for their Field Measurement Book (FMB) through the website. The details of all the transactions will be updated on the portal. With respect to grievances related to land, people can register a compliant at the closest mee-Seva centres. 
  
• Jayalalithaa acquitted as the numbers add up
  Former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa has been acquitted of all charges in a 19-year-old disproportionate assets case, paving the way for her return to public office. 
  
  Justice C.R. Kumaraswamy of the Karnataka High Court upheld her appeal on 11th May, in a hearing that lasted just a few seconds. The judge set aside the trial court verdict sentencing Jayalalithaa, her close confidante Sasikala, and two of the latter’s relatives — J. Ilavarasi and VN Sudhakaran — to four years in jail. The trial court had also imposed a fine of Rs. 100 crore on the former chief minister and Rs. 10 crore each on the others. 
  
  The judgment cited a precedent set by the Supreme Court in the Krishnand Agnihotri v/s State of Madhya Pradesh case in 1977, noting it is well settled law that according to Krishnanand Agnihotri’s case, when there is disproportionate asset to the extent of 10 per cent, the accused are entitled for acquittal
  
  While the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) stated that the accused’s total assets involved amounted to Rs. 66.44 crore, Justice Kumaraswamy stated that the prosecution had mixed Jayalalithaa’s personal assets with those of firms on which she and Sasikala served as Directors. The judgment noted that the DVAC had exaggerated the cost of construction ( Rs. 27.79 crore) on various properties and marriage expenses ( Rs. 6.45 crore) of Sasikala’s nephew VN Sudhakaran (in 1995), valuing all the assets to arrive at the total of Rs. 66.44 crore. 
  
  The case dates back to 1996, when then Janata Party chief and now BJP leader Subramanian Swamy filed a suit against Jayalalithaa alleging that she had amassed wealth worth Rs. 66.65 crore disproportionate to her known sources of income during her tenure as chief minister from 1991 to 1996. 
  
  In 2003, the Supreme Court transferred the case to Karnataka after DMK General Secretary K Anbazhagan approached the court claiming that a fair trial was not possible in Tamil Nadu with Jayalalithaa in power. 
  
• Tremors in India
  The tremors were also felt, in the Indian states. The tremors were occurred in all the way from the border states of Bihar and West Bengal to Gujarat and Delhi, coastal belt of Andhra Pradesh. Seventeen people were killed in the Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh
  
• Google’s biggest campus in city
  Google will build its largest campus outside the US in Hyderabad at an investment of Rs 1,000 crore, according to Telangana IT Minister K T Rama Rao. 
  
  Two million sq. ft. space would be built. Investment of Rs 1,000 crore and in four years employee size to double from 6,500 to 13,000. Vice-president (Real Estate & Workplace at Google) David Radcliffe and Telangana IT Secretary Jayesh Ranjan signed the MoU at Google headquarters in Mountain View, California. The search engine major already has a facility in Hyderabad with 7,000 employees. Quoting David Radcliffe, a government statement said the firm would take about 12 months to prepare a plan and work would start in 2016. 
  
• Haryana to set up int'l level Archaeology museum at Panchkula
  The Haryana Government will soon set up an international level museum at Panchkula at a cost of Rs 30 crore to display significant archaeological findings. 
  
  A state-level museum at a cost of Rs 5 crore will also be set up at Rakhigarhi village in Hisar district to display various items excavated at Rakhigarhi which is the biggest site of Harappan civilization in the South-east Asia. 
  
  While the work to set up museum at Panchkula would commence within next 3 to 4 months, the work on museum at Rakhigarhi would be taken up within a month. 
  
• Cabinet clears bill to check benami deal
  The Union Cabinet has approved proposal to amend law to regulate benami transactions to curb generation and circulation of black money in domestic market
  
  The Bill would provide for prosecution and would aim to act as a major avenue for blocking generation and holding of black money in the form of benami property, especially in real estate. The new bill will be introduced during the Monsoon session. 
  
• SC sets guidelines for govt. ads
  The Supreme Court has restricted the use of photographs of political leaders and government functionaries in government advertisements. The Apex court issued guidelines on central government advertisements and said that only photos of the President, Prime Minister and Chief Justice of India can be published. It further added that images of departed national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi can also be used in such ads. The court directed the government to form a three-member committee to regulate government ads. 
  
  It delivered the judgment on a petition filed by an NGO alleging misuse of government funds on ads benefiting political parties. 
  
• Cabinet clears MoUs to be signed during PM's visit to China, Mongolia, S Korea
  Before leaving for his three-nation tour, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a Cabinet meeting in New Delhi. Among other decisions, the Cabinet cleared a number of MoUs which are expected to be signed during Mr. Modi's visit to China, Mongolia and South Korea. 
  
  The Cabinet cleared signing of an MoU between India and China on co-operation in the field of mining and mineral sector. The MOU will provide an institutional mechanism and help in exchange of information on resources, laws and policy. 
  
  The two countries will also extend tenure of the MoU for Cooperation in Traditional Medicine. The MoU had expired in January, 2013. 
  
  The two countries will also enter into an agreement for strengthening co-operation in the field of tourism. 
  
  Cabinet also approved an MoU between India and Mongolia for cooperation in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy. 
  
  It also cleared signing of an MoU for cooperation in Border Guarding, Policing and Surveillance between both the countries to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of Border Management. 
  
  It will also increase effectiveness in border security co-operation and best practices sharing. 
  
  It also cleared signing of an agreement between the countries on the transfer of sentenced persons. This will enable sentenced persons to be near their families and help in the process of their social rehabilitation. 
  
  The Union Cabinet also gave its approval for entering into an Audio-Visual Co-Production Agreement between India and the South Korea. Co-operation between the film industries of the two countries will not only promote export of Indian films but also act as a catalyst towards creating awareness about India and its culture. 
  
  The Cabinet also approved signing of an MoU between both the countries on cooperation in the field of electric power development and new energy industries. 
  
  The MoU will provide an enabling framework for establishing contact between governmental entities and public authorities of both countries in the field of electric power development and new energy industries. 
  
  Signing of an MoU for co-operation with South Korea in the fields of maritime transport and logistics was also cleared. 
  
• Children under 14 banned from all units
  The Union Cabinet on 13th May approved a plan to ban employment of children under 14 in all kinds of commercial enterprises. The Cabinet has made an exception for work done in family enterprises and on farmlands after school hours and during vacations. 
  
• India way behind on WHO health targets
  India has met only four of ten health targets under the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), and has made next to no progress on another four, according to new data from the World Health Organisation. The deadline for achieving MDGs runs out this year. 
  
  The WHO’s annual World Health Statistics for 2015 were released in Geneva on 13th May. 
  
  The report finds that globally, life expectancy at birth has increased by six years for both men and women since 1990. 
  
  According to the report…
  • By the end of this year if current trends continue, the world will have met global targets for turning around the epidemics of HIV, malaria and tuberculosis and increasing access to safe drinking water.
  • It will also have made substantial progress in reducing child under-nutrition, maternal and child deaths, and increasing access to basic sanitation
  
  Infant Mortality
  Progress in child survival worldwide is one of the greatest success stories of international development, the WHO says, and pre-term birth complications have replaced neo-natal complications and disease as the biggest source of mortality for children under the age of five. 
  
  Since 1990, child deaths have almost halved — falling from an estimated 90 deaths per 1000 live births to 46 deaths per 1000 live births in 2013. Yet the world will not achieve the MDG target of reducing the death rate by two-thirds. 
  
  In India, life expectancy grew by eight years between 1990 and 2013. While India has sharply reduced its infant mortality between 2000 and 2013, it still contributes for the most infant deaths globally. Non-communicable diseases are the top killers, followed by communicable diseases and injuries. 
  
  In September, countries will decide on new goals for 2030. In addition to finishing the MDG agenda, the post-2015 agenda needs to tackle emerging challenges, including the growing impact of non-communicable diseases, like diabetes and heart disease, and the changing social and environmental determinants that affect health. 
  
• Ustad Yojna started
  In Uttar Pradesh, the Union Minister for Minorities Welfare, Najama Heptullah kick started 'Ustad Yojna' from Varanasi on 14th May. The scheme envisages boosting the skill of artisans, craftsmen and weavers who are already engaged in their work. 
  
  The scheme is part of PM's vision of 'Sab ka Sath Sabka Vikas' which encompasses every citizen of India. Under the scheme, the artisans and weavers will not only get training and skill orientation but also they will be given help to sell their products. 
  
• Govt. to set up agency for development of Solar Energy
  Government will establish International Solar Policy and Applications Agency which will be a coalition of Solar resource rich countries for the development of Solar Energy and Solar technology applications. Inaugurating the New Solar Passive Building of the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) situated in Gurgaon, Haryana. 
  
  The agency will help in addressing special energy needs of the country and reduce reliance on fossil fuels in the long run. 
  
• 48,000 jobs targeted via rural BPOs
  The Union government has finalized a policy for setting up business process outsourcing units in small towns and villages, and has approved a national target of 48,000 seats, Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said. On 15th May he laid the foundation for the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) headquarters. 
  
  The NIELIT has trained 20 lakh students in the last two decades. It has set a target to train 55 lakh students in five years. 
  
• Road Asset Management System (RAMS) for National Highways launched
  Union Minister of Road Transport, Highways and Shipping on 15 May 2015 launched Road Asset Management System (RAMS) for National Highways. The framework will incorporate data on street resources, state of the asphalts and activity through utilization of laser innovation. 
  
  The result of this incorporated information gathering framework will help in building up an exact and investigative support arranging component, finishing street well being measures and advancement of the National Highways network in India. 
  
  The information gathered will be put away and oversaw through an electronic application, which will be facilitated in the general public domain. The application, when completely created, can likewise be gotten to by advanced cells (Smart Phones). 
  
  Data gathered from this venture will be helpful for Transport Ministry, Finance Ministry, NHAI, State PWDs, Police divisions, financing organizations, designers and citizens. 
  
  The product will be outfitted to interface with the indigenous Bhuvan satellite pictures. The overview vehicle is outfitted with three cams including pavement view, 15 propelled Lasers and GPS joined with Gagan satellite. 
  
  The development of the Road Asset Management System (RAMS) is a piece of the Prime Minister's Digital India activity. 
  
• Kayakalp award scheme launched
  The Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J. P. Nadda launched Kayakalp Award Scheme. The scheme is deliberated to encourage and incentivize Public Health Facilities (PHFs) in the country for maintaining the facilities clean and hygienic. The scheme is launched…..
  • To promote cleanliness, hygiene and infection control practices in public health care facilities
  • To encourage and recognize such public healthcare facilities that show exemplary performance in adhering to standard protocols of cleanliness and infection control
  • To inculcate a culture of ongoing assessment and peer review of performance related to sanitation, cleanliness and hygiene
  • To generate and share sustainable practices related to improved cleanliness in public health facilities linked to positive health outcomes
  
  
• E-waste in India increasing at alarming rate: Parl Panel
  Noting that the volume of e-waste in the country was increasing at an alarming rate, a parliamentary panel has recommended creation of a legislative and enforcement mechanism to prevent India from becoming a dumping ground of e-waste for developed nations.
  
  Stating that e-waste management is a huge global problem, the committee said there were numerous reports indicating that e-wastes are being shipped to developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America from developed nations under the garb of "used goods" to pass on the hazards associated with it and to "avoid" the cost of legitimate recycling.
  
  The committee recommended the creation of necessary legislative and enforcement mechanism to prevent the country from becoming one of the dumping grounds of e-waste for developed nations. The committee on Demands for Grants (2015-16) for Environment Ministry
  
  Noting that the need to review existing legal framework is "self-evident", the committee said that a necessary policy framework and legal architecture together with effective implementation machinery need to be put in place to meet the challenges of e-waste management. It observed that given the reach of electrical and electronic equipment in remote and far flung areas of the country, the arrangements made for managing and handling e-waste are quite "inadequate".
  
• One Stop Centre for women victims
  Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), has formulated a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for setting up One Stop Centres (OSC), to be funded from the Nirbhaya Fund. These Centers will be established across the country to provide integrated support and assistance under one roof to women affected by violence, both in private and public spaces in a phased manner. 
  
  In the first phase, one OSC will initially be established in each State/UT to facilitate access to an integrated range of services including medical, legal, and psychological support.The OSC will be integrated with 181 and other existing helplines. The scheme is being implemented through States/UTs from April 1, 2015. For the implementation of the Scheme, guidelines have been developed to support stakeholders/agencies who would be involved in implementing the Scheme, as well as State, district and grass-root level functionaries. 
  
  The guidelines are intended to serve as a reference manual for officials at the National and State/ Union Territory (UT) levels for policy guidance and monitoring. The guidelines list the services to be provided under the Scheme, steps and processes/procedures such as monitoring mechanism at various levels, fund flow, reporting, standard operating procedures for handholding of women at OSC etc. The guidelines also highlight the roles and responsibilities of various line departments. It provides monitoring and reporting formats to be used at different levels. The guidelines are not exhaustive and the feedback received from States/UTs from time to time will be incorporated as per requirements. 
  
  The implementation guidelines have a prescribed proforma, for the submission of proposal for the establishment OSCs by States/UTs. The proposals of States/UTs will be examined by a Programme Approval Board (PAB) to be constituted in the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The PAB shall be the final authority for accepting, reviewing, and sanctioning of proposals for assistance under the scheme. 
  
• Cow-urine refinery for research on cow products 
  Rajasthan Health Minister Rajendra Rathore inaugurated a cow-urine refinery at Pathmera village in Jalore district on 3rd May. According to Minister scientific approach should be adopted for Indian traditional system of medicine and emphasized on the research of cow products and their application in the treatment of various diseases. 
  
  The MoU to this effect has been signed between Jodhpur's Dr S. Radhakrishnan Ayurveda University and the Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Bikaner. The by-product derived from cow-urine extract will be used for cleaning at the SMS Hospital in Jaipur. 
  
• Andhra govt. to expedite work on greenfield intl. airport project
  The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet has decided to go ahead with the land pooling process for the green-field international airport proposed at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district amid growing resistance to the government’s move.
  
  The government had zeroed in on this alternative location, which is around 40 km from the port city of Visakhapatnam, in place of a place near Nakkapalli in Visakhapatnam district originally chosen for setting up the green-field airport by the previous Congress government led by Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
  
  The state government has originally decided to pool up about 15,000 acre for the project, while the move was met with opposition from the locals who questioned as to why so much land was required for an airport project.
  
  The state government has already issued a draft aviation policy proposing to develop the international airport along with five smaller airports under the public private participation (PPP) model. The government has offered to provide various financial incentives including a viability gap funding to these projects in a move to attract private investments into these airport infrastructure.
  
• National Waterways Bill introduced in Lok Sabha
  A bill to make provisions for existing national waterways and to provide for declaration of certain inland waterways as national waterways was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 5th May. The National Waterways Bill-2015 is also aimed at providing for the regulation and development of the waterways for the purpose of Shipping and Navigation.
  
  The Centre has evolved a policy of integrated development of inland waterways throughout the country and has identified 101 new inland waterways to be declared as national waterways for the purposes of shipping and navigation. 
  
• Vizag to pilot crime control project
  Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS), a mission mode project under National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) of Government of India, is all set to become a reality as the Visakhapatnam Police Commissionerate is gearing up to implement it as a pilot project in the Andhra Pradesh State.
  
  The training commenced for 225 police personnel across the 23 police stations under the commissionerate on Monday. They include reception officers, writers, sub-inspectors and station house officers. About 800 personnel were already trained and they would be re-trained as the system has incorporated certain new elements. The updating of the database across the police stations has already been initiated in June 2014.Once this project, which has been in the pipeline for quite some time, is implemented across the country, it will benefit the police force immensely.
  
• Rajasthan bags first place in matter of free admission under RTE
  Rajasthan has bagged first place in country in matter of free admission under Right to Education. While drawing online lottery for free seats under RTE in Jaipur pm 5th May, as per joint survey done by IIM Ahemdabad, Central Square Foundation and Center for Legal Policy study Rajasthan has also topped in reimbursement of school fee under RTE in the country.
  
• Constitutional Amendment Bill unanimously adopted by Rajya Sabha
  The Rajya Sabha on 6th May unanimously adopted the Constitution Amendment Bill to facilitate the exchange of enclaves between India and Bangladesh. The constitution amendment bill number – 119 The passage of this Bill will send signals to other countries that India wants cordial relations with its neighbors.
  
• Haryana govt. announces step to check female foeticide
  In a major step to check female foeticide and promote 'Beti Bachao' campaign in Haryana, the state government will give Rs. 1 lakh cash award to anyone who provides information regarding sex determination tests or female foeticides to concerned authorities.
  
  Once the people involved in this crime are caught red-handed and after verification of information, the person, who provides this information, would immediately be given the cash prize. For this, a provision of 25 lakh rupees token money has been provided under annual plan 2015-16 and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has also given his approval. 
  
  The step has been taken in order to completely put an end to female foeticide, which has led to unbalanced sex-ratio in the state.
  
• Lok Sabha cleared juvenile bill
   A bill providing for trial of juveniles aged between 16 and 18 for heinous crimes under laws governing adults was passed by the Lok Sabha on 7th May. Over 40 amendments moved by the government were adopted while those moved by opposition MPs were kept out.
  
  According to Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi to be “pro-child” and made efforts to strike “a fine balance” between justice to victims and rights of children. Maneka added the new law is intended to be “deterrent” to ensure juveniles refrain from crime and avoid spoiling their lives. She justified the need for the new law quoting National Crime Records Bureau data that shows around 28,000 juveniles had committed various crimes in 2013 and of them, 3,887 had allegedly committed heinous crimes. “The new law is meant to apply to such 3,887 juveniles out of 47.2 crore juvenile population of the country.”
  
  She rejected the opposition’s contention that the government had disregarded the recommendations of the parliamentary standing committee, saying 11 out of 13 recommendations had been accepted.
  
  Under the proposed law, any juvenile aged between 16 and 18 will stay in a borstal, an institution for housing adolescent offenders, till the age of 21 whatever the sentence. Also, there will be no provision for death sentence or life imprisonment. Once an offender turns 21, his behavior will be assessed and if he has reformed, his sentence may be reduced
  
  She added that the cases will be tried by a Juvenile Justice Board, which will include a sociologist and a child rights activist and that she had prepared the bill after exhaustive consultation, including with judges who tried the Delhi bus gang rape case.
  
• Saraswati river sprouts to life after 4,000 years in Haryana
  Haryana government's efforts to trace the origin of the mythical Saraswati river bore fruit when water started gushing out from a pit, which was being dug under the lost river revival plan
  
  As many as 80 people who were digging the course of the Saraswati in Mugalwali village of Yamunanagar district suddenly noticed that the soil they were shovelling out from a pit was moist. The dampness increased as they dug deeper and water started gushing out when they burrowed to a depth of eight feet
  
  The government believes that the lost river originates from Adi Badri area and flows through 41 villages in the Yamunanagar district. Excavation work has been started in eight villages for which Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has made budgetary provisions worth `50 crore
  
  A huge check dam, measuring 400 acres, has also been proposed on the Somb River that will be diverted to the Saraswati River. The mythical Saraswati River, according to the historians, had dried up 4,000 years ago. Satellite images had mapped its course that once flowed through North-Western India. Remote sensing experts had said that the river vanished after a powerful earthquake hit its course.
  
  Traces of Saraswati River are found in the holy city of Kurukshetra. It is believed that the river once flowed through Thanesar, the capital of erstwhile Harshvardhan's kingdom, which is located close to Kurukshetra. Legend has it that the Saraswati once fed two wells known as Kapalmochan and Ranmochan in which the Pandavas had taken bath. If revived, Saraswati may boost the state's religious tourism besides quenching the thirst of villages located on its course.
  
• Naval base in Gujarat dedicated to nation
  Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel dedicated to the nation, INS Sardar Patel, the new naval base of the Indian Navy at Porbandar. The commissioning of INS Sardar Patel- the new naval base on Gujarat coast, will increase the maritime security on western coast. Its aim is to beef up security along the vast state coastline. 
  
  Gujarat has a coastline of 1600 km and 70% of the country's oil and 73% of gas is imported though the ports in the state. The ports of Gujarat handle 40 to 50% of the total maritime trade handled by the various ports of India. 
  
  The naval base will also enhance the logistic support being provided to the Indian Navy units deployed in the Northern Arabian Sea, including along the International Maritime Boundary Line with Pakistan. 
  
  The 2008, Mumbai attacks have added a new dimension to the coastal security, which has enhanced responsibility, and the need for continued naval presence in this area in the entire coastline of India, 46 coastal radar stations and 74 automatic identification systems have been put. 
  
  To give a push to the Make in India initiative, 48 ships and submarines will be developed indigenously. The economic importance of this frontal maritime state, in the overall national security dynamics, is the core factor governing sustenance and operation of naval assets from the Forward Operating Naval base at Porbandar. 
  
• Commemorative coin on Swami Chinmayananda released
  The Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a commemorative coin to mark the birth centenary of Swami Chinmayananda. Swami Chinmayananda born as Balakrishna Menon on 8 May 1916 pioneered works in the field of education and social reform. He died on 3 August 1993.
  
  The Hindu spiritual leader and teacher inspired the formation of Chinmaya Mission, a worldwide nonprofit organisation, to spread the knowledge of Advaita Vedanta, the non dual system of thought found in the Upanishads, which epitomise the philosophical teachings of the Vedas.