NATIONAL SEPTEMBER 2014

NATIONAL SEPTEMBER 2014

• Expert suggests silt-free barragesA U.N. consultant and engineer has come up with a cost-effective plan for Ganga rejuvenation by building 25 silt-free barrages within the river system to dilute the waste and to maintain a continuous flow of fresh water. 
  
  T. Hanumantha Rao, former Engineer-in-Chief of the A.P. Irrigation department and U.N. consultant to 22 countries told that his ‘Ganga rejuvenation plan,’ involved construction of barrages from Haridwar to Farakka, one below the other in such a manner that the stored water of the lower barrage touches the upstream one. 
  
  This would render the entire river a long reservoir limited to storing flood water within the flood zone of the river without submerging any village. A perennial flow of ‘bathing quality’ water is thus ensured through a self-purification process that takes care of waste water flowing into the river either directly or from dysfunctional sewage treatment plants, which has been the biggest challenge so far. 
  
  The Central Pollution Control Board had estimated that 4800 million litres per day of waste flowed into the Ganga in 2013. This works out to 1,964 cubic feet per second (cusecs) requiring a fresh water discharge of about 19,640 cusecs for its dilution by 10 times. This is required essentially during the dry period of four months as flood flows take care of the dilution in the remaining eight months. 
  
  Mr. Rao’s plan prefers building these barrages on the main river itself as it is virtually impossible to construct storage reservoirs elsewhere on the Gangetic plains or in the ecologically fragile Himalayan hilly regions. A design innovation proposed in the barrages is that the bottom of the radial gate starts from the river bed apron level and is kept open to allow free normal flows and to wash down the silt. The water stored upstream in each barrage is released downstream to provide enough water for dilution of waste inflows. There will be no siltation upstream of barrage as each vent will function as scouring sluice. 
  
• India backs info swap on black moneyIndia will support the proposed international automatic exchange of tax and banking information that is expected to aid unearthing and retrieving black money stashed offshore. 
  
  Forty-six countries, including India, have agreed to set rolling by 2017 the automatic exchange of information on tax evaders. This would be the key to prevent international tax evasion and avoidance and would be instrumental in getting information about unaccounted money stashed abroad and ultimately bringing it back 
  
  At present, countries exchange information on the basis of requests and that too only on suspected tax evasion and other financial crimes. The proposed global standard would facilitate a systematic and periodic transmission of bulk taxpayer information by the source country of income to the country of residence of the taxpayer. The implementation of these standards by developing countries could also improve domestic tax compliance as substantial amount of data received from financial institutions by the tax administration could be used for domestic tax purposes also 
  
• Telangana to clear 25% of crop loansThe Telangana government on 22nd September announced waiver of Rs 17,000 crore agricultural loans to farmers in the state. The decision would benefit about 36 lakh ryots. 
  
  As the first installment towards repayment of bank loans, the state government issued orders on 22nd September releasing Rs 4,250 crore of the Rs 17,000 crore due to banks from farmers 
  
• Rs 51k cr to stop sewage flow into Ganga: Government to SCThe NDA government on 22nd September informed the Supreme Court that it proposed to spend Rs 51,000 crore in the next five years to completely stop discharge of untreated sewer and waste water from 118 towns into Ganga River. 
  
  Giving a glimpse of the short-, mid- and long-term vision for rejuvenation of Ganga, director of 'National Mission for Clean Ganga' Rajiv Ranjan Mishra informed the court in an affidavit that….
  
  • Short-term goals would be achieved in three years, mid-term goals in five years and long-term ones in 10 years or more.
  • 118 urban habitations on bank of river Ganga have been tentatively identified by the ministry of urban development (MoUD) for extending coverage of sewerage infrastructure (tentatively estimated by MoUD to cost Rs 51,000 crore with actuals depending on preparation of detailed project reports. This forms part of the mid-term vision plan.
  
  
• Andhra bank launches ‘Kisaan Vaani’Andhra Bank on 22nd September launched ‘Andhra Bank Kisaan Vaani’, a new facility which provides latest technical information on agriculture and allied activities to farmers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana through ‘Green SIM’-based voice message, in association with Iffco Kisaan Sanchar Limited (IKSL) 
  
  IKSL has developed a green SIM for transfer of voice messages in different fields of farmers interest. Green SIM can be used as a regular SIM since it has all the features of the normal SIM in addition to the value-added services. For getting the green SIM, the farmer has to produce a valid identity and address proof in addition to a passport-sized colour photo. 
  
  The cost of green SIM is Rs 86, out of which free talk time of Rs 82 is available. The cost of the SIM thus works out to Rs 4 and the farmer can use this free talk time for his regular purposes. The SIM is valid for lifetime. 
  
  Andhra Bank and IKSL have entered into an MoU for transfer of latest technology on a continuous basis without any charges. The bank is also providing green SIMs to all its rural development officers and rural branch managers to help the farming community. 
  
  The required information will be provided to the farmer in the local language for a one-minute duration, free of cost. IKSL has taken the assistance of Airtel as service provider to facilitate the delivery of OBD (Out Bound Dialogue/Voice Messages). Every day, farmers will get two messages pertaining to all agricultural and allied categories, one message on agriculture-related to agro climatic zone and one on bank products (like banking operations, schemes, loan disbursement and crop insurance). On Sundays, only two messages will be delivered. 
  
  The core contents of the message will be provided by experts in related fields in addition to the institutions like agriculture, veterinary and horticulture departments, Incois (Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services), Icrisat (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid-Tropics ), Spices Board and other related organisations. There are also continuous monitoring methods to assess the requirements of farmers through a feedback system. 
  
• Supreme Court for independent probe into encountersThe Supreme Court on 23rd September ruled that an independent and thorough investigation should be held into encounter deaths to restore the faith of the public in the police force. The court also held that no out-of-turn promotion or gallantry award should be given to police officers involved in encounter killings unless the gallantry was proved beyond reasonable doubt. 
  
  An independent investigation into the encounter death should be done by the CID or officers from another police station who was not involved in the incident. The probe should be scientific, well-documented and provide a decisive finding on the nature of death in question. The probe should be open to a magisterial inquiry and any dissatisfaction about its fairness could be challenged before a session’s judge, the court held. 
  
  The verdict came on a batch of PILs led by NGO People’s Union for Civil Liberties questioning the genuineness of 99 encounters between the Mumbai Police and alleged criminals resulting in the death of about 135 persons between 1995 and 1997. 
  
• Bring back Indian PoWs in Pakistan says apex courtNoting that the State should be concerned about its missing citizens, the Supreme Court asked the Centre to submit the current status of the 54 Indians prisoners of war (PoW) believed to be languishing in Pakistan jails as per a list prepared by the Indian government way back in 1985. 
  
• Indian films rank high on sexualisation of women India tops the charts in showing attractive women in its movies and as much as 35 per cent of these women characters are shown with some nudity, finds a first-ever U.N. sponsored global study of women characters in popular films across the world. 
  
  The study, commissioned by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, with support from U.N. Women and The Rockefeller Foundation, reveals deep-seated discrimination, pervasive stereotyping, sexualisation of women and their underrepresentation in powerful roles by the international film industry. 
  
  Indian films, the study finds, have a significantly higher prevalence of sexualisation of women characters and the movies score low in depicting women in significant speaking roles. While women represent nearly half of the world’s population, less than one third of all speaking characters in films are women and U.K.-U.S. collaborations and Indian films are at the bottom of the pack. 
  
  Both, American/British hybrid films (23.6 per cent) and Indian films (24.9 per cent) show women characters in less than one-quarter of all speaking roles. Indian films are third behind German and Australian movies in showing women in “sexy attire”. About 35 per cent of women characters in Indian movies are shown with some nudity, the study finds. The prevalence of women directors, writers and producers in the Indian films is also not at a very high ranking. India had 9.1 per cent women directors, slightly above the global average of seven per cent, while its percentage of women writers was 12.1 per cent, significantly lower than the 19.7 per cent global average. 
  
  This data examining gender prevalence behind the camera translated into a gender ratio of 6.2 males to every one female in the film industry in India. 
  
• Telangana announces Shadi Mubarak SchemeThe Telangana Government on 23rd September named the cash benefit scheme to the Muslim brides as “Shaadi Mubarak”. As per the scheme, Rs 51,000 cash benefit would be given as wedding gift to the poor Muslim girls by the Telangana Government. The same scheme for poor Dalit and Tribals girls, named as “Kalyani Lakshmi”, is set for launch from Dasara festival onwards. 
  
• None in India can be forced to declare his religion, says HCNo person in India can be compelled to declare his religion, the Bombay high court ruled on 23rd September while hearing a PIL seeking direction to the Maharashtra government to not insist on declaration of religion on official forms and documents. 
  
  The petition was filed by Dr Ranjeet Mohite, Kishore Nazare and Subhash Ranaware, who claimed to be members of Full Gospel Church of God, which they said had more than 4,000 members. Though they believe in Jesus Christ, they do not believe in Christianity or any other religion. 
  
  They approached the state printing press, seeking to issue a gazette notification that said that they were not Christians and belonged to "no religion". The state rejected their application forcing them to file a PIL in the HC. 
  
  The HC reminded the governments that India is a secular, democratic republic with no state religion. The court held that no state authority could infringe upon a persons fundamental right under the Constitution of India (Article 25) of freedom of conscience and freely practicing, professing or propagating a religion. 
  
  The HC said that if an individual is told by the state to disclose his religion, he can say that he does not practice or belong to any religion. 
  
• Power plants in TelanganaPublic sector undertaking Bhel will be executing two thermal projects in Telangana on an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis. The state government would be entering into a memorandum of understanding with Bhel for the execution of 800-Mw Kothagudem and 1,080-Mw Manuguru thermal power plants. 
  
• AP explores setting up Tourism UniversityAndhra Pradesh chief minister, N Chandrababu Naidu, has directed the state tourism department to examine the possibility of setting up a travel and tourism university on the lines of New Zealand’s travel and tourism university
  
  The chief minister proposed that courses like tourism, health, cooking, transport, skill development and training for guides and hospitality services could be introduced at the university. He wanted propagation of a culture of treating tourists as guests 
  
• India’s first vocational university openedIndia's first vocational university, a joint venture between the State of Gujarat and Human Resources (HR) services company TeamLease, began operations this year. The first batch that started in August had 4,000 students. 
  
  TeamLease Skills University (TLSU), to begin with, is offering specialisation in three segments-mechatronics, information technology hardware and, finance and business operations. The university will, in future, expand its offering to sectors like retail and hospitality. The university has 20 faculty members. It is based on the 'Community College' model popular in the US. 
  
  India has perhaps the highest dropout rate. Every six students out of 10 dropouts by the time they reach 12th standard. Indian higher system has limited its focus on the formal sector which constitutes eight per cent of the labour force. The rest 92 per cent in informal sector is outside the ambit of the universities 
  
  TLSU will offer skill-based academic programmes to students with higher secondary or equivalent qualification. TLSU will support Gujarat in its vocational education and training initiatives. The programmes will provide vertical link to graduates of Vocational Higher Secondary Schools as well as ITI candidates, which can synergise enrolment in these institutions. 
  
  TeamLease Education Foundation (TLEF) had submitted a proposal for establishing TLSU in Gujarat for which a letter of intent was issued in February 2012. Subsequently, State Assembly passed the Gujarat Private University Act (amendment) on 1st April, 2013, approving the establishment of TLSU. 
  
• IKEA to set up shop in HyderabadSwedish furniture retailer Ikea on 24th September signed a MoU with the Telangana government to open its first outlet in Hyderabad. The company’s retail outlets have a standard design and each location entails an investment of $100 million (around Rs 610 crore). In addition, the backward integration of supplier linkage will have a positive bearing on local economy, the government said. 
  
  The chief minister suggested to the company representatives that they should tie up with local artisans hailing from traditional handicraft places like Nirmal and Pembarti in the state and also source the raw material from within the state. 
  
• National Taxation Tribunal law is unconstitutional, rules apex courtThe Supreme Court on 25th September declared as unconstitutional a law under which a national tribunal was to be set up to decide tax-related cases by taking away the jurisdiction of High Courts in such matters. 
  
  All about National Tax Tribunal Act Under this act a tribunal was set up to decide tax-related cases by taking away jurisdiction of high courts in such matters. The tribunal was set up under the Act to speed up decisions in tax disputes. However, the 2005 law was stuck in litigation in high courts. All cases were transferred to the Supreme Court for a final decision. 
  
• Govt. to spend Rs. 50l for revival of irrigation tanksThe Telangana government would spend up to Rs 50 lakh for the revival of each irrigation tank and lake in the state, CM K Chandrasekhar Rao announced on 25th September. According to him the Kakatiya kings implemented watershed development and management in the 11th century. Until recently, up to 17 lakh acres in the state were irrigated by tanks and lakes. 
  
  The government has also decided to add strength to the irrigation department and hence would soon sanction additional posts as superintending engineer for each district and ensure the availability of an additional engineer and to two work inspectors for each mandal. 
  
• Chavan quits as Maharashtra CM as Congress reduced to minorityThe Chief Minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan has submitted his resignation to the Governor of Maharashtra, C Vidyasagar Rao on 26th September. His Government had become a minority after the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) withdrew its support to the Chavan government on 25th September. The State goes to the polls on October 15, and by October 21 a new government is likely to be formed. 
  
• Antyodaya Yojana startedUnion Government on 25th September 2014 launched Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana for urban and rural poor. The Yojana aims at alleviating urban and rural poverty through enhancement of livelihood opportunities through skill development and other means. 
  
  The scheme has two components
  
  1. For Urban area
  2. For Rural area
  • The Urban component will be implemented by the Union Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty
  • Alleviation while rural component named as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana will be implemented by the Union Ministry of Rural Development.
  • Under the Yojana, the Union Ministry of Rural Development will launch skill development training centres on a large scale to address the problem of unemployment particularly in rural India.
  Other important points
  • The Yojana aimed at training 10 lakh rural youths for jobs by 2017. The minimum age for entry under the Yojana is 15 years compared to 18 years under the Aajeevika Skills Programme.
  • Skill development training centres to be launched so as to address the unemployment problem in the rural area.
  • The skills imparted under the Yojana will now be benchmarked against international standards and will complement the Prime Minister’s Make In India campaign.
  • The Kaushalya Yojana will also the address the need for imparting training to the differently-able persons and chip in private players including international players to impart the skills to the rural youths.
  • Under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana (DAY) for urban areas extends the coverage to all the 4041 statutory cities and towns, there by covering almost the entire urban population. Currently, all the urban poverty alleviating programmes covered only 790 towns and cities.
  Urban scheme focuses on……..
  • Imparting skills with an expenditure of 15000 rupees to 18000 rupees on each urban poor
  • Promotion of self-employment through setting up individual micro-enterprises and group enterprises with interest subsidy for individual projects costing 2lakhs rupees and 10 lakhs rupees for group enterprises. Subsidized interest rate will be 7 percent. Training urban poor to meet the huge demand from urban citizens by imparting market oriented skills through City Livelihood Centres. Each Centre would be given a capital grant of 10 lakhs rupees.
  • Enabling urban poor form Self-Help Groups for meeting financial and social needs with a support of 10000 rupees per each group who would in turn would be helped with bank linkages.
  • Development of vendor markets besides promotion of skills of vendors
  • Construction of permanent shelters for urban homeless and provision of other essential services.
• Swachh Bharat approved for Urban AreasThe Union Cabinet on 24 September 2014 approved Swachh Bharat Mission for Urban Areas. The mission will begin from 2 October 2014 and will be implemented over a period of five years. The mission will be implemented in over 4041 statutory towns of the country and will cost around 62009 crore rupees of which 14623 crore rupees will be borne by the Union Government. 
  
  The Mission is the urban component of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and will be implemented by Union Ministry of Urban Development. The rural component of the Mission will be implemented by Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. 
  
  • The Mission includes elimination of open defecation, conversion of insanitary toilets to pour flush toilets, eradication of manual scavenging, Municipal Solid Waste Management.
  • The Programme consists of components for providing (i) Individual household toilets; (ii) Community and public toilets; and (iii) Municipal Solid Waste Management in all 4041 statutory towns
  • It would cover 1.04 crore households, provide 2.5 lakh seats of community toilets, 2.6 lakh seats of public toilets and solid waste management facility for all towns.
  
  
• Antyodya Diwas on September 25th Union Government declared 25 September as Antyodya Diwas. Antyodya Diwas was observed to mark the 98th birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay. 
  
• Jayalalithaa convicted in corruption case In a ruling a trial court on 27th September sentenced Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and three other co-accuseds to four years in jail in an 18-year-old Rs 66.65-crore disproportionate-asset case. Additionally, a penalty of Rs 100 crore was imposed on Jayalalithaa. 
  
  The Supreme Court had ruled last year that if a law maker is found guilty of corruption and gets a sentence of more than two years, he or she immediately loses membership of a legislative body. So, conviction and sentencing imply that Jayalalithaa ceases to be a member of the Tamil Nadu legislative Assembly with immediate effect and will not be able to contest elections for the next 10 years (she will not be able to contest polls for six years after completing her jail term). 
  
  The other three sentenced are Jayalalithaa’s close aides Sasikala Natarajan, Ilavarasi and foster son Sudhakaran. They will have to pay Rs 10 crore each as fine. If any of the convicted persons fails to pay the fine, he or she will have to serve an additional year in jail. 
  
  John Michael D’Cunha, the special court judge, read out the 1,300-page judgment, convicting Jayalalithaa under Section 13 (1) (E) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. She was proved to have misused her office and amassed crores of rupees that were disproportionate with her known sources of income.
  • Jayalalithaa is the first CM in office to go to jail on charges of amassing illegal wealth. This will be her second time though - she was first jailed in 1996 in a case pertaining to irregularities in purchase of colour TVs.
  • Former chief ministers who have been jailed for corruption are Lalu Prasad, Madhu Koda, B S Yeddyurappa, O P Chautala and Jagannath Mishra.
  • Lalu Prasad was the first former CM to be imprisoned in a corruption case. He was first jailed in July 1997 in one of the fodder scam cases, and then went to jail several times in dozens of cases pertaining to the scam. He was finally convicted in September last year in one of these cases and sentenced to five years in jail.
  • Like Lalu, three-time CM of Bihar Jagannath Mishra was first jailed in 1997. He too was convicted in September last year and sentenced to four years in jail
  • Madhu Koda, the independent MLA who became CM of Jharkhand, was sent to jail in November 2009, facing charges of having accepted bribes for allotting mining contracts in the state. He was released on bail after 44 months in jail in July 2013.
  • Former Karnataka CM B S Yeddyurappa was charged with favouring his sons in land allotments during his tenure. A Lokayukta report of July 2011 found enough evidence to recommend investigation. BSY, as he is known, was jailed in October 2011 but granted bail after 23 days
  • Om Prakash Chautala, the former CM of Haryana, was charged with taking bribes for recruiting more than 3,000 teachers during his term in office. He, along with son Ajay Chautala and several others, was convicted in the case in January 2013 and sentenced to 10 years in jail.
  • The conviction of Jayalalithaa by a Special Court in Bangalore is a significant vindication of a vital constitutional principle — that the rule of law be upheld for all citizens including persons in high public office.
  
  
• Cabinet nod for president’s rule in MaharashtraMaharashtra is all set to be brought under President’s rule as the Union Cabinet made a recommendation to the effect on 27th September. The meeting of the Union Cabinet was presided over by Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The Cabinet considered the report of the State Governor and decided to recommend the imposition of President’s rule in Maharashtra after the resignation of Prithviraj Chavan as Chief Minister on 26th September after the 15-year-old Congress-NCP alliance came to a close over the issue of seat-sharing. Mr. Chavan’s resignation was accepted by Governor Vidyasagar Rao on 27th September. 
  
  President's rule refers to Article 356 of the Constitution of India deals with the failure of the constitutional machinery of an Indian state. In the event that government in a state is not able to function as per the Constitution, the state comes under the direct control of the central government, with executive authority exercised through the Governor instead of a Council of Ministers headed by an elected Chief Minister accountable to the state legislature. Article 356 is invoked if there has been failure of the constitutional machinery in any state of India. During President's rule, the Governor has the authority to appoint retired civil servants or other administrators, to assist him 
  
• Centre asks states to improve school health coverageHuman Resource Development Ministry asked states and UT’s to strengthen the implementation of Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakran (RBSK) and Weekly Iron Folic Acid (WIFS), in recent times it found that coverage under the RBSK and the WIFS low against the enrolment figures of children in schools. HRD asked to implement these schemes along with Mid-Day Meal (MDM) programme. 
  
  The RBSK and the WIFS are two health-related interventions under the National Health Mission. New-borns to 18-year-olds are screened for birth defects, diseases, deficiencies, development delays and disabilities under the RBSK…..
  • Children above the age of six are screened through school education programmes and pre-schoolers at Anganwadi Centres.
  • The WIFS programme seeks to address the high prevalence of anaemia among adolescents — particularly girls — by providing them weekly Iron Folic Acid (IFA) tablets.
  
  Data submitted by States and UTs for the annual work plan and budget for the MDM programme for the ongoing fiscal has shown inadequate coverage of the two health interventions. Some of the States which lagged behind on this count last year included undivided Andhra Pradesh, Bihar (where health coverage was as low as 17 per cent and IFA distribution 16 per cent), Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. 
  
  To improve school health coverage, the HRD Ministry has asked……….
  
  • All States and UTs to put in place institutional mechanisms for effective convergence of the RBSK and the WIFS with the three main school education programmes — Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, MDM and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan.
  • In a letter, Secretary (School Education & Literacy) in the HRD Ministry, Rajarshi Bhattacharya, has suggested the designation of a nodal officer for school health in the Education Department of all States and UTs, proper micro plans for school health check-ups, and proper modality for timely collection and storage of monthly IFA tablets.
• Uttarakhand submits Ganga action plan to centreThe Uttarakhand government on 17th September submitted its Rs 9,478-crore action plan to the Centre to clean the Ganga from Gaumukh to Haridwar in the state. The government had mentioned 13 broad proposals through which the river could be cleaned. However, there was no mention of cleaning highly polluted rivers such as Rispana and Bindal in Dehradun that are causing huge pollution in the Ganga. 
  
  Among the proposals, the government said…
  • It would create new sewage systems at 132 locations in the state at a cost of Rs 7,634 crore.
  • Pledged to construct 590,000 new toilet facilities at 730 locations at a cost of Rs 219 crore.
  • Biodigester mobile toilets along the Chardham yatra route would also be constructed.
  • Will create new solid waste management systems at a cost of Rs 829.66 crore but did not elaborate how it will collect the garbage in the state where millions of pilgrims and tourists visit every year.
  • The government also committed to setting up common effluent treatment plants at various locations to check the industrial pollution in the river Ganga.
  • A total of 159 locations have been identified in the state along the river and its tributaries where new crematoriums could be built.
    
• Plan to reduce infant mortalityThe Centre on 18th September launched a programme to reduce infant mortality and bring down the number of deaths to a single digit by 2030 from the current 29 deaths per 1,000 live births. The ‘India Newborn Action Plan (INAP),’ inaugurated by Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, is the first step towards arresting infant deaths. 
  
  Asserting that India can reduce the deaths through “simple, cost-effective interventions” before and immediately after delivery, Dr. Vardhan said of the 2.8 million who die at birth worldwide, India contributes seven lakh. “These are preventable deaths and now we have an action plan to do it. I don’t believe in long-range targets. We must achieve our goal within a short time,” he said. 
  
  INAP has been prepared with the help of expertise drawn from distinguished members of a Technical Resource Group
  
  The programme will be implemented under the existing Reproductive, Maternal, Child Health and Adolescents Plus (RMNCHA+) framework. The Minister said it would be carried out with the extensive outreach mechanisms used for fighting polio. 
  
• Mahabubnagar turns investment hubAccording to Government of Telangana three Multinatinal companies will invest in Mahabubnagar district of the state. The companies are Procter and Gamble, Johnson and Johnson and Cogent 
  
  CM of state Chandra Sekhar Rao on 18th September inaugurated two manufacturing facilities of Cogent (Rs. 200 crore) and Procter and Gamble (Rs. 900 crore) also laid foundation stone for another Rs. 400 crore manufacturing facility of another industrial giant Johnson and Johnson. 
  
  Procter and Gamble set up its manufacturing unit in 170 acres of land 
  
  Johnson and Johnson unit for which Mr. Rao laid the foundation in Kothur with an investment of Rs 400 crore would provide employment to nearly 1,500 people. The company had also indicated to Mr. Rao that it could look at an additional investment of nearly Rs 4,000 crore in its phase two expansion, sources in the CMO disclosed. This world class facility would manufacture personal hygiene and skin care products, according to its Managing Director Vikas Srivastava. 
  
• Punjab’s rural water supply scheme rated the bestThe 16 World Bank mission while rating praising Punjab's implementation of of a Rs. 1280 crore Punjab Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (PRWSS) project Phase-I as the best in the country. The project has not only exceeded the implementation targets under water supply component by 127%, but was also providing water connections to each household in a village but also runs about 50 schemes daily. 
  
  These observations were made by a WB team led by S. Poddipireddy during a meeting with the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to assess the progress made under the ongoing World Bank aided project. 
  
  Mr Poddipireddy said that water meters have been installed in 196 villages and more than 961 villages implemented under the project have achieved 100 per cent connectivity with each house having a tap installed. In 2083 villages, Gram Panchayat Water and Sanitation Committees (GPWSCs) have been established where villagers operate and maintain their schemes on sustainable basis without any financial assistance from the government. Some villages have also generated funds ranging from one to 10 lakh to operate and maintain the projects in their villages. 
  
• Sushma Swaraj inaugurates Nalanda UniversityAncient Nalanda University was on 19th September formally inaugurated by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. The Centre had already allotted Rs. 2,727 crore, which would be spent in building a high class campus of the university in 10 years 
  
  Nalanda was in ancient Magadha kingdom, which is present day Bihar. It was a religious centre of learning from the fifth century. It flourished during the reign of sakraditya. The school attracted scholars and students from as far away as Tibet, China, Greece, and Greater Iran. Nalanda was ransacked and destroyed by an army of the Muslim Mamluk Dynasty under Bakhtiyar Khilji in c.?1197 CE. 
  
• Govt. tied with Gates foundationThe Government has tied up with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to promote toilet use in the country. To ensure universal sanitation in India with the objective of addressing sanitation-related health concerns, the Ministry of Urban Development and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have, in principle, agreed on a partnership to promote user-friendly toilets. Bill Gates said the foundation’s core competency is research and technology promotion and would like to share it with the Government of India. Further to the discussions, it has been agreed that the Ministry of Urban Development and the foundation would cooperate in four areas 
  
  • Innovative technology demonstration in respect of toilets and sewage management
  • Promoting decentralised sewerage systems that enable disposal of sewage at habitation level rather than pooling of sewage
  • Capacity building in sanitation sector and
  • Promoting the use of toilets.
  About 12 million urban households do not have toilet facilities at present. 
  
• TS seeks 40% share in Central taxesThe Telangana state has urged the 14th Finance Commission to allocate 40 percent of central tax revenues as tax devolution to states. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on 19th September told the panel that 40 percent devolution can easily be accommodated by a marginal reduction of five percent in the Centre's expenditure on state subjects. 
  
  He also sought waiver of outstanding central loans to the state, estimated to be Rs.6,000 crore. The commission headed by Y. Venugopal Reddy held consultations with the state government. 
  
  KCR stated that the state favours the introduction of Goods and Service Tax (GST), Rao called for ensuring that there is no accentuation of vertical imbalances and compromise of autonomy of states. 
  
  He suggested that petroleum and liquor be kept out of the purview of the GST. Finance minister Etela Rajender earlier said that the undivided Andhra Pradesh had lost Rs.17,595 crore since the introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) in 2005, but the Centre had compensated only Rs.5,000 crore. 
  
  According to him, the Centre still owes Rs.12,000 crore in VAT collections to undivided state, of which Telangana's share is Rs.5,126 crore. 
  
  The chief minister pointed out that the growth of the economy slipped from 10.5 percent in the period 2005-06 to 2009-10 to 4.5 percent in 2012-13. The major challenge before the state government is not only to regain the growth momentum but also make it inclusive. 
  
  He said the government was planning to provide Rs.50,000 crore for the development of SCs and Rs.25,000 crore for Backward Classes over the five-year period of 2014-19. 
  
• TCS another achievementThe number of female employees at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has crossed the one-lakh mark, making it the country's biggest employer of women in the private sector. Women now comprise one-third of the IT major's 3.06 lakh workforce. This makes TCS, also the most valued company in India, one of the top employers of women in the technology sector globally. The top slot is held by IBM, which has an estimated 1.3 lakh women out of a workforce of 4.31 lakh. 
  
• PM announced assistance to J & K 
  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared the Jammu and Kashmir floods as national level disaster. He also announced Rs 1,000 crore as special assistance for rehabilitation
  He made the announcement in Srinagar after undertaking a visit to the State for first hand information of the situation which has turned grim resulting in the death of over 130 people. The Prime Minister observed that the Rs 1,100 crore, which is being made available to the State Government through the state Disaster Relief Fund, would not prove to be adequate in
  view of the magnitude of the tragedy.
  
  Disaster Management in India
  Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India (GoI) is the nodal ministry for handling management of natural disasters viz. earthquakes, floods, cyclones, tsunami, landslides etc. and man-made disasters viz. fires, chemical, biological, radiological, and terrorist attacks etc. It has undertaken several initiatives for building disaster resilient communities in India. In the recent past, several steps have been taken for strengthening existing preparedness, mitigation and response mechanisms of the State Governments and Local Authorities in the country. The Government of India has released funds to the State Governments under Centrally Sponsored Schemes (Plan and Non- Plan) and through externally aided programmes.
  
• CAG detects fraud in sand quarrying
  Comptroller and Auditor General of India has reported several irregularities in quarrying in Andhra Pradesh. Several cases of excess quarrying of sand beyond the depth levels prescribed by the Ground Water Department throwing the riverbeds to potential risk of groundwater depletion were found during test audit of accounts for the years 2006-07 to 2011-12 by CAG
  
  The CAG report on the functioning of the Directorate of Mines & Geology of the erstwhile undivided Andhra Pradesh was placed in the Assembly on 6th September
  • It was found that auction of sand reaches was conducted without obtaining prior clearance of GWD and minimum bid amounts were fixed without taking into account actual quantity of sand available for quarrying, resulting in revenue loss of at least of Rs.2.04 crore.
  • It said the performance audit of the Directorate of Mines & Geology revealed several deficiencies, including non-compliance with the provisions of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 as also rules and instructions issued by Government of India and State Government, particularly with regard to grant, transfer and renewal of mining leases. It was found in some cases that mining was not done according to plans and mining rights were transferred without the government’s consent. 
    
• Mandatory teaching by ScientistsThe government has decided to make it mandatory for over 5,000 scientists, working in different central agencies including the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), to undertake 12 hours of lecture classes in an academic year in public-funded schools and colleges across the country. 
  
  Announcing the decision, Union science and technology minister Jitendra Singh said it would be "mandatory" for the scientists to formally take classes in schools and colleges which would be identified for this purpose in coordination with the Ministry of Human Resources Development. 
  
  The minister said this kind of engagement would be "free of any honorarium" and it would be part of the duty the scientists have already committed to do. He said the government was devising a methodology depending upon the scientists' area of interest, area of excellence and specialisation. 
  
  The minister also announced a special promotion scheme-- KIRAN (Knowledge, Involvement, Research, and Advancement through Nurturing) for women scientists "to bring about, as far as possible, gender parity in the field of science and technology". 
  
  Giving a detailed account of the achievements and initiatives taken in the first 100 days of Narendra Modi government, Singh said the ministries under his charge had been able to scale-up scientific research to address several key socio-economic issues. This has been achieved by collaborating with other ministries while making a concerted effort to build scientific temper among the youth. 
  
  Highlighting specific achievements, he said that the department of science and technology got approval of Expenditure Finance Committee for India's participation in Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project involving astronomy research institutes in India, US, Canada, Japan and China. 
  
  TMT will be the world's largest telescope when it becomes operational in 2023, capable of peeping into the farthest corners of the Universe and address some of the most fundamental scientific problems of this century. 
  
  About other initiative, the minister said three new vaccines including indigenously developed Rotavirus vaccine will be provided to all Indian children as part of India's Universal Immunization Programme (UIP). A fourth vaccine for adults to protect against Japanese Encephalitis will be introduced in high-priority districts.
  
• National award for Prakasam district Collector
  President Pranab Mukherjee on 8th September presented Prakasam Collector G.S.R.K.R.Vijaykumar with ‘Saakshar Bharat’ award 2014 during the International Literacy day celebrations in New Delhi. This was in recognition of the district administration making 4.75 lakh people literate within nine months under the Prakasam Akshara Vijayam programme.
  
• SC reserves order on coal blocks
  The Supreme Court reserved its order on coal block allocations. While the government didn’t press the court to favour a few blocks, industry representatives pleaded for a committee to select and exempt the blocks, allocations of which didn’t involve any criminality. The government, however, said it was against the setting up a committee to hear individual complaints of allottees, as this would delay the way forward.
  
  The court heard all the parties before deciding to take up the matter in two weeks. In their submissions, industry bodies Independent Power Producers Association of India and Coal Producers’ Association said only those blocks in whose case criminality had been proven should be cancelled. 
  
  On August 25, a Supreme Court Bench headed by Chief Justice R M Lodha had termed 194 coal allocations carried out through the screening committee and the government dispensation routes illegal under the Coal Mining Nationalization Act.
  
  On 9th September the Centre told the court it stood by its statement that if the judgment in the case related to coal block allocations between 1993 and 2010 was to be complied with, all such allocations must be cancelled. Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi said “only a pocket of some 46 units can be saved”. Forty blocks are already producing, while six are about to start production.
  
  The Supreme Court had on August 25 declared that the entire allocation of coal blocks from 1993 till 2010 was illegal, arbitrary, non-transparent and without application of mind and guidelines.
  
• Bihar tops in growth: CSOBihar is the fastest growing State while Tamil Nadu is the worst performer, the latest data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) has revealed.
  
  Bihar’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) grew 10.73 per cent during 2012-13 — the only State that clocked a double-digit growth rate during the year. The growth rate was 10.29 per cent in 2011-12 and 15.03 per cent in 2010-11.
  
  Tamil Nadu recorded the slowest growth rate — 3.39 per cent — slower than the national average of 4.5 per cent in 2012-13. 
  
  The second-best performing State is Madhya Pradesh, which grew at 9.89 per cent. Delhi is third with a growth rate of 9.33 per cent.
  
  The CSO-verified growth rate for 2012-13, however, is lower than that reported by Bihar’s Statistics Directorate. The State government had reported a growth rate of 15.05 per cent.
  
  All major industrial States lag behind Bihar. Growing at 7.96 per cent, Gujarat is ranked sixth and Maharashtra ninth with 6.18 per cent.
  
• National Tribal University in BastarThe Centre has given its nod for setting up a National Tribal University in Chhattisgarh’s insurgency—hit Bastar region to facilitate research and development of tribal culture and dialects. The institution will also help in study and research of the region’s varied bio—diversity.
  
  The Centre has also agreed to provide UGC’s ‘one time catch up grant’ for providing monetary help for development of three newly opened universities in Bastar, Sarguja and Bilaspur following a demand made by the state in this regard 
  
• Centre, states agree to improve power supply
  Centre and states were in discussion to achieve to improve the power supply in country. Aware of this, Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal, and New & Renewable Energy, had a marathon session on 9th September with energy ministers of all the States and Union Territories.
  
  In a resolution, the States agreed to get their power utilities to ensure adequate fuel supply and to have a long/medium-term power procurement plan in place for assured supply of electricity. 
  
  All the States assured the Centre that they would reduce technical and commercial losses in accordance with the agreed trajectory and those over-achieving will be incentivized. The target is to bring down losses by 15 per cent at the national level by 2021-22. The roadmap for each State from 2014-15 to 2021-22 has also been finalized.
  
  It was also decided that the Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DUGJY) for rural areas and Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) for strengthening of sub-transmission and distribution network and metering in urban and semi-urban areas will be implemented in a timely manner.
  
  The States also agreed to finish all ongoing projects (phase-I) under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana by December.
  
  On coal supplies, the States agreed to provide support for the resolution of issues such as land acquisition so as to achieve the production target of one billion tonnes of coal by 2019.
  
  Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh resolved to attend to land acquisition and other issues expeditiously to complete three ongoing and critical rail projects.
  
  The States also endorsed the new dispensation for third-party sampling and analysis of coal to assess quality and resolved to implement it urgently through their utilities.
  
  Coal India will ensure supply of crushed coal and washed coal in line with the prescribed time lines, it was decided. The States also agreed to implement clean energy programmes.
  
  About Deendayal upadhyaya gram jyoti yojana:
  Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana” for feeder separation will be launched to augment power supply to the rural areas and for strengthening sub-transmission and distribution systems. Announcing this during his maiden Budget Speech in the Lok Sabha, the Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley said that power is a vital input for economic growth and the Government is committed to providing 24x7 uninterrupted power supply to all homes. A sum of Rs. 500 crores has been set aside for this scheme. 
  
• Centre to establish Marine Police Training Institute in Gujarat
  Union government on 10th September announced that the Centre would establish a marine police training institute in Gujarat, to train the police for safeguarding the state's 1,600 km-long coastline. The state shares the border with Pakistan.
  
  Security of Gujarat coast assumed more importance after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, as the Pakistani terrorists were found to have hijacked a boat near the state's coast for reaching India's financial capital.
  
• Guidelines unveiled to promote coastal shipping
  To decongest Railways and road transport, the government 10th September approved new guidelines that will promote coastal shipping. The country's 12 major ports have been asked to earmark exclusive berths and green channel for coastal cargo to promote the sector.
  
  The Ministry of Shipping has issued new guidelines under which these ports will have to give priority berthing to dry bulk or general cargo coastal vessels irrespective of the origin and final destination of the cargo, an official statement said.
  
  The 12 ports are: Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, Kolkata (with Haldia), Chennai, Visakhapatanam, Cochin, Paradip, New Mangalore, Marmagao, Ennore, Tuticorin and Kandla. The guidelines, approved by Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari, also provide for concessional port charges whether the vessel is berthed on priority basis or on normal basis. The guidelines are aimed at promoting coastal shipping to reduce pressure on rail and road transport systems 
  
  The 12 major ports handle approximately 61 per cent of the country's total cargo traffic besides about 200 non-major ports. Ennore Port, near Chennai, has already seen export of 4.49 lakh automobile units till December 2013, including by automobile manufacturers such as Nissan, Ford and Ashok Leyland from Chennai, Toyota from Bangalore and Honda from Delhi.
  
• Hydro Eclectic power project in J&K
  The Union Cabinet has cleared an investment proposal for construction of the Pakal Dul Hydroelectric Project at a cost of Rs 8,112 crore in Jammu and Kashmir. The project will be developed by Chenab Valley Power Projects, a joint venture between public sector unit NHPC, Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation and PTC India Ltd.
  
  The investment includes interest during construction and finance charges of Rs 500 crore, subordinate debt of Rs 2,500 crore on the conditions and waivers of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir in a scheduled completion period of 66 months.
  
  The Cabinet also approved a proposal to allow NPHC to invest Rs 1,605 crore in the joint venture for construction of the Pakal Dul 1,000-MW project and for initial investment in Kiru 660 MW project and 560 MW Kwar project to be developed by Chenab Valley Power Projects.
  
  It also gave a post-facto approval for the joint venture. For its projects, the joint venture partners will arrange equity from internal resources.
  
• Serious dearth of toilets in Telagana, AP schools: CAG
  Most of the government schools in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana lack toilets. As per the Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC), toilets should be provided in government schools with emphasis on separate toilets for girls. But an audit scrutiny revealed startling facts about the state of affairs. There are no separate toilets for girls in 40 out of 84 schools physically verified. In the remaining schools where toilets are available, 19 are in dilapidated condition while 12 are devoid of water facility. This is in contrast to the Government of India guidelines which insist on separate toilets for boys and girls in all co-educational schools.
  
  The Comptroller and Auditor General of India report on local bodies for the composite State of Andhra Pradesh presented to the A.P Assembly, depicts an appalling picture of school toilets. Most of the 84 toilets verified were in a state of collapse and non-maintenance. The report also points to the non-utilization of funds in some places.
  
• India’s Arctic observatory to aid climate change studies
  India’s observatory in Arctic Ocean, which is exactly placed in the Kongsfjorden fjord, half way between Norway and the North pole, is collecting a lot of data which is useful for scientific community. It is India’s first under water moored observatory in this area. 
  
  The IndARC observatory has been termed as a major milestone in India’s scientific endeavours in the Arctic region. This observatory has been designed and developed by the Earth System Science Organisation-National Institute of Ocean Technology (ESSO-NIOT) Chennai and ESSO-National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR). It was deployed from the Norwegian Polar Institute’s research vessel R.V. Lance in Kongsfjorden Fjord of the Arctic roughly halfway between North Pole and Norway on 23 July 2014.
  
  The observatory is anchored at a depth of 192 m and has an array of 10 state-of-the-art oceanographic sensors strategically positioned at various depths in the water. 
  
  The Kongsfjorden is considered a natural laboratory for studying the Arctic climate variability. Scientists predict that melting of the Arctic glaciers will trigger changes in weather patterns and ocean currents that could affect other parts of the world. Data collected by IndARC would be used for climate modeling studies to understand the influence of the Arctic processes on the Indian monsoon system.
  
• 72 Laws shall be revoked: Law Commission
  The Law Commission on 12th September recommended revoking 72 obsolete statutes, saying there is an "urgent need" to ensure that the legal structures are responsive to challenges of changing times. In its 'interim report’ to Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, the Commission said it will further study 261 more statutes "with a view to providing a firm recommendation for repeal of obsolete statutes and those inconsonant with modern times".
  
  The law panel said it would complete its study in "installments" and submit a number of volumes to the government for necessary action.
  
  The panel said there is a need to identify laws which have become obsolete "and as such keeping them on statute books is causing unwarranted burden on the system".
  
  It said while studying the issue, the Commission found that a large number of Appropriation Acts passed during the past several years in reality have lost meaning but continue to be part of the statute books.
  
  Law Commission of India
  Law Commission of India is an executive body established by an order of the Government of India. Its major function is to work for legal reform. Its membership primarily comprises legal experts, who are entrusted a mandate by the Government. The Commission is established for a fixed tenure and works as an advisory body to the Ministry of Law and Justice. At present Chairman of Law Commission – Ajit Prakash Shah (at present this is 20th Law commission). Law commission first formed in – 1834
  
• Supreme Court recommended 3% for disabledThe Supreme Court on 12th September held that three percent reservation for differently-abled persons be given in all category of government jobs including in appointments and promotions to IAS while pulling up the Centre for “frustrating” the very purpose of empowering legislation by opposing it. A bench headed by Chief Justice R M Lodha said the disabled persons have not got their due in the last 19 years after framing of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, which was passed in 1995 The court dismissed the petition of Centre challenging order of Bombay High Court which had directed the Centre and the Union Public Service Commission to implement a 3 percent quota in direct recruitments and promotions for the disabled in the IAS. 
  
• Minister moots ‘work on holiday’ to meet shortage of doctorsUnion Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has mooted the idea of “work on holiday,” a concept which will allow specialist doctors to visit hill stations as guests of the State government to offer their services. Referring to the shortage of medical professionals in the country, especially in the far off and hilly areas, the Minister said there was a need for “out of the box” suggestions to tide over the problem. 
  
  He suggested “work on holiday,” which would allow senior doctors to work while resting. “They could deliver their professional services as cardiologists, gynaecologists, neurologists, anaesthetists etc. while simultaneously enjoying the State government’s hospitality with their families. This should be considered by them as an extension of their service
  
• Govt. Urges SC to spare 46 coal blocksThe Centre on 1st September told the Supreme Court that it has no objection if the court cancels allocation of coal blocks allocated between 1993 and 2010. However, it wants to save 46 coal blocks, as the power situation in the country is very critical. 
  
  Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi told the bench headed by Chief Justice of India RM Lodha that the government is not in favour of constitution of a committee to recommend on the fate of illegal coal blocks, rather it has no objection to cancel all of them and go for immediate auction. 
  
  Rohtagi submitted that out of total 218 coal blocks allocations, 80 have been already cancelled by the government even before the Judgment passed by this court. 
  
  He said that the power situation in the country is very critical and at least 46 blocks should be spared as 40 of them are already functional and rest are ready to commence production. 
  
  The Apex Court has held all coal blocks that were allocated y the screening committee between 1993 and 2010, as illegal. Seeking the government and all parties to file their submissions through affidavits within a week, the bench fixed September 9 as the next date for further hearing.
  
• AP crop loan waiver applicable for loans up to December 31, 2013The Andhra Pradesh Government on 1st September notified that crop loans and agricultural gold loans disbursed for crop purposes up to December 31, 2013 are eligible for cover under the loan waiver scheme. 
  
  In an order issued, the Government has notified that crop, agricultural loans disbursed for crop, including the loans converted to medium term loans due to calamities, including interest rate up to December 2013 are eligible for cover. 
  
  The State Government through three notifications, including the one by the State Finance Ministry on August 14 had announced norms for debt relief to farmers, women self help groups. It had also issued operating guidelines for the implementing agencies. 
  
  The order also states that loans which were outstanding as on December 31, 2013 would be eligible for waiver even if they were subsequently repaid to bank or cooperative.
  
• Nalanda University resumes its classes after 800-year breakThe classes in Nalanda University were started on 1st September; this University was an ancient centre of learning in India, and among the first great universities in recorded history. It was also the first ever residential university in the world, holding capacity for thousands of students to stay on campus in dorms. In the 12th century, the university was decimated by invaders. But now, for the first time in 800 years, the spirit of Nalanda University revives again as classes begin at its newly established campus in Rajgir, just 12km away from the original site. Nalanda University was founded as early as the 5th century AD in the north eastern Indian state of Bihar. During its heyday, Nalanda could boast of its capacity to accommodate 10,000 students and 2,000 professors. 
  
  One of the interesting aspects of Nalanda University was its intake of ‘international students’ from as far away as Korea, Japan, China, Tibet, as well as Southeast, Central, and Western Asian regions. Nalanda University’s appeal to scholars from these regions was due to the fact that it was one of the most important seats of learning in the Buddhist world. But despite its focus on the study of Buddhism, students at Nalanda University were allowed to pursue other areas of secular knowledge, such as the fine arts, medicine, astronomy, mathematics, politics, and even the art of war. As a result, numerous illustrious thinkers were associated with the university. The real blow to Nalanda came with the arrival of Muslim invaders in 1197 led by Mohammad Bakhtiyar Khilji, a general of Qutbuddin Aibak, who were intolerant of other religions and cultures. Much of the university was demolished, its priceless library was burnt down, and many of its scholars, including Buddhist monks, were mercilessly slaughtered, in what was one of the greatest acts of cultural vandalism in India. 
  
  The university’s chancellor, Amartya Sen, is confident that the new Nalanda University will be a success. Whilst the original Nalanda University took about 200 years to achieve prominence, Sen believes that the new university will be able to establish its place in the academic world in just a few decades.
  
• Telangana to go green, to plant 230 crore seedlingsTelangana is embarking upon an ambitious plan to plant 230 crore plants, with a view to increase the forest cover to 33 per cent from 25.16 per cent, under ‘Telangana Ku Haritha Haaram’ or Green necklace for Telangana programme. The State will deploy Geographical Information System (GIS) and remote sensing images to take stock of the forest cover and to monitor the afforestation programmes. 
  
  Of the 230 crore plants, 130 crore will be planted outside of forest areas. The HMDA (Hyderabad Metropolitan Authority) area will take a share of 10 crore plants, with the remaining 120 crore seedlings will be planted in other parts of the State.
  
• Centre unveils strategy to tackle Kala-azarThe Centre on 2nd September unveiled a kala-azar rapid diagnosis kit as part of its strategy to combat the disease which predominantly strike Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh. The kit developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). 
  
  An insecticide, synthetic Pyrethroid, directed specifically at the sand fly, which is known vector source of kala-azar, would also be supplied for spraying on the walls of homes in the endemic regions. The strategy also involves carrying out active searches for people with symptoms of the disease in the 54 affected districts of the four States. Thirty-three districts in Bihar, 11 of West Bengal, four in Jharkhand and six districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh of Bihar are affected by Kala-azar. 
  
  • Kala azar also known as Visceral leishmaniasis
  • It is a, black fever, and Dumdum fever
  • It is the most severe form of leishmaniasis. Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by protozoan parasites of the Leishmania genus.
  • This disease is the second-largest parasitic killer in the world (after malaria), responsible for an estimated 500,000 infections each year worldwide.
• Kaloji cultural centre planned in WarangalThe government of Telangana will construct a cultural centre named after Kaloji Narayana Rao in Warangal as a tribute to the celebrated people’s poet on the occasion of his birth centenary falling on September 9. The decision was taken by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao The cultural centre is being planned at Balasamudram near Warangal in three acres land on the lines of Ravindra Bharathi auditorium. Apart from an auditorium with 2,000 seating capacity, the cultural centre should have a huge statue of Kaloji and a park, the Chief Minister directed the officials Department of Culture. 
  
  It was also decided to allot land to Hanmakonda Kaloji Cultural Centre to organise the programmes by Kaloji Foundation. The Chief Minister will participate in the programme at Warangal and the official centenary celebrations at Ravindra Bharathi here on September 9. 
  
  Kaloji Narayana Rao more popularly known as Kaloji or Kalanna was an Indian poet, freedom fighter, Anti-fascist and political activist of Telangana. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1992
  
• Lokpal search panel gets freedom of choiceThe Department of Personnel and Training has notified amendments giving autonomy to the Lokpal search committee to shortlist and recommend names independently for selection of Chairman and members of the anti-corruption body. 
  
  The amendments act as a course correction after the former Supreme Court judge Justice K.T. Thomas opted out from heading the search committee in March 2014, citing lack of autonomy. Eminent jurist Fali Nariman too had turned down the post of a member of the panel for that reason. 
  
  Justice Thomas had objected to the provision that the search committee should only shortlist candidates from a list provided by the department. 
  
  The amendment made in Rule 10 of the Search Committee Rules removed this roadblock by omitting the words “from among the list of persons provided by the Central Government in the Department of Personnel and Training.”
  
• SC monitors Ganga clean-upUnhappy with the government’s affidavit setting out its plans to clean the Ganga, the Supreme Court on 3rd September said it wanted to monitor the progress made in efforts to restore the river and asked for a roadmap. 
  
  The affidavit said professionals from seven IITs were preparing a comprehensive Ganga River Basin Management report. A report would be filed by December-end. It said purification of the Ganga was a national priority. Restoring the ecological sanctity of the river would be the prime focus and a major step towards that would be creating awareness of river conservation and ensuring people’s participation.
  
• 4-member ministerial panel to decide on green regulatorThe government on 4th September formed a panel of four ministers on setting up a national regulator for the environment. The four are Prakash Javadekar (environment and forests), Nitin Gadkari (road transport), Ananth Kumar (chemicals and fertilizers) and Piyush Goel (power, coal and renewable energy). 
  
  The Supreme Court had on January 6 this year directed the government to appoint a national regulator under Section 3(3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, by end-March; later, more time was given. On taking charge of his portfolio, Javadekar sought more time from the court to examine the issue.
  
• Andhra Pradesh's new capital around Vijayawada cityThe Andhra Pradesh government on 4th Septembeer said it would make a new capital city for the truncated state in the areas around Vijayawada. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu moved a resolution in the state legislative Assembly to this effect, later endorsed. 
  
  It has proposed to acquire the needed land from farmers through a land pooling mechanism, encouraging people to participate and benefit from development of a capital city. 
  
  According to the AP Reorganisation Act, the state government has the final authority to decide on the new capital but in consultation with the Centre. It is not clear if the Centre was consulted before declaring Vijayawada as the centre around which the new capital would be built. 
  
  The five-member Sivaramakrishnan committee on the subject had suggested splitting the capital city’s locations and functions. It had recommended against the idea of a single city hosting the entire capital city functions and strongly recommended distribution of the location of top government offices, including the high court, across various places in the state. 
  
  About Vijayawada
  • Located on the banks of Krishna river in Krishna district of south coastal Andhra, Vijayawada is about 300 km from Hyderabad. With a population of over a million as per 2011 census, Vijayawada is a major commercial hub.
  • Infrastructure-wise, the city is blessed with a thermal power plant and a unique railway line that connects the northern and southern parts of the country. Any capital would prefer to have unhindered supply of water.
  • The bridges on Krishna river, the Vijayawada-Amaravati-Mangalagiri ring roads make a further case for the to-be capital.
  • Mangalagiri, Amaravati, Kondapalli, Mylavaram, which abound Vijayawada have lots of available land. If the neighbouring Guntur and Tenali are added to the equation, the emerging area will be bigger than Hyderabad.
  • There is an airport situated at the nearby Gannavaram. The Central Government has already assured the state that the Gannavaram airport will be developed on the lines of a big airport.
• Suicide rate highest among youngsters in India: WHOYoungsters in the 15-29 years age group accounted for the highest rate of suicide per 100,000 populations in India during 2012, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report published recently. The report also found India registering the highest estimated number of suicides in the world in 2012. 
  
  According to the report……………
  • 258,075 people committed suicide in India in 2012. Out of this, 99,977 were women and 158,098 were men. In the age group of 15-29 years, the suicide rate was 35.5 per 100,000 during the year, whereas people between 30-49 years 28 persons out of 100,000 committed suicide.
  • The overall rate of suicide in India is low at 21.1 compared with other countries.
  • The rate of suicide per 100,000 people in Sri Lanka is 28.8. In Guyana and North Korea it is 44.2 and 38.5, respectively.
  • The WHO report also revealed that one person commits suicide every 40 seconds globally, while, about 800,000 people die by suicide every year.
  • The annual global suicide rate is 11.4 per 100,000 people.
  • However, in countries such as China, the rate is much lower at 7.8 per 100,000. Similarly, in Malaysia, only three per 100,000 committed suicide.
  • Pesticide poisoning, hanging and firearms are among the most common methods of suicide globally.
  • Suicide by intentional pesticide ingestion is of particular concern in rural agricultural areas in the south-east Asian region, the report noted.
  • About 75 per cent of suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries.
  • The report points out that in high-income countries, mental disorders are present in up to 90 per cent of people who end up committing suicide. However, studies from China and India show that mental disorders are less prevalent at 60 per cent among those who commit suicide.
• Relief to under trials in jailsThe Supreme Court on 5th September ordered the release of those languishing in jails and awaiting completion of trials and who have served more than half the maximum sentence for the offence they have been charged with. To identify such under trials, a bench headed by Chief Justice R M Lodha directed district judges to visit jails once a week during October-November this year. The district judges are expected to file reports in this regard at the end of November. 
  
  It asked registrars of high courts to collect data from jails and send reports based on these to the registrar-general of the Supreme Court. The court will take up these reports on December 8. The court also directed the government to come up with a road map to fast-track the criminal judicial system. It expressed regret at the lack of budgetary support for jail infrastructure. 
  
  According to National Crime Records Bureau data of the 385,135 prisoners in India at the end of 2012, under trials accounted for 66.2 per cent. In states such as Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Meghalaya, under trials accounted for more than 80 per cent of prison inmates. Most of them see prolonged imprisonment even for petty crimes, as they aren't able to apply for bail due to ignorance, poverty or abandonment by families.
  
• NEWS study on MangrovesAccording to a recent study of mangrove forests in Sunderbans has revealed a change in their vegetation pattern, with the high salt-tolerant Avicennia species being edged out by Ceriops decandra, a relatively less-salt tolerant variety of mangrove, suggesting an evolution of the mangroves. 
  
  The study titled ‘Benchmark Studies on the Status of Mangrove Forest’ has been conducted by the Nature Environment & Wildlife Society (NEWS), sponsored by the Sunderban Biosphere Reserve under the ‘Mangrove for Future’ theme of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. 
  
  A change in the mangrove species may lead to change in biodiversity, ecology species variation and finally to the variation in gene pool, Ajanta Dey, project director (NEWS) said. 
  
  The Sundarbans is a natural region in Bengal. It is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world. The Sunderbans is approximately 10,000 km2 of which 60% is located in Bangladesh with the remainder in India. The Sunderbans is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.