By: D.K Chaudhary
1. 1st Smart & Green Highway Eastern Peripheral Expressway At Baghpat In UP
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dedicated to the nation its first smart and green highway, the Eastern Peripheral Expressway at Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh. The 135-kilometer six-lane access-controlled expressway is eco-friendly and has world-class safety features. It envisages signal-free connectivity between Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gautam Budh Nagar and Palwal. It has been built at a cost of 11,000 crore rupees. It is India’s first highway to be lit by solar power besides provisions of rainwater harvesting.
ii. Earlier in the day, the PM inaugurated the first phase of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway. The first phase of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway cost Rs 842 crore on building the 9-km stretch of 14-lane highway.
2. 15th Finance Commission Constitutes Panel For Health Sector
i. The Fifteenth Finance Commission has constituted a High-Level Group consisting of eminent experts from across the country to examine the strengths and weaknesses for enabling balanced expansion of Health Sector. High-Level Group on Health Sector will have Convenor by Dr. Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS (New Delhi).
ii. In the context of ambitious schemes like Ayushman Bharat and also keeping in mind the needs of the huge young population of the country, this is considered as an important step to understand the needs of the health sector in the country.
3. E-Way Bill System For Intra-State Goods Movement Comes Into Force In Seven More States, UTs
i. E-Way Bill system for intra-State movement of goods will be implemented in seven more states and Union Territories from 27th May 2018. The States are Maharashtra, Manipur, Chandigarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Lakshadweep.
ii. With this, the number of States, where the system is being implemented, will go up to 27. As per the decision of the GST Council, e-Way Bill system has been rolled out from 1st of April this year.
4. PM Modi Launches Survey On NaMo App
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a survey on the NaMo App, asking people to rate the performance of the government at the Centre and MPs and MLAs in their constituencies.
ii. He launched the initiative, to mark the completion of four years of the NDA government, which came to power at the Centre in 2014.
5. Japan Win Uber Cup To End 37-Year Drought
i. Japan’s women clinched the Uber Cup, breezing by surprise finalists Thailand 3-0 in Bangkok to end a 37-year wait to regain the title. With a team stacked with top-ranked players in both the singles and doubles, Japan made light work of the hosts, who entered the finals for the first time after stunning China in the semis.
ii. It ends an Uber Cup drought for Japan that stretches back to 1981 and is a major confidence boost ahead of the Olympics which they will host in two years’ time.
- The Uber Cup, sometimes called the World Team Championships for Women, is a major international badminton competition contested by women’s national badminton teams.
- The Uber Cup is second in prestige only to the Olympics as a national team event.
