By: D.K Choudhary
India hosts Implementation and Assessment Group Meeting of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT)
i. The Ministry of External Affairs in coordination with the Department of Atomic Energy is hosting the Implementation and Assessment Group Meeting of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) from February 8-10, 2017 at the Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra, New Delhi.
ii. Nearly 150 delegates from various member countries and international organisations will participate in the event.
iii. India is committed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and technology and promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and global nuclear non-proliferation.
iv.The meeting was inaugurated by the Foreign Secretary of India, Dr. S. Jaishankar while the concluding part would be addressed by Dr. R. B. Grover, Member, Atomic Energy Commission of India.
v. GICNT was launched in 2006 jointly by the Russian Federation and the United States. Presently it has 86 partner nations and five official observer organizations.
Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das launches UJALA scheme
i. Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das launched energy efficient fans and LED tube lights under the ‘Unnat Jeevan by Affordable LEDs and Appliances for All’ (UJALA) scheme in the state.
ii. The UJALA scheme is being implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a JV under the administration of Ministry of Power, Government of India.
iii. In Jharkhand, EESL plans to distribute more than 25 lakh LED tube lights and one lakh energy efficient fans to people on upfront payment. It is estimated that over 5.5 lakh consumers will benefit from the scheme.
Gujarat Become India’s First State to Establishes Cashless System for PDS
i. Gujarat has become the first state in India to establish Cashless system for distribution of food grain to the beneficiaries under NFSA (National Food Security Act).
ii. The Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan on February 8, 2017 appreciated the efforts of the state government which has installed Aadhaar Enabled Payment System in 17,250 Fair Price Shops (FPS) much before the target of March 31 as decided by the state
iii .The beneficiaries would just need to carry their Aadhaar cards for getting their food grain in Gujarat. This will help in establishing their identity, stop the leakages of grain at shop level and eradicate corruption in the Public Distribution System (PDS).
iv. Besides these, the consumers will also be able to get their rail, air and bus tickets reserved, pay mobile bills, deposit crop insurance premium, LIC premium and even get the GujaratSoil Health Card and registration for Centrally Sponsored Schemes at the FPS itself.
Gujarat
♦ Capital: Gandhinagar
♦ Chief Minister: Shri Vijay Rupani
♦ Governor: OP Kohli
♦ Animal: Asiatic lion
♦ Bird: Greater flamingo
Lok Sabha Passes Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill, 2017
i. The Lok Sabha passed the Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill, 2017 on February 7, 2017 which allows for payment of wages digitally or through cheque directly into the account of workers. The Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill is in line with the government’s cash-less economy.
ii. The Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill, 2017 seeks to amend the Payment of Wages Act 1936. Once the bill is passed by the Rajya Sabha, it will also replace the Payment of Wages (Amendment) Ordinance 2016 that was promulgated by the President on December 28, 2016.
iii. The Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill, 2017 will enable the employers to pay wages via cheque or bank transfer directly into worker’s account without the need for worker’s written consent for the same.
iv .Earlier, under the Payment of Wages Act 1936, employers were allowed to use cheque or bank transfers to pay wages only with written authorization from the employee.
v. The amended bill will also lead to formalization of workforce and provide them social security benefits like provident fund and health insurance. The data shows that nearly 90 percent of India’s over 472 million labour market is informal where workers are deprived of the benefits of formal employment.
vi. With the digital payment, the bill will take away the employers ability to cut the wage of workers.
Commerce Ministry approves Revenue Insurance Scheme for Plantation Crops
i. The Union Ministry of Commerce under Nirmala Sitharaman has approved the pilot Revenue Insurance Scheme for Plantation Crops (RISPC) on February 8, 2017 to protect the growers of plantation crops from the twin risks.
ii. Firstly the risks of yield loss due to adverse weather parameters, pest attacks etc and secondly income loss caused by fall in international/domestic prices.
iii. The Revenue Insurance Scheme for Plantation Crops (RISPC) is an improved version of Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) Scheme, 2003 which was closed on September 30, 2013.
iv .RISPC will be implemented on a pilot basis for two years covering tea, coffee, rubber, cardamom and tobacco in eight districts in West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Sikkim and Tamil Nadu by the commodity boards.
v. On the basis of performance of the pilot project the Ministry will consider for extension of the scheme to other districts.
Supreme Court Issues Contempt Notice to Calcutta HC judge CS Karnan
i. In a first of its kind move, the Supreme Court has issued a contempt notice on a sitting judge of Calcutta High Court, Justice CS Karnan for making allegations of corruptions CS Karanagainst the Supreme Court and Madras High Court judges.
ii. A seven judge bench of the apex court also took away all the administrative and judicial powers of Justice Karnan, directing him to return all judicial and administrative files in his possession to Registrar General of Calcutta HC.
iii .Justice Karnan had written letters to the Prime Minister, Law Minister, Chief Justice of India, judges of SC and others levelling allegations of corruption against the Supreme Court and Madras High Court judges.
iv. The show cause notice has been issued by the Supreme Court giving February 13 as the last date to Karnan to reply to the notice and asked him to remain present in person to defend charges against him.
Railway Ministry Launches First Phase of the Station Redevelopment Program
i. The Ministry of Railways launched the first phase of Station Redevelopment Programme on February 8, 2017 for commercial development of 23 stations across India. The total outlay of the project in the first phase is expected to be worth Rs 9,000 crore.
ii .The 23 stations in the first phase of redevelopment includes Chennai Central, Ranchi, Udaipur, Indore, Yesvantpur, Bangalore Cantonment, Visakhapatnam, Howrah, Kamakhya, Faridabad, Jammu Tawi, Secunderabad, Vijayawada, Kozhikode and Bhopal.
iii .Under the Station Redevelopment Programme, the Railway will take up 400 A1 and A stations for redevelopment through public private partnership (PPP) at an estimated cost of Rs 1 lakh crore.
iv. Besides, the Railway Ministry is also trying to partner with the Ministry of Urban Development to develop smart stations in identified smart cities.
v. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu informed that several pension funds, investors, international organisations like World Bank along with various state governments are also involved in the project.
vi. The redeveloped stations will provide amenities like digital signage, escalators, self-ticketing counters, executive lounges, restaurants, malls, theaters and Wi-Fi facility.
HRD Ministry Constitutes Sub-Panel of CABE to Boost Girls’ Education
i. The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development has constituted a sub-committee of Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) under Chairmanship of Telangana’s Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari to look into issues related to girls education
ii. With the consultations of the Central/state governments and other stakeholders, the sub-committee will submit its report to the Union government within one year from the date of its constitution.
iii. The other members of the sub-committee include: Minister for Finance and Planning Assam, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Dr. Neera Yadav, Minister for Social Education and Literacy Development, Jharkhand. Besides, Rina Ray, Additional Secretary, School Education, MHRD, will be the member secretary.
iv .The sub-committee would be responsible to examine the reasons for low participation oz girls in education including the socio-economic factors and suggest ways to reduce gender disparity
v. It will assess the current status of girls’ enrolment across the country at primary, upper primary, secondary education and senior secondary levels in rural-urban areas.
vi .Besides, it will also examine the existing schemes, measures and incentives in use to enhance girls’ participation and ensure their retention in education and suggest improvements and modifications in the existing schemes.
vii. The committee will further look into the issues of safety of girl students in schools, particularly in residential schools and hostels and identify infrastructure gaps.
