By: D.K Choudhary
Shri Kalraj Mishra Inaugurates Workshop on MSME Cooperation among IORA
i. Union Minister of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Shri Kalraj Mishra inaugurated a Workshop on MSME Cooperation amongst Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Member countries on January 19, 2017 in New Delhi
ii. The Ministry of MSME finalised the MoU on MSME Cooperation with Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) member countries on January 20, 2017. This finalized MoU will be signed at an appropriate forum soon. The MoU will come into effect after 5 countries signs it.
iii. The IORA Secretariat at Mauritius will be the coordinating agency for the implementation of the MoU. Special funds have also been created by IORA for the member countries to utilize the fund for implementing the MoU.
iv. India has already signed Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with 18 countries for cooperation in MSME sector. The National Small Industries Corporation of India, Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of MSME has 34 MoUs with its counterpart organizations of foreign countries for cooperation in MSME sector.
Divorce Granted Through Church Court Cannot be Held Legal: SC
i. The Supreme Court on January 19, 2017 said that Divorce granted by any ecclesiastical tribunals or ‘Church Courts’ under Christian personal law will not be taken as valid. It said that Church Courts cannot veto the statutory law of divorce.
ii. A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud dismissed the plea filed by Clarence Pais, a former president of a Karnataka Catholic association that sought legal sanction to such separations granted by the Church Court.
iii. The Apex Court said that the divorce granted through Canon Law may have significance for Christian community but after the Divorce Act came into force, a dissolution granted under such personal law cannot have any legal impact as statute has provided a different procedure and a different code for divorce or annulment.
Over 3.81 lakh Winners of Rs 61 cr in NITI Aayog’s Lucky Draw Scheme
i. According to a statement by NITI Aayog, till date over 3.81 lakh consumers and 21,000 merchants have been declared as the winner of the NITI Aayog’s lucky draw schemes namely Lucky Grahak Yojana (LGY) for consumers and Digi-Dhan Vyapar Yojana (DVY) for merchants.
ii. It also stated that daily as well as weekly prize money worth Rs 60.90 crore has been declared at 24 Digi-Dhan Melas organized across the country. Besides, most of the winners were in the age group of 21-30 years.
iii. The top 5 states that had most of the winners are Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka.
Civil Aviation Ministry Announces First Flight under UDAN Scheme to Take off in February 2017
i. The Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha, on January 19, 2017 announced that the under UDAN (Ude Desh Ke Aam Naagrik) Scheme is likely to take off in February 2017.
ii. Presently there are 75 operational airport in the country and after the implementation of 
UDAN scheme 43 new airports will be added.
iii. The UDAN scheme aims to boost regional air connectivity to and from un-served and under-served airports and make flying more affordable. Besides, it also aims to provide various incentives to airlines.
iv. The ministry announced that total 11 bidders have come forward to connect 30 airports which are currently operational, 12 which are underserved and 43 where not a single flight lands under the scheme.
v. The fare for a one hour journey of approximately 500 km on a fixed wing aircraft or for a 30 minute journey on a helicopter has been fixed at Rs. 2500 under the scheme.
Centre Sanctions Rs. 2207 Cr Special Assistance to J&K
i. The Central Government has sanctioned special assistance of Rs 2,207.30 crore to Jammu & Kashmir during 2016-17 in order to help the state to complete the area-specific schemes in speedy manner.
ii. In 2015-16 the Central Government had released Rs.1194.37 crore for the State of Jammu & Kashmir to fulfill the need of the state in completing the damaged /severely damaged/partially damaged houses. Again with the release of Rs. 2,207.30 cr the total amount provided to J&K becomes Rs. 3401.67 cr.
iii. Besides a similar special assistance of Rs. 1,129.40 cr was provided by the Center for the completion of a project in Bihar in 2016-17. So far Bihar has been given Rs 6,934.61 crore help.
iv .Other states that received such benefit includes Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Odisha.
Government Constitutes Negotiation Committee on Mahanadi & its Tributaries
i. The Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation led by Uma Bharti has formed a Negotiations Committee on January 19, 2017 to determine the availability and utilization of waters of the river Mahanadi and its tributaries.
ii. The committee has been asked to submit its report within three months. The committee would be consisting of 11 members under the chairmanship of a representative from Water Planning and Projects Wing (WP&P) and Central Water Commission (CWC).
iii. Besides the other member would comprise of member from the States of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Jharkhand, Union Ministries of Agriculture, Environment Forest and Climate Change, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, India Meteorological Department and Central Water Commission.
iv. The committee will also be responsible to examine the existing water sharing agreements on river Mahanadi and consider the claims of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Jharkhand regarding availability and utilization of waters of these rivers.
v. The decision regarding the constitution of the committee comes after the complaint of State of Odisha under section 3 of the Inter-state River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956 regarding utilisation of waters of Mahandi Basin.
Himachal Pradesh Declares Dharamsala as the Second Capital of the State
i. Dharamsala town in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh has been declared as the second capital city of the state by the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on 
January 19, 2017.
ii. Dharamshala is located about 250 km from the state capital Shimla and has a unique significance and history of its own. It is of special value to the lower areas of the state comprising Kangra, Chamba, Hamirpur and Una districts.
iii. With the development has a capital city, the people of all these areas would not have to travel to longer distance to Shimla for their work that ought to be done in the capital city.
iv. Dharamshala has much significance including religious, natural and adventurous tourism spots and also the home of Tibetan Spiritual head Dalai Lama. Besides, 25 out of 68 assembly seats fall in Kangra, Una and Hamirpur districts
President Mukherjee inaugurates 28th Dantan Gramin Mela in West Bengal
i. 28th Dantan Gramin Mela was inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee in Midnapore district in West Bengal on January 20, 2017.
ii. The mela display the rural handicraft skills of the people of the region and the different goods ranging from textile to terracotta.
