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1. Mega food park inaugurated in Telangana 

Union Minister of Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated the first mega food park at Telangana's Lakkampally village in Nizamabad District.

The Mega Food Park has been set up in 78 acres of land at a cost of Rs. 108.95 crore. It is ought to benefit the people of Nizamabad district and the people of nearby districts of Nirmal, Jagtial, Rajanna Sircilla, Kamareddy of Telangana and Nanded district of Maharashtra state.

The Mega Food Park will leverage an additional investment of about Rs 250 crore in 22 food processing units in the park and generate a turnover of about Rs 14000 crore.

The Park will also provide direct and indirect employment to 50,000 youth and benefit about 1 lakh farmers. Mega Food parks shall facilitate doubling of farmer's income by 2022 which is a primary agenda of the government in the field of agriculture.

 

2. India announces USD 1 mln disaster relief aid for Bahamas

India announced humanitarian assistance of USD 1 million to help people in The Bahamas affected by Hurricane Dorian.

and is likely to increase even more, even as search and rescue teams are still trying to reach out to Bahamian communities isolated by floodwaters and debris in the wake of Hurricane Dorian.

 

3. PM raises India’s target to restore degraded land to 26 million hectares 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India would raise its target for restoring degraded land from 21 million hectare to 26 million hectare by 2030.

Days before the UN convention commenced, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar had announced that India was aiming to restore 50 lakh hectare of its degraded land by 2030.

Speaking at the high level segment at the 14th session of the Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Modi said between 2015 and 2017, India’s tree and forest cover increased by 0.8 million hectares.

Addressing nearly 200 nations, 70 environment ministers and over 8,000 participants from across the globe, Modi urged the world to stop using single-use plastic which was a menace for the land and environment.

India will setup a global technical support institute for the member countries of the UNCCD for their capacity building and support regarding the Land Degradation Neutrality.

Land degradation neutrality has been defined by the parties to UNCCD as a state whereby the amount and quality of land resources, necessary to support ecosystem functions and services, remains stable or increases within specified temporal and spatial scales and ecosystems.

The New Delhi Declaration, the outcome of the conference which will lay down measures to combat desertification.

 

4. Three animal species in India extinct due to desertification: Researchers at UNCCD meet 

At least three to four species of animals, such as the Indian Cheetah, pink-headed duck, and the Great Indian Bustard, have become extinct due to desertification in India, researchers warned at the 14th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP 14).

There has been desertification caused due to insecticides, pesticides, conversion to agricultural land, industries and chemicals, indiscriminate development but everything has to be regulated so that it could be minimised and we can reverse this process back.

The researcher also said that desertification not only impacts animals but the entire biodiversity, which includes microscopic animals to human beings.

It was also stated in the forum that India faces a growing crisis of land degradation. More than 30 percent of its land area has been degraded through deforestation, over-cultivation, soil erosion and depletion of wetlands.

The Convention, started earlier this week, came at a critical juncture when not only India but the entire world is facing problems regarding soil aridity, where some of the most vulnerable ecosystems can be found.

 

5. PM Modi launched National Animal Disease Control Programme 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to launch the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP) for eradicating the foot and mouth disease and brucellosis in livestock.

The project, which will cost ?12,652 crores for a period of five years till 2024, will be funded entirely by the government. The programme, to be launched in Mathura, aims to control the livestock diseases by 2025 and eradicate these by 2030.

The programme aims at vaccinating over 500 million livestock including cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and pigs against the FMD. The programme also aims at vaccinating 36 million female bovine calves annually in its fight against the brucellosis disease.

The choice of Mathura for the launch of the programme is interesting because the support of Uttar Pradesh was instrumental in bringing back Prime Minister Narendra Modi to power for a consecutive term. Apart from its political significance, Mathura is also a holy city and many farmers in the region have traditionally been dependent on livestock.

 

The Prime Minister also launched the National Artificial Insemination Programme and a country wide workshop in all the KrishiVIgyanKendras(KVKs) in all the 687 Districts of the country on vaccination and disease management, Artificial Insemination and Productivity.

 

6. Govt sets up 3-member committee to look into assets, liabilities of JK to be given to 2 UTs 

The Centre has constituted a three-member committee to look into distribution of assets and liabilities of Jammu and Kashmir between two successor Union territories, which will come into existence on October 31.

While former defence secretary Sanjay Mitra will be the chairman of the committee, retired IAS officer Arun Goyal and retired Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) officer Giriraj Prasad Gupta will be its members.

As per Section 84 of the Act, the assets and liabilities of the existing state of Jammu and Kashmir have to be apportioned between the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

On August 5, the Centre announced the abrogation of the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into the two UTs.

The apportionment of the assets and liabilities of the existing state of Jammu and Kashmir shall be subject to the recommendations of a committee constituted by the central government, it said.

According to Section 85 of the Act, the central government, by an order, can establish one or more advisory committees for apportionment of assets, rights and liabilities of the companies and corporations constituted for the existing state of Jammu and Kashmir between the two Union territories.

 

7. CHC Farm Machinery-Multilingual Mobile App for the farmers to avail the custom hiring services launched

Shri Parshottam Rupala Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare

launched a multilingual Mobile App “CHC Farm Machinery” for the farmers to avail the custom hiring services of CHCs located in the radius of 50 Kms. This app connects the farmers with Custom Hiring Service Centres in their area. This app can be downloaded on any android phone from Google Play Store.

 

8. PM to Launch Kisan Man Dhan Yojana on 12th of September 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi shall launch the Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana on the 12th of September at Ranchi, Jharkhand.

The Scheme shall secure the lives of 5 Crore Small and Marginal Farmers by providing a minimum pension of Rs 3000 per month, to those who attain 60 years of age.

The scheme has an outlay of Rs 10,774 Crores for the next three years.

All the small and marginal farmers who are currently between the ages of 18 to 40 years can apply for the scheme.

Farmer’s monthly contribution can be made from the instalments of PM-KISAN or through CSCs.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi shall also inaugurate 400 Ekalvya Model Residential Schools to provide quality upper primary, secondary, and senior secondary level education to ST Students in Tribal dominated areas.

 

9. India-Nepal petroleum products pipeline project inaugurated 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepal counterpart K P Sharma Oli jointly inaugurated the Motihari-Amlekhgunj petroleum product pipeline, the first of its kind in South Asia, via a video link.

The 69 km-long pipeline from Motihari in Bihar to Amlekhgunj in Nepal is the first-ever cross-border petroleum product pipeline in the South Asia region.

As of now, tankers carry petroleum products from India to Nepal as part of an arrangement which is in place since 1973. It was constructed in a “record time“.

While the deadline was 30 months, it was readied in just 15 months after the ground breaking ceremony was held last year during Oli’s visit to India.

Every year, the pipeline will carry two million metric tonne of clean petroleum products at an affordable price to Nepal.

The Motihari-Amlekhgunj oil pipeline project was first proposed in 1996. The project was put back on the agenda during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kathmandu in 2014. The two governments had signed an agreement to execute the project in August 2015. Construction had begun in April 2018. Construction of the pipeline was undertaken by Indian Oil Corp. Ltd (IOCL), India’s largest refiner, with an investment of over ?324 crore, in collaboration with Nepal Oil Corp. Ltd (NOCL).

The two sides are also working on building additional storage facility at the Amlekhgunj Depot, wherein NOCL has committed an estimated ?75 crore. The pipeline can carry up to 2 million metric tonnes of petroleum products each year. Currently, petroleum products are carried from India to Nepal using oil tankers as part of an arrangement which has been in place since 1973. The NOCL hopes to save ?200 crore annually with the new pipeline.

 

10. Health Minister announces plans of Genomic grid for India-specific cancer research 

In a move to take cancer research to the next level and make treatment viable for people of different economic classes, the government has plans to set up a National Genomic Grid, which will study genomic data of cancer patients from India, said Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Aswini Kumar Choubey.

The grid to be formed will be in line with the National Cancer Tissue Biobank (NCTB) set up at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras and will collect samples from cancer patients to study genomic factors influencing cancer and identifying the right treatment modalities for the Indian population. The NCTB is functioning in close association with the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR). NCTB, which has the capacity to stock 50,000 genomic samples from cancer patients, already has samples from 3,000 patients. The genomic samples will help researches to have India-specific studies on cancers. The government plans to set up the National Genomic Grid in the same style with pan-India collection centres by bringing all cancer treatment institutions on board. The initiative will be taken forward based on the standard operating procedures set by IIT Madras and guidance from ICMR. The grid will have four parts, with the country divided into east, west, north and south.

The first set of 350 genomic data of stomach and breast cancer patients developed from the 3,000 samples at NCTB will be released by the end of October. The government was on a mission to achieve the target of one doctor for every 1,000 people, a standard ratio set by the WHO, by 2022, against the current ratio of 1/1,400. Also, the government plans to increased the number of MBBS seats in the country from 42,000 to one lakh.

 

11. Vincent and Grenadines, 79th country to join India-led Intl Solar Alliance 

Saint Vincent and Grenadines became the 79th country to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA) soon, an initiative by India aimed at combating the threats of climate change and global warming. Countries which have signed the agreement until now include Bolivia, Palau, France, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Japan, amongst others. The agreement was opened for signature during the COP22 at Marrakech on November 15, 2016. The International Solar Alliance is a group of 121 solar resource-rich countries with headquarters in Gurugram, India. The organization aims to deploy over 1,000 gigawatts of solar energy and mobilise more than USD 1,000 billion into solar power by 2030, according to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

 

12. Madhya Pradesh government to offer cows for adoption online 

The Madhya Pradesh government is going to launch an online service for those wanting to adopt a cow and provide sheds to them at gaushalas (cow shelters) across the State.  While paying for a cow’s feed for 15 days would cost ?1,100, one could take care of its diet for 10 years for ?3 lakh. Feeding a cow for six months would cost ?11,100. Each contributor will be featured on the department’s website and receive a certificate. Using the service, donors, including NRIs, could pay gaushala managers directly for a borewell, a bull, a biogas plant or a shed. A bull would cost them ?1.5 lakh that the Department would procure from other States to the designated gaushala. While District Collectors would make sure donations are put to the desired use, the Department will keep donors informed. There are 7 lakh abandoned cattle in the State and 13 lakh left on the streets by rearers during the day. Gaushalas house at least 75% stray cattle.

 

13. ‘Mukhyamantri Dal Poshit Yojana’ launched 

With an objective to provide low-priced pulses, the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Dal Poshit Yojana’. Under the scheme, two kilogrammes of pulses per month would be made available to 23.32 lakh ration card holders.  The scheme would be helpful in fulfilling the objective of healthy India of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Under the Dal Poshit Yojana, chick pea is being made available at a rate of Rs 44 per kg this month. The current market rate of this pulse is Rs 65 to 70 per kg.

 

14. Govt review plea in top court against SC/ST Act verdict goes to 3-judge Bench

The Supreme Court referred a review petition filed by the government against a March 20, 2018 judgment of the court to a three-judge Bench. The verdict allowed anticipatory bail to persons accused of committing atrocities on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. It had reasoned that the anti-atrocities law was misused by some members of the community as a means for “blackmail”. It saw a huge public backlash. Several people died in the protests that followed and crores worth property were destroyed. The government reacted by filing the review petition and subsequently amended the 1989 Act back to its original form last year.

The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act of 2018 nullified the March 20 judgment. The original 1989 Act bars anticipatory bail.

Several petitions were filed last year challenging the Amendment Act. The lead petitioner, advocate Prithvi Raj Chauhan, even called the amendments a “blunder” and a violation of the fundamental right to equality and personal liberty. The Supreme Court, however, refused to stay the implementation of the amendments.

A Bench of Justices Arun Mishra and U.U. Lalit had finally reserved the case for judgment on May 1. The Centre had argued in the court that the amendments were necessary as SC/STs would continue to face the same social stigma, poverty and humiliation that they had been subjected to for centuries. The government said there was no decrease in the atrocities committed on members of SC/ST communities despite the laws meant to protect their civil rights. It said the sad state of affairs was prevalent despite the existence of 195 special courts across 14 States to exclusively try PoA cases. As per the National Crime Records Bureau statistics, there is no decrease in the crimes against SC/ST members. The number of cases registered under the PoA in 2014 was 47124, while in 2015 it was 44839 and 47,338 in 2016.

In 2014, 28.8% of the cases were convicted, there were 71.2% acquittals and 85.3% cases are pending. The next year saw 25.8% convictions, 74.2% acquittals and 87.3% pendency. In 2016, there was 24.9% convictions, 75.1% acquittals and 89.3% pendency.

 

15. Punjab government inks MoU with IOC to set up biogas, bio-CNG plants 

The Punjab government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Oil Corporation to set up bio-gas and bio-CNG plants in the state.

The pact is part of the state’s concerted efforts to find sustainable solutions to paddy straw burning, which has emerged as a major environmental concern. The MoU with IOC was signed by Punjab Bureau of Industrial Promotion (PBIP) and Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) in the presence of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

It will facilitate regulatory clearances and incentives by the state government, and will be followed up with a separate technical cooperation MoU between the public sector undertaking and PEDA. The plants, to be based on a new concept and technology, will be set up at a total investment of Rs 5,000 crore, and will generate employment for around 4,000 people. The project will be initiated with 42 plants becoming operational in 2018. It will be scaled up to 400 plants over the next 3-4 years, making it the one of the biggest such projects in the country. It is estimated that 400 units will consume biomass of about 10 million tonne per annum and will produce about 1,400 million kg per annum CNG and 6,000 million kg per annum manure.

By converting bio-mass to compressed bio-gas and bio-CNG, the plants will take help curb the menace of stubble burning and create additional income to farmers.

The project will also create rural employment and entrepreneurial opportunities, besides providing a green organic source of compost for soil enrichment.

 

16. Drought Toolbox launched on Day 10 of COP14

The 14th Conference of Parties (COP14) to United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) dedicated day 10 to the theme of Drought. The event was held at India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida.

This event highlighted the different causes of drought and also saw launch of a toolbox which is a one-stop shop for all actions on drought. The toolbox is a sort of knowledge bank which contains tools that strengthen the ability of countries to anticipate and prepare for drought effectively and mitigate their impacts as well as tools that enable communities to anticipate and find the land management tools that help them to build resilience to drought.

Drought is a major obstacle to achieving sustainable development goal-15. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. The 17 SDGs are integrated—that is, they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability. The SDG-15 refers to: Protecting, restoring and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

 

17. Curriculum for Life Skills (Jeevan Kaushal) designed by UGC launched 

Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shri Sanjay Dhotre, launched the Curriculum for Life Skills (JeevanKaushal) designed by University Grants Commission (UGC), in New Delhi. UGC constituted Expert Committee prepared a Curriculum for Life Skills (JeevanKaushal) for Under Graduate Programme. The curriculum is designed to impart and strengthen the knowledge, skills and dispositions believed to be the best requisites of the current Industry and thereby empower the talent inherent in each learner. Life Skills like communication skill, interpersonal skill, time management, problem solving ability, decision making capacity, leadership ability and integrity play a crucial role in boosting the employability of the students.

Life skills (JeevanKaushal) curriculum cover the set of human talents acquired by an individual via classroom learning or life experience that can help them to deal with problems encountered in day to day life. This includes the core skills each individual must possess internally as well as externally for the betterment of self and the society as a whole.

 

18. NGT forms committee to stop illegal groundwater extraction 

Expressing concern over depleting groundwater levels, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has set up a committee to formulate steps required to prevent its unauthorised extraction. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed the committee to evolve a robust mechanism to ensure that groundwater is not illegally extracted and to monitor manning and functioning of the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA). The committee comprises joint Secretaries of Ministry of Environment and Forests and Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR), Central Ground Water Board, National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, National Remote Sensing Centre and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The nodal agency will be the Joint Secretary, MoWR for coordination and compliance. The Committee may look into the reports already submitted. The report may be furnished within two months by e-mail. The CPCB report stating that water intensive industries can be allowed even in semi-critical and critical areas without any further safeguards may not be acted upon till further orders.

The report of CPCB with regard to compensation is accepted by way of an interim arrangement and the same may be acted upon by the regulatory authorities and compensation recovered from the violators, for the period of violation, which may be assessed on case to case basis.

The tribunal said despite a Supreme Court order in 1996 with regard to groundwater extraction, the water level has only gone down. In its order, the apex court had directed the central government to constitute a body to look into the issue of groundwater depletion.

 

19. India joins Global Antimicrobial Research Hub 

India joined the world Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Research and Development (R&D) Hub as a new member. From 2019, India will be a member of Board of Members officially. Now India will be working with all the partners under the hub. It will focus on new research to address drug-resistant infections. AMR is the ability of a microorganism to treat the antimicrobial resistance that continues intense round the world. India is cheap to explore problems with antimicrobial resistance through the lens of one Health approach that ought to be supported by long-run commitments from all stakeholders.

The Global AMR R&D Hub was launched in 2018. It was established within the margins of the 71st session of the globe Health Assembly following a decision from G20 Leaders in 2017. The acting Chairperson of the hub's Board of Members is Bersabel Ephrem.

The operation of the world AMR R&D Hub is supported through a Secretariat. The secretariat was established in Berlin. Currently, it received its grants from the German Federal Ministry of Education and analysis (BMBF) and Federal Ministry of Health (BMG).

 

20. PM inaugurates multi-modal cargo terminal, lays foundation of Jharkhand secretariat building 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a multi-modal cargo terminal at Ranchi and laid the foundation of a secretariat building. The cargo terminal, which was inaugurated online by the prime minister from here, has been built by Inland Waterways Authority of India on River Ganga at Sahibganj. It will have a cargo storing capacity of 30 lakh tonne per year, a stockyard and parking and berthing space for two vessels. The new secretariat building in the state capital will come up at an estimated cost of Rs 1238.92 crore. It will also have offices of 32 departments.

 

21. Indian, Chinese soldiers face-off near Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh, tensions ease after talks

The Indian and Chinese troops were reportedly engaged in a confrontation near the northern bank of the Pangong lake in Ladakh, two-thirds of which is controlled by China. The tensions escalated when Indian troops on patrol were confronted by the soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army of China. This resulted in a scuffle with the two sides sending more soldiers to the area. Incidentally, the confrontation took place in the same area where Indian and Chinese troops had engaged in a bitter scuffle during the Doklam standoff. The Indian Army has said similar incidents can take place along the LAC in view of its exercise next month. The Army had announced its plan to hold an exercise in Arunachal Pradesh. The Indian Army had said war games will be organised in Arunachal Pradesh starting October in which the Indian Air Force and the Army will jointly exercise real war scenario inside the Indian territory. This comes around a month ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 10-12 near Chennai. Line of Actual Control (LAC) stability and trade ties are likely to be the focus of discussion when PM Modi meets Xi Jinping.

 

22. 118 new Community Radio Stations to be set-up 

Union Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar announced that 118 new Community Radio Stations (CRS) are in the process of being set-up. The approved list of applicants having been granted Letter of Intent for setting up CRS includes 16 from Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts, 6 from most LWE affected districts, 25 from coastal districts, 17 from Aspirational Districts, 3 from North-East and 2 from Jammu and Kashmir. Applications from NGOs, Educational Institutions - both private and public, and Krishi Vigyan Kendras have been granted approvals. It is expected that these Community Radio Stations will become operational within the next six months. Community Radio Stations act as essential communication channels for enhancing last mile of outreach of government. Plans are underway to ensure expansion of the community radio network to each district of the country. Community Radios are small (low power) FM radio stations with a coverage area of around 10-15 Km radius, depending on the geography of the area. CRS play a significant role in dissemination of agriculture related information, government schemes for people’s welfare, weather forecast etc. CRS are expected to produce at least 50% of their programmes locally, as far as possible in local languages or dialects. More than two hundred sixty CRS across India, broadcasting in various languages including local dialects, give marginalised communities a platform to make their voice heard and an opportunity to express their views.

 

23. Ravi Shankar Prasad launches maritime communication services in India 

Union Minister for Communications, Electronics and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad launched maritime communication services. He also launched a web portal for reporting stolen mobiles to help trace them. The maritime connectivity will enable high-end support to those travelling on sailing vessels, cruise liners and ships in India by use of satellite technology and provide access to voice, data and video services. Nelco, India's leading VSAT solutions provider, will now provide quality broadband services to the maritime sector.

The IFMC (in-flight and maritime connectivity) licence has not only enabled connectivity for onboard users on ships but also brings operational efficiency for shipping companies. The government had in December last year announced licences for IFMC that allows voice and internet services while flying over the Indian skies and sailing in Indian waters, both for international and Indian aircraft and vessels.

A project called Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) system has been undertaken by the Department of Telecom for addressing security, theft and other concerns including reprogramming of mobile handsets. The major objectives of the project include blocking of lost/stolen mobile phones across mobile networks, prevention of mobile devices with duplicate and fake IMEIs and curtail the use of counterfeit mobile devices.

 

24. Rajasthan launches 'Jan Soochna Portal' 

Rajasthan launched a portal for quick access to information on government departments, claiming that the site is the first of its kind in the country. Launching the 'Jan Soochna Portal' under the Rajasthan Innovation Vision (RAJIV) campaign here, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said the move will bring transparency and accountability, and empower the right of the people to seek information.

Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot claimed that with the launch of the portal, Rajasthan becomes the first state in the country to provide information about a dozen departments on a single platform. The state government has expressed its intention of using technology for transparency and would further strengthen and expand the scope of the RTI law.

The Jan Soochna Portal is the expression of this resolve, he said.

 

25. Jeep captured from Pak in 1971 stands as 'war trophy' in army camp near Leh 

The 'Jarpal Queen', a symbol of India's triumph against Pakistan, captured from Pakistan during the 1971 conflict. It was used by the Pakistani army as a part of their attack plan at Shakargarh border, in Jarpal area of Pakistan. So, it was named Jarpal Queen. It is placed at 3 Grenadier Regiment's camp, about 40 km from Leh.

In 1988, when the Regiment was in Ferozpur in Punjab, the jeep was registered with the Punjab transport department for it to be driven on the road. A full-scale war broke out between India and Pakistan over East Pakistan in 1971. It ended with surrender of 90,000 Pakistani troops and led to the creation of Bangladesh.

 

26. Govt Inducts First Batch Of Indian Skill Development Services 

In an effort to strengthen the skill development ecosystem in the country, the government has inducted the first batch of the Indian Skill Development Services (ISDS), the newest central government Group A services. The Indian Skill Development Service (ISDS) has 263 all India posts. The cadre comprises of 3 posts at senior administrative grade, 28 posts at junior administrative grade, 120 posts at senior time scale and 112 posts at junior time scale.

This service has been specially created for the Training Directorate of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and is a Group ‘A’ service. These is the first batch which is joining the ISDS cadre from the Indian Engineering Service Examination conducted by UPSC.

As part of the training program, a complete overview of management and governance of skilling in particular, and functioning of the government system in general, will be offered. After this capsule, there will be a foundation course and then further training will be provided to the officers to enrich them with the knowledge and skills needed to run the skill eco-system.

 

27. India Declared Free From Bird Flu

India has declared itself free from Notifiable Avian Influenza (H5N1), commonly called bird flu, and notified the same to World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). India notified outbreak of Avian Influenza (H5N1) at Poultry Production Unit, College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Anjora, Durg and Government Poultry Farm, Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh on 05th August, 2013. The control measures adopted in the outbreak were stamping out of entire poultry population including destruction of eggs, feed, litters and other infected materials in the radius of 1 k.m. around the outbreak location, restriction on movement of poultry, disinfection and cleaning up of infected premises and subsequently issuing of the Post Operation Surveillance Plan (POSP). The POSP was issued on 12th August, 2013.

 

Even though India is free from bird flu, regular surveillance to be continued throughout the country especially in the vulnerable areas bordering infected countries and in areas visited by migratory birds.

 

International News

1. UNESCO to publish anthology of Guru Nanak Dev's writing in world languages 

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has decided to translate and publish an anthology of the writings of Guru Nanak Dev in world languages to mark his 550th birth anniversary.  The government is also holding a series of events and has initiated projects to mark 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. These include the construction of Kartarpur Corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district in Punjab to the international border, the development of the historic town of Sultanpur Lodhi as a heritage town on the smart city principle, the upgradation of Sultanpur Lodhi railway station and release of commemorative coins and postage stamps.

 

2. Turkey, U.S. conduct joint patrols in Syria 

Turkish and U.S. troops conducted their first joint ground patrol in northeastern Syria as part of a so-called “safe zone” that Ankara has been pressing for in the volatile region. Turkey hopes the buffer zone, which it says should be at least 30 km deep, will keep Syrian Kurdish fighters away from its border. Turkey considers these Kurdish militias a threat, but they’ve also been key U.S. allies in the fight against the Islamic State group. So far, the Kurdish-led forces have withdrawn 14 km only. The depth of the zone, as well as who will control it, is still being worked out.

An initial agreement between Washington and Ankara last month averted threats of a Turkish attack. But details of the deal are still being worked out in separate talks with Ankara and the Kurdish-led forces in Syria known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF. The force is dominated by the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, considered by Ankara a terrorist group because of its links to Kurdish insurgents inside Turkey.

While Turkish officials are calling it a “safe zone,” Washington and the Kurdish-led forces speak of a “security mechanism” taking shape to diffuse tensions in northeastern Syria.

 

3. India to build multidisciplinary super specialty hospital in Bhutan

Seeking to build stronger bilateral ties with its neighbours, India is planning to build up a multidisciplinary super speciality hospital in Bhutan. The initiative has been taken up by the Union Health Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs.

 

4. Thailand is the first in Asia to roll out plain cigarette packaging

Thailand rolled out plain cigarette packaging, the first country in Asia to introduce what activists say is an effective way to reduce the appeal of smoking. In 2012, Australia became the first country to require tobacco products to be sold without colourful brand logos.

 

5. Sri Lanka flags off Pulathisi Express, a 'Make In India' train 

The strong ties between India and its southern neighbour Sri Lanka received a boost when a newly 'Make In India' train rake was flagged of from Colombo Fort Railway station. The rake of the train was manufactured in the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai. Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Transport Minister Arjuna Ranathunga and Indian envoy to Sri Lanka Taranjit Singh Sandhu flagged off a new train to Polonnaruwa from Colombo Fort Railway station. The train which has been inducted under an Indian Line of Credit has an on-board entertainment system, modular interiors and fully-rotating seats in Air Conditioned Chair cars for passenger comfort. ICF will manufacture six DEMU rakes consisting of 78 coaches in five variants. The order is being jointly executed by RITES and ICF under the India-Sri Lanka economic cooperation agreement.

The new features include plush interiors, GPS-based passenger information system in all coaches

Halogen-free rubber flooring, individually revolving seats and the individual audio controls for AC class passengers, he added.

Each DEMU rake consists of 13 cars in a combination of two driving power cars with economy class seating, two driving trailer cars with economy class seating, two air-conditioned chair cars with rotatable seats, two business class chair cars and five economy class coaches.

The design of the coaches was finalised as per the customer's choice and ICF has fully geared up to meet the export order in time.

 

6. Pakistan blocks second consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav 

Pakistan blocked the consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, saying that there would be no second access to the Indian national, who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court. The statement was released by Mohammad Faisal, spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan.

Pakistan had on September 2 granted the first consular access to the Indian death-row convict, Kulbhushan Jadhav in line with the "Vienna Convention and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) verdict" after much negotiation between India and Pakistan over terms and conditions for consular access.

The Indian diplomat, Gaurav Ahluwalia met Kulbhushan Jadhav at a sub-jail for an hour. Despite India's objections, the Pakistani officials, too, were present in the room where the meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav and the Indian envoy took place. Not only were they present, but the entire proceeding was also recorded.

After the meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav and the Indian envoy, Islamabad issued a statement and said that the meeting was recorded to "ensure transparency".

India also issued a statement and said that Kulbhushan Jadhav appeared to be under "extreme pressure" to parrot a false Pakistani narrative in his case.

Kulbhushan Jadhav was allegedly "arrested" from Balochistan by Pakistani security forces on March 3, 2016. Pakistan has claimed that Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested after he entered the country from Iran. India has, however, rejected Pakistan's claims and has always maintained that Kulbhushan Jadhav was kidnapped when he was in Iran on a business trip.

 

7. EU creates defence and space branch 'to complement NATO' 

The European Union will create a new defence and space arm to help fund, develop and deploy armed forces. The creation of a defense branch in the European Commission, long resisted by Britain, is an attempt by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to stem a decline in EU influence, as it faces heavy US pressure to do more for its own security.

 

Economy & Business News

1. 28th cycle of Indo-Thai CORPAT from Sep 5 to 15 

The 28^th edition of India-Thailand Coordinated Patrol (Indo-Thai CORPAT) between the Indian Navy (IN) and the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) is being conducted from 05 – 15 September 2019. Indian Naval (IN) Ship Kesari and His Majesty’s Thailand Ship (HTMS) Kraburi along with Maritime Patrol Aircraft from both the navies are participating in the CORPAT.

IN ships and aircraft of Andaman and Nicobar Command have been participating in the biannual Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) with the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) since 2003. The Objectives of the Indo-Thai CORPAT are to ensure effective implementation of United Nations Conventions on Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS) which specify regulations regarding protection and conservation of natural resources, conservation of marine environment, prevention and suppression of illegal, unregulated fishing activity/ drug trafficking/ piracy, exchange of information in prevention of smuggling, illegal immigration and conduct of Search and Rescue operations at sea.

 

2. Railways ministry inks MoU with CII to foster green initiatives 

In a move aimed at facilitation of green initiatives, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Railways and Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).

Energy efficiency in manufacturing facilities, greening of the railway properties, demonstrative pilots of net-zero energy buildings, development of green procurement policy, waste management policy, solid waste disposal, carbon neutrality and phytoremediation stood among the major objectives of the MoU. Directed towards wide circulation, three coffee table publications - one each on energy efficiency, GreenCo rating and green buildings (including railway stations) were released, as conceptualised under the MoU.

Indian railways and CII have been working together since 2016 on green rating and energy efficiency studies.

GreenCo rating system, developed by CII, evaluates the rate of performance of industrial units who pursue environmentally sustainable practices and also certifies them as a green building.

 

3. DRDO successfully test fires indigenous Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile system 

In a major boost for the Indian Army, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested indigenously-developed Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) system. The test fire was conducted in the ranges of Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. It is a low weight, fire-and-forget Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM). This is the third successful test firing of the missile system which is being developed for Indian Army's need for 3rd generation ATGMs.

The missile was launched from a man-portable tripod launcher and the target was mimicking a functional tank. The missile hit the target in top attack mode and destroyed it with precision. All the mission objectives were met. This is the third series of successful testing of MPATGM. The missile is incorporated with state-of-the-art Infrared Imaging Seeker along with advanced avionics. The test paves way for the Army to have developed 3rd generation Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile indigenously.

 

4. Mumbai gets first Make-in-India metro coach where you can even carry bicycles 

Mumbai has now got its first metro coach manufactured by state-run Bharat Earth Movers (BEML) under 'Make-in-India initiative. The indigenous metro coach was built by BEML at its Bengaluru facility in 75 days. In a big boost to infrastructure in Mumbai, the government is pumping in over ?1.2 lakh crore to build 14 metro corridors in the financial capital.

From 11 km, the metro network of the city will increase to 325 km by 2023-24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while inaugurating the first indigenously built metro coach in Mumbai.

Manufactured in BML's Bengaluru factory, the metro coaches will have the capacity to carry 300 passengers in each car. Equipped with CCTV surveillance for passenger safety, the metro train will operate on 25 kv AC traction. The new metro coaches will enable the commuters to travel along with their bicycles.

 

5. SLINEX 2019: India- Sri Lanka Bilateral Maritime Exercise Ends

‘SLINEX 2019’, the bilateral maritime exercise between India and Sri Lanka concluded in the Bay of Bengal with the completion of Sea Phase on September 12. The Sri Lankan Navy, Indian Navy ships along with Maritime Patrol Aircraft carried out various coordinated maritime operations. Sri Lankan Navy ships Sindurala and Suranimila, and India's INS Khukri, INS Sumedha and Maritime Patrol Aircraft participated in the Sea Phase of the SLINEX 2019. The bilateral maritime exercise commenced on September 7. Sri Lankan Navy had sent two offshore patrol vessels SLNS Sindurala and SLNS Suranimala to India to participate in seventh annual Joint Indo-Lanka Maritime Fleet Exercise- SLINEX 2019. The offshore patrol vessels, SLNS Sindurala and Suranimala left from Trincomalee Port in Sri Lanka for India and arrived in the port of Visakhapatnam on September 8.

 

6. DPIIT to launch plastic waste management campaign 

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has requested state governments to work towards collection of plastic waste from industrial estates, parks, corridors, nodes and industrial areas for the 'Swachhta hi Sewa 2019' campaign beginning from September 11.

A Commerce and Industry release said the theme of this year's 'Swachhta hi Sewa' is plastic waste management.

DPIIT will ensure recycling of plastic waste collected on October 2 in cement kilns and also collect plastic waste through nationwide 'shramdaan'. DPIIT will ensure that all collected plastic waste may be recycled in cement kilns by Diwali this year.

On Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary, DPIIT personnel will undertake manual labour and ensure the collection of plastic waste in and around industrial areas all across the country.

 

7. India & ADB  sign $200 million loan to improve rural connectivity in Maharashtra 

Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $200 million loan to upgrade rural roads to all-weather standards in 34 districts of Maharashtra State to improve road safety and better connect rural areas with markets and services.

The project will improve the condition of about 2,100 kilometers (km) of rural roads to all-weather standards, with climate resilience and safety features, connecting rural communities with productive agricultural areas and socioeconomic centers.

Maharashtra has an extensive road network, with rural roads making up two thirds of the network. But more than half of these rural roads are unsealed, making them unsuitable for motorized traffic and impassable during the rainy season. Road safety has been a growing concern with the state accounting for over 8% of all fatal road accidents in India.

Accompanying the loan is a technical assistance grant of $1 million for institutional strengthening of the MRRDA in areas such as road asset management, road safety, climate-resilient design and construction and web-based real-time project monitoring. Outreach for road users will be carried out in the state to build awareness of road safety, gender issues including human trafficking, and enhancing women’s road construction and maintenance skills.

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region. In 2018, it made commitments of new loans and grants amounting to $21.6 billion.

 

8. Centre constitutes Task Force for drawing up National Infrastructure Pipeline 

The Central government constituted a task force for drawing up the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) of Rs 100 lakh crore from the fiscal year 2019-20 to 2024-25. The Task Force headed by Economic Affairs Secretary will identify technically feasible and economically viable infrastructure projects that can be initiated during the current fiscal. To achieve the gross domestic product (GDP) of five trillion dollars by 2024-25, India needs to spend about 1.4 trillion dollars (Rs 100 lakh crore) over these years on infrastructure. In the past decade (FY 2008-17), India invested about 1.1 trillion dollars on infrastructure. The challenge is to step-up annual infrastructure investment so that lack of infrastructure does not become a binding constraint on the growth of the Indian economy.

The Task Force will work on listing the projects that can be included in the pipeline for each of the remaining five years. It will also estimate annual infrastructure investment costs and guide the ministries in identifying appropriate sources of financing. The Task Force will also suggest measures to monitor the projects so that cost and time overrun is minimised. The Task Force will submit its report by October 31 for the fiscal year 2019-20 and on the indicative pipeline for fiscal years 2021-25 by December 31 this year.

 

9. IAF resurrects 17 Squadron ‘Golden Arrows’ for Rafale 

The Indian Air Force (IAF)  resurrected the Air Force Station (AFS) Ambala-based 17 Squadron ‘Golden Arrows’, which will operate the first squadron of Rafale fighter jets in the near future. The first batch of Rafale jets are scheduled to be formally handed over to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on October 8 in France. The jets are set to arrive in India in May 2020. The resurrection ceremony was presided over by IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal (ACM) B.S. Dhanoa. Incidentally, he had commanded the 17 Squadron during the Kargil conflict in 1999. On December 31, 2011 the squadron was ‘number plated’ after the Russian Mig-21 jets that it flew were decommissioned as part of the IAF’s long-term plan to phase the decades-old aircraft out of service and was since awaiting newer inductions.

The 17 Squadron was raised at Ambala on October 01, 1951, under the command of Flight Lieutenant D.L. Springett and initially equipped with the Harvard-II B aircraft. “By November 1955, Squadron converted fully to De Havilland Vampire and by 1957, Hawker Hunter aircraft were flown by the ‘Golden Arrows’. The Squadron converted to the Mig-21 M in 1975.

Between October 2019 and May 2020, three batches — each comprising eight IAF pilots along with engineers and technicians — would undergo advanced training on the Indian jets in France, a defence official said. So far, three IAF pilots and two technical officers have trained on the French Air Force’s Rafales as per the terms of the contract. The Indian standard Rafale incorporating all the India Specific Enhancements (ISEs) would be operationally ready, latest by September 2021.

 

In September 2016, India and France signed a €7.87 billion Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for 36 Rafale multi-role fighter jets in fly-away condition following the surprise announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2015 citing “critical operational necessity” of the IAF.

 

10. Tata Group private partner in Indian Institute of Skills, Mumbai 

Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) laid the foundation stone for Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) at Mumbai. The objective of the institute is to provide skill training in highly-specialised areas to students who want to pursue technical education after completing Class X and XII. The Ministry feels that the IIS will be a tertiary care institute in the skills ecosystem and offer best of required courses in emerging and high demand areas such as deep technology, aerospace, among others.

The concept of IIS was envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he had visited the Vocational Education and Training Centre in Singapore.  It will aspire to earn a similar reputation, stature and world-class infrastructure to cater to the demands of the international market and modern requirements.  Tata Education Development Trust (TEDT) was selected as the private partner for setting up IIS at NSTI campus in Mumbai through a competitive bidding process. The Tata Group is investing about ?300 crore in the 4.5-acre campus. The aim of the institute is to ensure that 5,000 trainees will be passing out every year with 70 per cent placement opportunities.

The Union Cabinet had given its nod to set up Indian Institute of Skills (IISs) in three cities — Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Kanpur — to give wings to the Skill India Mission. These institutes will be constructed and operated on a PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model and on a not-for-profit basis.

 

11. Indo-Thailand Joint Military Exercise Maitree - 2019

Joint Military Exercise MAITREE-2019 between India and Thailand will be conducted at Foreign Training Node, Umroi (Meghalaya) from 16-29 Sep 2019. Indian and Royal Thailand Army (RTA) comprising 50 soldiers each will participate in the exercise with an aim to share experience gained during various counter terrorism operations in their respective countries.

Exercise MAITREE is an annual training event which is being conducted alternatively in Thailand and India since 2006.  Notably, in the series of military training exercises undertaken by India with various countries, Exercise MAITREE with Thailand is a significant in terms of the security challenges faced by both the nations in the backdrop of changing facets of global terrorism.  The scope of this exercise covers company level joint training on counter terrorism operations in jungle and urban scenario. The joint military exercise will enhance the level of defence co-operation between Indian Army (IA) and Royal Thailand Army (RTA) which in turn will further foster defence cooperation and bilateral relations between the two nations.

 

12. ISRO locates lander Vikram on Moon, hopes to make contact over next 14 days 

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has located lander Vikram on the Moon more than 24 hours after losing contact, offering major relief to the space agency. ISRO now faces its biggest challenge of establishing communication with the lander, which scientists say appears unlikely as the spacecraft has apparently made a hard landing on the Moon.

A thermal image is made by using radiation from the infrared region of the spectrum, which means that the orbiter has not seen the lander or detected any communication link, but captured the radiations being emitted from it.

Thus, communicating with the lander remains an extremely challenging exercise and the chance of retrieving any data is slim.

However, ISRO scientists remain hopeful and said that they would try their best to connect with the lander over the next 14 days, after which the lunar night would begin and the landing site would be covered in darkness.  Any major damage would likely render the Pragyaan rover non-functional, making it difficult for the rover to traverse the Moon’s surface.

The orbiter is revolving around the Moon at an altitude of 100km above the surface in a polar orbit and carries seven payloads. It is expected to collect crucial data for the mission.

Communication with the lander Vikram was lost about two minutes before it was scheduled to make a soft landing on the moon around 1.55am on 7 September 2019. Several attempts by scientists at Isro’s mission control complex in Bengaluru to establish a link did not yield results, following which the space agency issued a statement that the data is being analysed to ascertain what happened. The lander had followed the planned trajectory from its orbit of 35km to 2.1km above the lunar surface during the powered descent. All the systems and sensors of the lander functioned well until 13 minutes of the powered descent early on Saturday, after which the communication link was lost.

 

13. IPPB rolls out of Aadhaar-enabled payment services (AePS) 

India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has rolled out Aadhaar enabled payment system (AePS) services. With this, IPPB has now become the single largest platform in the country for providing interoperable banking services to the customers of any bank.

With AePS services, any person with a bank account linked to Aadhaar can perform basic banking services such as cash withdrawals and balance enquiry irrespective of the bank they hold their account with. To avail these Aadhaar enabled payment services, a customer can simply authenticate his/her identity with fingerprint scan and Aadhaar authentication to complete a transaction.

 

14. Army’s mountain strike Corps to conduct exercise in Arunachal 

The Army is scheduled to conduct a major Exercise ‘HimVijay’ beginning October in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam with its newly created Integrated Battle Groups (IBG) involving 15,000 troops. The exercise will coincide with the proposed visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping for the second informal summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The IBGs are part of overall force transformation initiated by Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat. They are brigade-sized agile self-sufficient combat formations which can swiftly launch strikes against adversary in case of hostilities. They would be backed by tanks and artillery for operations in the mountains. The IAF will airlift troops to the areas located over 10,000 feet. Over the years, it has strengthened its strategic airlift capabilities with the induction of C-130 and C-17 aircraft in addition to its Russian origin An-32 and IL-76 aircraft. The concept of the IBG was war gamed and tested by the 9 Corps early this year. The Army is in the process of reorganising its major Corps into the IBGs. The number of IBGs had not been decided yet. Each IBG is tailor made based on Threat, Terrain and Task and resources will be allotted based on the three T’s. They are tailored to mobilise within 12-48 hrs based on their location. Last November, the Army began inducting the M-777 Ultra Light Howitzers specially for high altitude areas and early this year the IAF began inducting Boeing Chinook CH-47F(I) heavy lift helicopters which can transport the M-777s. The Army has contracted for 145 guns and deliveries are slated to be completed by mid-2021 while all 15 Chinooks are scheduled to be delivered by March.

 

15. RBI cuts risk weight for consumer credit 

Banks will be able to lend more to customers for buying consumer products such as mobile phones, home appliances, two-wheelers and three-wheelers, with the Reserve Bank of India cutting the risk weight for consumer credit, including personal loans.

While credit card receivables have been excluded, what this cut means is that banks can offer consumer loans by setting aside relatively lesser capital. The RBI cut the risk weight to 100 per cent from 125 per cent. This reduction in risk weight comes at a time when the consumers’ perception of the general economic situation and the employment scenario has softened, according to the RBI’s Consumer Confidence Survey in July.

 

16. Government imposes MEP on onion exports to tame domestic prices

Government imposed minimum export price on onions as wholesale prices touched Rs 30/kg mark. It had issued tender to import 2000 tonne onions. Government has started taking these series of price control measures to tame onion prices, which have only recently turned remunerative for farmers after remaining subdued for more than a year.

At the Lasalgaon APMC in Maharashtra, which sets benchmark onion price, wholesale prices had ruled below Rs 10/kg for more than 12 months. Now they are in the range of Rs 15/kg to Rs 31/kg.

Drought in Maharashtra, followed by floods in Maharashtra, Karanataka and a few other onion growing states have led to recent rise in onion prices. The government has set MEP at USD 850/tonnes. The imports of 2000 tonnes, a miniscule quantity not sufficient even for a few days requirement of the country, have to arrive into the country by end of November.

 

17. DRDO Hands Over Second 'Netra' Early Warning System To IAF 

The Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO) handed over the second airborne warning plane, Netra, to the Indian Air Force. The indigenously-built aircraft was handed over to Western Air Command chief, Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar, at the Bathinda Air Base in Punjab. India, China Troops Engage In Heated Exchange In Eastern. The Netra, an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEWC) aircraft, had played a stellar role during the Balakot air strikes that had been carried out by the IAF in February this year. It provided surveillance and radar coverage to the five Mirage jets that bombed terror launch pads in Balakot in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. Designed and developed by scientists of the DRDO, with assistance from the Bengaluru-based Centre for Airborne Systems, the Netra is fitted with indigenously developed electronics and hardware. It is useful for surveillance, tracking, identification and classification of airborne and sea surface targets and is useful in detecting incoming ballistic missile threats.

 

18. Saudi Arabia oil facilities ablaze after drone strikes 

Drone attacks have set alight two major oil facilities run by the state-owned company Aramco in Saudi Arabia.  Footage showed a huge blaze at Abqaiq, site of Aramco's largest oil processing plant, while a second drone attack started fires in the Khurais oilfield. The fires are now under control at both facilities, state media said. Iran-aligned Houthi group had deployed 10 drones in the attacks. This attack was one of the biggest operations the Houthi forces had undertaken inside Saudi Arabia and was carried out in "co-operation with the honourable people inside the kingdom".  Abqaiq is about 60km (37 miles) south-west of Dhahran in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, while Khurais, some 200km further south-west, has the country's second largest oilfield. Saudi security forces foiled an attempt by al-Qaeda to attack the Abqaiq facility with suicide bombers in 2006.

 

19. Indian army launches recruitment drive for first batch of women soldiers

Indian Army has launched the recruitment drive for the first batch of women soldiers. The women soldiers will be inducted for non-combat roles into the Corps of Military Police with posts across various cantonments. The women soldiers will be selected from among the thousands of volunteers who had applied for the post from across the nation. The selection process is underway currently. The training of the selected 100 women soldiers is scheduled to begin from December 2019 in Bengaluru. The duration of training of the women soldiers will be 61 weeks, same as the training period of the male soldiers. The training will not be gender-biased and will be conducted with the spirit that they are ‘soldiers first’.

After the first batch of 100 women soldiers is finalized, the process will be followed up every year. So, a batch of 100 women soldiers will be inducted annually till the total women cadre strength goes up to 1700.

The women soldiers will be trained by women instructors, who will be selected through an interview process. According to Colonel Commandant of the Military Police, Lt Gen Ashwani who interviewed Lt Col Nandani for the role of the instructor of the first-ever batch of women soldiers, the first set of instructors is most important, as it will lay down the foundation for generations to come. Besides Lt Col Nandani, there will be more instructors for the first batch of women soldiers.

 

Sports

1. Sports Ministry de-recognises Paralympic Committee of India for Sports Code violation 

The Sports Ministry has de-recognised the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), citing violation of the National Sports Code in the body’s decision to sack president Rao Inderjit Singh.

The PCI has been penalised for misgovernance.

The Ministry had received a complaint from Mr. Singh, who was removed by a majority vote, and it found the federation’s response to it unsatisfactory. The PCI had changed its byelaws to bar public servants from it during a May 4 Annual General Meeting. Mr. Singh is Minister of State (Planning) in the Union government.

The PCI had also been suspended in 2015 over governance issues and re-recognised in 2016.

 

2. Canadian Teen Bianca Andreescu Beats Serena Williams In US Open Final To Clinch Maiden Grand Slam Title 

Serena Williams' agony in the US Open final continued after she lost to Canadian teen Bianca Andreescu 6-3, 7-5 in US Open 2019 final. Bianca Andreescu became Canada's first Grand Slam singles champion with a rollercoaster win over 23-time major champion Serena Williams in the US Open final. The 19-year-old Andreescu became the youngest Grand Slam winner since Maria Sharapova at the 2006 US Open, handing Williams a fourth consecutive defeat in the final of a major to again deny her a record-equaling 24th Slam title.

 

3. US Open 2019: Rafael Nadal beats Daniil Medvedev to win 19th Grand Slam title 

Rafael Nadal won his 19th Grand Slam title after holding off Russian Daniil Medvedev's exhilarating fightback in one of the greatest US Open finals. Spain's Nadal, 33, won 7-5 6-3 5-7 4-6 6-4 against the fifth seed in New York.

 

4. FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup to be held in November, 2020 in India 

The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, to be hosted by India, will be held from November 2 to 21 2020.  The Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar has been provisionally confirmed as a venue, pending FIFA approval. Kolkata, Navi Mumbai, Goa and Ahmedabad are in the running for the other three host cities.

India was announced as the host country in March this year. Spain are the defending champions, having won the title of the biennial tournament in 2018. As India has got automatic qualification as hosts, it is not entering the Asian qualification campaign in the AFC U-16 Women’s Championship which will be held in Thailand from September 15 to 28.

 

People in News

1. P K Sinha appointed principal advisor to PM 

Former Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha has been appointed the principal advisor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sinha was last month appointed as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the PMO.

 

2. Pramod Kumar Mishra is new principal secretary to PM Modi 

Pramod Kumar Mishra has been appointed the new principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was the additional principal secretary to the prime minister and was holding the rank of a Cabinet minister. Recently, Nripendra Misra had stepped down as the principal secretary to the prime minister. Modi had asked him to continue for two weeks.

 

3. PepsiCo India ropes in Hima Das as brand ambassador for Gatorade 

PepsiCo India has roped in star athlete Hima Das as the brand ambassador for its sports drink brand Gatorade. She joins ace shuttler PV Sindhu and javelin star Neeraj Chopra as the brand’s ambassadors in the country.

 

4. UN chief appoints Indian Army veteran Abhijit Guha as head of Hodeidah mission 

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Lieutenant General (Retired) Abhijit Guha as the head of the UN mission in Hodeidah, Yemen. Besides leading the UN Mission in support of the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA), Guha will also assume the chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC), tasked with redeploying forces of the Yemeni warring parties in accordance with their agreement.  Guha will succeed Danish Lieutenant General Michael Lollesgaard, who served in these posts from January 31 to July 31, 2019. Guha brings to this position 39 years of national and international military experience. He served from 2009-2013 as the Deputy Military Adviser and the Military Adviser within the Office of Military Affairs of the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, while also establishing the Office of Peacekeeping and Strategic Partnerships in 2013. Previously he held a number of significant commands, staff and instructional appointments within the Indian Army including leadership of an Infantry Brigade and Infantry Division, and of the Mumbai Area. He also previously served as a Military Observer as part of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia during 1992-3. After his retirement from the Indian Army in 2013, General Guha served on the Expert Panel on Technology and Innovation in UN Peacekeeping (2014) and the High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (2015). He has also led a number of United Nations' investigations and boards of inquiry in Africa and the Middle East. Guha is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, the College of Combat, and the National Defence College, each in India.

 

5. Kalraj Mishra sworn in as Rajasthan Governor 

Former Union minister Kalraj Mishra was sworn in as Governor of Rajasthan. Mishra replaced Kalyan Singh, who has completed his five year tenure. Rajasthan High Court Chief Justice Shripathi Ravindra Bhat administered the oath of office to Mishra. Mishra, 78, is a former union minister who was the Governor of Himachal Pradesh prior to Rajasthan.

 

6. Saudi King Appoints a Son, Prince Abdulaziz, as Energy Minister 

King Salman of Saudi Arabia named his son Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman as energy minister, putting a member of the royal family for the first time in one of the kingdom’s most important roles, as part of a wider shake-up of top energy-sector jobs. The appointment of Prince Abdulaziz, an older half brother of the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, brings to an end a long line of commoner technocrats charged with overseeing energy policy for the world’s largest oil exporter. Prince Abdulaziz, who has been minister of state for energy affairs since 2017, replaces Khalid al-Falih, who was removed last week as board chairman of Saudi Aramco, the state-owned oil company that he once ran as chief executive. The move is likely to surprise oil market participants, who had mostly assumed that the departing energy minister would retain that portfolio, which includes sway over Saudi production policy.

 

7. Veteran lawyer and former Union minister Ram Jethmalani passes away at 95

Noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani, one of India's finest criminal lawyers passed away at the age of 95 after suffering from prolonged illness.   Born in Sikhapur of Sindh province on September 14, 1923, Ram Jethmalani fought many high-profile cases in the Supreme Court, high courts and trial courts. One of the cases he will be remembered for is the KM Nanavati vs State of Maharashtra case in which he was the prosecutor.Since then, Jethmalani has fought several other high-profile cases which included the defence of Rajiv Gandhi's killer in Madras High Cout in 2001.

He also defended Harshad Mehta and Ketan Parekh in the Securities scam of 1992. Jethmalani had also defended the death sentence given to Afzal Guru and represented Manu Sharma in the Jessica Lall murder casJethmalani was later elected as the president of Supreme Court Bar Association in 2010. Among other achievements, Jethmalani was elected as a BJP MP in the sixth and seventh Lok Sabha. Apart from Union law minister, he also held the portfolio of urban development in Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government.

 

8. Jack Ma officially retires as Alibaba’s chairman

Jack Ma  stepped down as Alibaba’s chairman today, handing the role over to the company’s current CEO, Daniel Zhang. The transition was announced a year ago.

Ma will continue serving on Alibaba’s board until its annual general shareholders’ meeting next year. He also remains a lifetime partner of Alibaba Partnership, a group drawn from the senior management ranks of Alibaba Group  companies and affiliates that has the right to nominate (and in some situations, appoint) up to simple majority of its board.

Ma left Alibaba’s CEO position in 2013 and was succeeded first by Jonathan Lu. In 2015 Lu was replaced by Zhang, the company’s former COO. As its CEO and now its chairman, Zhang has taken Alibaba’s reins as it copes with a slowdown in China’s e-commerce market after a decade of explosive growth. The online retail landscape also now includes new players like Pinduoduo, which have gained an advantage by focusing on smaller cities, which are important growth markets for internet companies.  One interesting fact about the day Ma chose for his retirement as chairman is that it is Teachers’ Day in China. Ma is a former English teacher who is still nicknamed “Teacher Ma” and has said that he plans to devote time to education philanthropy.

 

9. Kapil Dev appointed Chancellor of Haryana Sports University 

Awards Cricket legend Kapil Dev will be the first Chancellor of the Haryana Sports University at Rai in Sonipat district.  The Sports University of Haryana will be the third sports university established by a state government in the country after Swarnim Gujarat Sports University (Gandhinagar) and Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University (Chennai).

The university will conduct academic and training programmes in physical education and sports sciences, including sports technology and sports medicine. Courses will include training for sports management, sports infrastructure engineering, sports psychology, sports nutrition, sports journalism and sports marketing.

 

10. Anil Agarwal honoured with lifetime achievement award 

Chairman of Vedanta Resources Anil Agarwal has been given the lifetime achievement award at the 19th Annual Asian Achievers Awards.

BBC News Economics Editor Faisal Islam was chosen for the media achievement award.

Deputy Mayor of London Rajesh Agrawal received the editor's award for public service.

Novelist Jeffrey Archer helped raise GBP 150,000 for India-based charity group Yuva Unstoppable in an auction at the awards night.

 

11. UAE bestows First Class Order of Zayed II on Ambassador Navdeep Suri 

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has bestowed the First Class Order of Zayed II award on Ambassador, Navdeep Singh Suri in recognition of his efforts during his tenure and his contribution to the development and strengthening of friendly relations and co-operation between the two friendly countries. It is a rare honour given to any diplomat. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, presented the Order to the Ambassador in Abu Dhabi. Sheikh Abdullah lauded the ambassador's role in bolstering UAE-Indian ties and wished him success in his future assignments.

 

12. Mayank Vaid becomes first Indian to complete Enduroman triathlon, breaks world record 

Mayank Vaid has become the first Indian to complete the Enduroman — a triathlon from England to France which is considered to be one of the toughest endurance competitions in the world. Vaid is the 44th person in the world to have completed this triathlon. He is also the first Asian person to complete this triathlon in solo capacity.

Remarkably, Vaid has also broken the record for the shortest time taken to complete the ‘Enduroman – Arch to Arc’ triathlon. He completed the triathlon — involving running, swimming and cycling — in 50 hours and 24 minutes. The previous record for this triathlon was 52 hours and 30 minutes, held by Julien Deneyer of Belgium. The triathlon starts with a 140 km run from London’s Marble Arch to Dover on the Kent coast, then a cross-Channel swim (shortest distance 33.8 km) to the French coast, and finishes with a 289.7 km bike ride from Calais to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

 

13. Five Indian women police officers honoured by United Nations 

 

Five Indian women police officers were honoured by the United Nations for their commendable services in UN mission in South Sudan. Reena Yadav, Inspector, Chandigarh Police; Gopika Jahagirdar, DSP, Maharashtra Police, Bharati Samantray, DSP in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ragini Kumari, Inspector in the Ministry of Home Affairs, and Kamal Shekhawat, ASP, Rajasthan Police were conferred the UN medal.  The Indian women police officers received the UN medal at a medal parade in the United Nations Mission in Juba in South Sudan.  The women officers were honoured by the United Nation for upholding the UN mandate of protection of civilians in conflict-ridden South Sudan. The women officers are engaged in community policing, administrative, operational duties and capacity building of local authorities.

 

14. US President Donald Trump has fired his National Security Adviser John Bolton.

US President Donald Trump has fired his National Security Adviser John Bolton. The exit comes amid reports that there is disagreement within the Administration over Trump's decision to host a now-cancelled meeting with Taliban leaders at Camp David.

 

Days and Event

1. Delhi to host 1st conference on military medicine for SCO member-states 

The first conference on military medicine for Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states will be held in New Delhi from September 12 to September 13, 2019.

The conference will be the first military co-operation event hosted by India, under the SCO Defence Co-operation Plan 2019-2020, after it became an SCO member-state in 2017.

The conference will be conducted by the Indian Armed Forces under the aegis of Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS), with the aim to share best practices in the field of military medicine, build capacities and overcome common challenges.

The conference will be preceded by a meeting of the heads of delegations to discuss areas of co-operation in the field of military medicine between SCO member-states.

 

2. First helicopter summit held in Dehradun 

The Ministry of Civil Aviation organised India's first-ever helicopter summit in Dehradun. The Indian Air Force was invited at the summit to talk on the "role of IAF helicopters in MEDEVAC (Medical evacuation) at the national level.

The conclave was attended by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, the Aviation Secretary, and the Chief Secretary of Uttrakhand, amongst others.

Several officials of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), many leaders from the tourism industry and officials from all Indian helicopter operators were present at the conclave.

 

3. International Literacy Day-8 September

2019 theme-Literacy and Multilingualism 

The 8th of September was proclaimed International Literacy Day by UNESCO at the 14th session of UNESCO’s General Conference on 26 October 1966 to remind the international community of the importance of literacy for individuals, communities and societies, and the need for intensified efforts towards more literate societies.

The first International Literacy Day was observed in 1967.  Celebrations have taken place annually around the world, coordinated by UNESCO, countries and partners, to advance the literacy agenda at global, regional and national levels.

The idea of an International Literacy Day was born at the World Conference of Ministers of Education on the Eradication of Illiteracy, held in Teheran, Iran, on 8-19 September 1965.

 

4. 68^thPlenary session of North Eastern Council held in Guwahati

The 68^th Plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) was held in Guwahati on the 8^th & 9^th September, 2019. The Plenary session was inaugurated by the Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah.  

 

5. 24th World Energy Congress held in Abu Dhabi 

Abu Dhabi hosted the 24th World Energy Congress with the theme: ‘Energy for Prosperity’.  It is the World Energy Council’s global flagship event and offers a unique platform for global energy leaders to explore new energy futures, critical innovation areas, and new strategies. It is held every three years. World Energy Council was formed in 1923 and is a UN-accredited global energy body, representing the entire energy spectrum,

 

6. Hindi Divas 2019-14 September

Hindi Diwas commemorates the adoption of Hindi as an official language of India. The day is observed annually on September 14.  On this day in 1949, Hindi written in Devanagari script was adopted as the official language of India by the Constituent Assembly of India.

The Hindi Diwas was established due to the efforts of several stalwarts who rallied and lobbied in favour of Hindi across India. The most notable among them was Beohar Rajendra Simha. Beohar Rajendra Simha along with other pro-Hindi speakers including Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, Kaka Kalelkar, Maithili Sharan Gupt and Seth Govind Das even debated in the Parliament on the issue.

Hindi was finally adopted as the official language by India’s Constituent Assembly on September 14, 1949, on the occasion of Beohar Rajendra Simha’s 50th birth anniversary. The decision was later ratified by the Indian Constitution, which came into effect on January 26, 1950.

Hindi written in Devanagari script was adopted as the official language under Article 343 of the Indian Constitution.

 

7. Agrarian festival 'Nuakhai' celebrated with traditional fervour in Kalahandi 

The agrarian festival of Nuakhai was celebrated with traditional fervour in Bahadurpadar, Palkapada and Patharla villages of Kalahandi district in the first phase. The festival is a 40-day celebration spread in four phases. People celebrated Nuakhai and they will celebrate Basi festival with traditional Drum and Ghumura dance of Kalahandi.

On the occasion of Rusi Panchami on September 3, people of Kesinga, Dharamgarh, Juanagarh, Kalampur, Golamunda, Narla and Karlamunda blocks celebrated Nuakhai and on Bhadraba Dasami, Nabanna was offered to Goddess Manikeswari at Bhawanipatna, Jaipatna, M Rampur, Lanjigarh, Thuamul Rampur, Karlapat and Mahulpatna areas. On Mahanabami, Lord Budharaja will be offered Nabanna in his temple located on the premises of Manikeswari temple.

 

It is widely believed that a tribal chief of Patharla helped the Kalahandi king in a war. Pleased with their service, the king wanted to reward them. But instead of asking for material gifts, the tribal chief requested the Maharaja to allow them to offer Nabanna (new rice) to their presiding deity first on Nuakhai. The king allowed them to do so as a mark of gratitude and ever since, the tribals are allowed to offer Nabanna to the deity first.

 

8. COP26: Glasgow to host UN climate change summit in 2020 

The UK has won the bid to host the 26th Conference of the Parties, known as COP26, following a partnership with Italy. Up to 30,000 delegates are expected to attend the event at Glasgow's Scottish Events Campus (SEC) at the end of next year. The UK will host the main COP summit while Italy will host preparatory events and a significant youth event, as part of the agreement.

 

9. National Conference on Crop Residue Management held 

The National Conference on Crop Residue Management was held in New Delhi. It was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Farmers from the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi participated in the conference. Around 1000 farmers participated in the conference.

 

Rankings

1. Nutrition International conducts India Iodine Survey 2018-19 

Nutrition International, a global nutrition organisation, conducted a country-wide study – India Iodine Survey 2018-19 to estimate the iodine status of the population and assess the extent to which Indian households have access to adequately iodised salt.

The survey conducted in collaboration with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, Association for Indian Coalition for the Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD) and Kantar, has shown that 76.3 per cent of Indian households consumed adequately iodised salt which means salt with more than or equal to 15 parts per million (ppm) of iodine.

The results signify the progress made by India towards universal salt iodisation (USI) which has a target of reaching 90 per cent of the population with adequately iodised salt. The results also convey the need to step up the efforts to ensure all households consume adequately iodised salt while sustaining the gains achieved over years to protect everyone from the risk of iodine deficiency disorders. Iodine is a vital micronutrient needed regularly in small quantities for optimal mental and physical development in human beings. Deficiency of iodine can result in a range of disabilities and disorders such as goitre, hypothyroidism, cretinism, abortion, still-birth, mental retardation and psychomotor defects. Children born in iodine deficient areas may have up to 13.5 IQ points less than those born in iodine sufficient areas.

The survey, carried out with the support of the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada, was conducted across all 29 states and 7 Union Territories and included a total of 21,406 households. Front-runner states with more than 99 per cent of households having access to adequately iodised salt were Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland. In addition, the survey revealed that 13 out of 36 states have already achieved universal salt iodisation (USI) with more than 90 per cent of their households having access to adequately iodised salt. The survey tested the iodine content in samples of cooking salt from households to estimate the coverage of the use of adequately iodised salt. In addition, the survey also studied the urinary iodine concentration in samples from pregnant women, lactating women and non-pregnant non-lactating women of reproductive age (15 to 49 years) to estimate the iodine status among them. Notably, the median Urinary Iodine Concentration (µg/L) among these three categories of women was found to be adequate as per WHO guidelines.

 

2. Top 10 Indian universities ranked in World University Rankings 2020 

The Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2020 was released on September 11 and IIT Ropar made a surprising entry on the list as the Number 1 among the 56 Indian institutes on the list of the best universities of the world compiled by UK-based Times Higher Education (THE). IIT Ropar ranked first among Indian institutes alongside IISc Bangalore, beating IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi. However, no Indian institute secured a rank within the top 300 institutes of the world.

After the first 200 ranks, THE rankings put institutes into rank groups rather than individual ranks.

While IISc Bangalore retained its top spot in India, it slipped from the 251-300 ranking section to the 301-350 bracket. However, it did improve in its research environment, teaching environment and industry income.

IIT Ropar and IISc Bangalore share the first rank among top Indian institutes

IIT Indore is the second best Indian institute in the world and stands in the same bracket as IISc Bangalore and IIT Ropar

IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi and IIT Kharagpur are in the third spot; they are in the top 401-500 universities bracket

Among the top 601-800 universities of the world stand Jamia Millia Islamia, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Panjab University, Savitribai Phule Pune University and Thapar University.

Siksha 'O' Anusandhan and KIIT University from Odisha also made it to the World University Rankings 2020

Globally, Oxford University continues to lead the high table followed by California Institute of Technology and University of Cambridge. Stanford University and MIT complete the top five global table. Globally, the US continues to dominate the ranking, with 172 institutions overall and 60 in the top 200. US universities make up 14 of the global top 20 and seven of the top 10, with the country’s leading institutions performing particularly well in the area of citation impact.