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Govt to foster 60 students under PM Innovative Learning Programme ‘DHRUV’

Dhruv
Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Programme- ‘DHRUV’ launched by HRD ministry

New Delhi: The government has selected sixty students under Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Programme- ‘DHRUV’, a 14-day long programme launched by HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Headquarters in Bengaluru on October 10.

The objective of this unique learning programme would be to mentor and nurture talented students. Also, allow them to realise their potential and contribute to society.

Nishank said, “Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Programme has been started to identify and encourage talented children to enrich their skills and knowledge.”

“The first phase of the programme will be expanded gradually to other fields like creative writing etc. The selected students from grade 9th to 12th grade of different streams under the programme will be called as ‘DHRUV TARA’. They will also be the part of Valedictory function on October 23,” said Nishank.

He further said, “Centres of excellence across the country, gifted children will be mentored and nurtured by renowned experts in different areas, so that they can reach their full potential.”

“It is expected that many of the students selected will reach the highest levels in their chosen fields and bring laurels to their community, State and Nation. This kind of programmes will make India a better place for innovation. The new innovators will be helpful for the Nation to achieve the target of 5 Trillion Dollar economy in the stipulated time,” he added.

Chairman of ISRO, K Sivan, first Indian citizen to enter into space, Wing Cdr. Rakesh Sharma, AC (Retd.) and  Principal Scientific Advisor to Government of India, Professor K Vijay Raghavan were the guests of Honour on the occasion. Other senior officials of the ministry, education, science, culture and Niti Aayog department were also present on the occasion.

PM asks police force to become instrument of social change

IPS Probationers
PM Modi asks Indian Police to be citizen-friendly and approachable

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked Indian Police to be citizen-friendly and approachable while making them understand the perspective about the force.

The PM while interacting with 126 IPS probationers of 2018 batch here, also highlighted the role of police in transforming aspirational districts and as instruments of social change.

Exhorting the young officers to work tirelessly with dedication for the betterment of the nation, Modi asked the officers, also comprising large number of women officers, to imbibe service orientation and dedication in their day to day work.

while stressing on the importance for the police force to be connected with ordinary citizens, the PM said that each officer should understand citizen’s perspective about the police force and work towards making the police force citizen-friendly and approachable.

During the interactive session with the IPS Probationers, he said that the role of police should be focussed on crime prevention. He highlighted the importance of technology in creating a modern police force.

The PM also lauded large number of women probationers in the batch and hoped that more women in police force will have a huge positive impact in policing as well as nation-building,

Wishing the officers a bright future, the Prime Minister asked the officers to believe in themselves. Adding that self-confidence and inherent strength along with the official training will equip them to deal with day to day challenges.

Stage set for first-ever global cooperatives trade fair to boost Indian farmers income

India International Cooperatives Trade Fair
India International Cooperatives Trade Fair to kick-start from October 11 at Pragati Maidan, Delhi

New Delhi: As part of its concerted efforts to fulfil the promise to double farmers income by 2022, Government is organising first-ever ‘India International Cooperatives Trade Fair’(IICTF) at Pragati Maidan in Delhi from October 11 to 13. The fair will also promote the government’s flagship programmes like Start-up India and Stand-up India for young entrepreneurs.

More than 120 cooperatives and 35 countries including US, Russia, China, and Bangladesh would be the part of fair, organised by NCDC in association with NEDAC, NAFED, APEDA, ITPO etc. with the support of agricultural and commerce and external affairs ministries.

In India, around 94% of total farmers are members of at least one cooperative institution. IICTF aims at furthering government’s vision and goal of doubling farmers’ income by promoting cooperative-to-cooperative trade within India and abroad, and promoting exports of key agriculture commodities and products leading to enhanced rural and farm prosperity.

IICTF also offers a huge opportunity for the industry and business houses from India and abroad to build alliances, business networking, product sourcing and above all, interacting with the primary producers of a wide range of products and service providers.

Aiming at promoting initiatives like Start-up India and Stand-up India for young entrepreneurs with new and innovative ideas, National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) has formulated Yuva Sahakar ­Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme 2019 with outlay of 100 crores, which will be launched by Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare minister Narendra Singh Tomar at the opening ceremony of the fair.

The Fair is expected to evolve a conducive environment for cooperative trade in the global arena, help in expansion and diversification of business, technology transfer, help lay international quality benchmark for cooperative products etc. and likely to result in sharing of best practices, collaborations and partnerships.

Indo-France defence ties: Rajnath makes a pitch for ‘Make in India’

rajnath france
Rajnath Singh makes a pitch for ‘Make in India’ in France

Paris: Making a pitch for ‘Make in India’ in France, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has asked the French companies for collaboration to modernise India’s shipyards and defence platforms by infusion of technology. He has also asked them to make India its base for production of defence equipment not only for India’s large market but also for export to other countries. 

India and France intend to explore ways to strengthen their defence industrial partnership, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said while addressing the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of French Defence Industries in Paris.

“We have undertaken significant economic reforms to improve the ease of doing business and opening up the economy for investments. Our Government under the leadership of our Prime Minister Modi has opened up defence sector manufacturing to a large extent under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, ” he said. 

Rajnath Singh underlined the significance of implementation of a single Goods and Services Tax across India, the biggest tax reform since its independence. “We have recently reduced our corporate tax significantly. For ‘Make in India’ in Defence if there is need for further tax rationalisation, it may be considered suitably”, Singh said. 

rajnath france 2He applauded the French companies for regularly participating in DefExpos organised in India with great energy and enthusiasm. He extended a special invitation to French firms to participate in DefExpo, which will be held in Lucknow from 05 to 08 February 2020. “Lucknow happens to be a city of rich culture and heritage and the French people are known to be highly appreciative of great cultures. Lucknow is the capital of Uttar Pradesh which is also a land of new opportunities”, he added.

He highlighted India’s substantial requirement of Aero engines both in civil and military domains. He requested French OEMs to consider exploring development of an Aero engine complex on government -to- government basis saying French companies could leverage from advantages in India such as low wages and availability of technical manpower.

India joins world in observing Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day

New Delhi: India today joined the International community in observing the World Mental Health Day with Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment launching a series of week-long programmes to mark the occasion.

The mental health trauma has emerged as one of the most prevalent lifestyle disorders that include depression, Anger, personality disorders, Panic attacks, Phobias, psychosis, stress, suicidal feelings etc. According to WHO one in four people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives. Around 450 million people currently suffer from such conditions, placing mental disorders among the leading causes of ill-health and disability worldwide.

Treatments are available, but nearly two-thirds of people with a known mental disorder never seek help from a health professional. Stigma, discrimination and neglect prevent care and treatment from reaching people with mental disorders.

To protect and to aware those people 10th October is observed as World Mental Health Day. It is a day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma.

It was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, a global mental health organization with members and contacts in more than 150 countries. This day, each October, thousands of supporters come to celebrate this annual awareness program to bring attention to mental illness and its major effects on peoples’ life worldwide. In some countries this day is part of an awareness week, such as Mental Health Week.

In India, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has prepared a series of activities to be undertaken during the week by its various National Institutes to raise awareness about Mental Health issues including identification of early signs to prevent aggravation and rehabilitation/mainstreaming of successfully cured mentally ill persons.

The programmes will include Nukkad Natak, Brain Storming sessions amongst students, Run for Happiness, Talk Shows and Human Chain Smiley. Various posters relevant to the subject will be displayed in prominent places in institutes. Other programmes will involve CRCs & other areas of activities, holding of seminars involving various faculty members, awareness activities including stage play, theatre, essays, debate competition, publicizing success stories where people have overcome depression, suicidal tendencies, and who are now well integrated with societies.

The ministry will also sensitize various NGOs in the vicinity of Institutes and will also hold meetings in residential areas to make parents and youth about the problem.

 

Input Tax Credit racket worth Rs 931 crore unearthed, two arrested

Terrorist arrested
Representational image

New Delhi: Two people have been arrested in a racket of taxable value of Rs. 931 crore that involved fraudulently availing Input Tax Credit (ITC) amounting to Rs. 127 crore through a complex web chain of various entities. The duo has been remanded to judicial custody till 19th October 2019.

The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) along with Gurugram Zonal Unit (GZU), Haryana arrested Gulshan Dhingra, a resident of Ramesh Nagar and Sanjay Dhingra of Punjabi Bagh. 

Police said, “Many of these entities were under their control and they also formed separate entities in the name of their employees and generated fake invoices without actual movement of goods, namely non-ferrous scrap, ingots, nickel cathode etc. thereby causing loss to exchequer by evasion of GST. They availed this fraudulent ITC to offset their GST liability and also passed on such fraudulent ITC to further buyers who availed the same to discharge their GST liability against their outward supplies with an ulterior motive to defraud the Government exchequer.” 

“The case has been registered under the IPC section 132(1)(b) & (c) of the Central Goods & Services Tax Act (CGST), 2017, which are cognizable and non-bailable offences and punishable under Section 132 of the CGST Act, 2017.”

“Court has sent them to judicial custody till 19th October, 2019. Further investigation is in progress,” said Police.

Environment Ministry joins fight against air pollution in Delhi-NCR, to keep a close watch this Diwali

Diwali firecracker
Environment Ministry is all set to fight air pollution this Diwali

New Delhi: Lending its regulatory powers to the fight against air pollution in National Capital Region, which has a history of touching new lows in the wake of Diwali, the Environment Ministry will this time keep a close watch on the situation through Central Pollution Control Board.

“46 teams of the central pollution control board (CPCB) will take stock of pollution levels in Delhi-NCR and appropriate action will be taken thereafter wherever needed,” Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said at a press conference held in Delhi on October 9.

He added, “I will advise not to burst crackers and I am confident that children themselves will ask parents to not to buy firecrackers, but if someone wants to buy then go with green firecrackers.”

Listing out the measures taken by the government to curb pollution, Javadekar said, “The efforts of the Central Pollution Control Board are resulting in more ‘good days’ in terms of the environment in Delhi-NCR.”

Javadekar added, “Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government recognised the problem and launched an air quality index, which led to greater public awareness and actions to control air pollution.”

He also informed that a high-level meeting of the five States addressing the problem of air pollution in Delhi-NCR due to stubble burning to be held soon. 

In Diwali bonanza for babus, Govt approves highest DA in recent years 

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Prakash Javadekar during Cabinet Press Briefing at Shastri Bhawan.

New Delhi: Union Cabinet has decided to give 5 per cent  Dearness Allowance, the highest ever increase in recent years, to the  government employees and pensioners ahead of diwali.

 ‘’The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved to release a 5 per cent additional installment in Dearness Allowance (DA) to the central government employee and (DR) Dearness Relief to the pensioners over the existing rate which is 12 per cent of the basic pay/pension due in July, 2019. The new rate of DA will be 17 per cent,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar informed in a press conference on October 9.

da

‘’This decision will bring cheers to 50 lakh central employees and 65 lakh pensioners ahead of Diwali. This is the highest ever 5 percentage points increase in DA in one go by the central government, ’’ he added.

The combined impact on the exchequer on account of both Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief would be Rs. 15909.35 crore per annum and Rs 10606.20 crore in the Financial Year (for a period of 08 months from July, 2019 to February, 2020). The additional financial implication on account of this increase in Dearness Allowance is estimated at Rs 8590.20 Crore per year; and Rs 5726.80 Crore in the current Financial Year of 2019-20 (for 8 months from July 2019 to February 2020).

J&K displaced list: Cabinet approves Rs 5.5 lakh compensation each for 5,300 families 

Prakash Javadekar
Cabinet approves Rs 5.5 lakh compensation for 5,300 families added to J&K displaced list

New Delhi: Approximately 5,300 families of Jammu and Kashmir that are recorded in the displaced persons list of the state are now entitled to get around Rs 5.5 lakh as compensation that was approved by the Union Cabinet under the Prime Minister’s Development Package on October 9. 

“DP families of Jammu & Kashmir-1947 who initially opted to move outside the State of Jammu & Kashmir but later on returned and settled in the State of Jammu & Kashmir, in the Rehabilitation Package approved by the Cabinet on 30.11.2016 for Displaced Families PoJK and Chhamb under the PM’s Development Package 2015 for Jammu & Kashmir,” Javadekar said here at the Cabinet briefing.

“Since the families had settled in states other than Jammu and Kashmir their names were not on the List of Displaced Persons, Javadekar said, before adding that the government was correcting a historical wrong and ensuring that these families receive benefits. The families number around 5,300.”

The approval will enable such DP families to become eligible to get one-time financial assistance of Rs 5.5 Lakhs under the existing scheme, and in turn, be able to get some sustained income which the existing scheme is aimed at.

Inclusion of those DP families out of 5,300 DP families of PoJK 1947 who have returned and settled in the State of Jammu & Kashmir in the existing scheme, who have suffered on account of wars and hostilities, will enable them to earn a reasonable monthly income and be part of mainstream economic activities. This will also upgrade the Government’s capacity to respond effectively to such DP families need financial assistance. The requirement of funds will be met out of the already sanctioned funds for the existing scheme.

Aadhaar-seeded data no longer needed for release of funds to PM-Kisan beneficiaries 

kisan
Aadhaar data is not required for PM-Kisan Scheme

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided that Aadhaar Seeded data is not required till 30th November 2019 for release of funds to the beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme.

This means that Aadhaar is now not mandatory for receipt of the third installment of benefits under the scheme. PM-Kisan scheme, which started earlier this year, had a pre-condition of mandatory requirement of Aadhaar Seeded data for release of funds.

The scheme provides income support of Rs 6,000 per year to landholding families, subject to certain exclusions. The amount is released in three 4-monthly instalments of Rs 2,000 each directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries through DBT mode.

Under this scheme, after 1st August, 2019, release of 3rd Instalment onwards to those beneficiaries who got first instalment during December, 2018 to March, 2019 and 2nd instalment during April-July, 2019 is to be made only on the basis of Aadhaar seeded database. Similarly, after 1st August, 2019, release of 2nd instalment onwards to those who got 1st instalment during April-July, 2019 is to be made only on the basis of Aadhaar seeded database. Again, after 1st August, 2019, release of 1st installment onwards to the rest of the beneficiaries after 1st August, 2019 is to be made only on the basis of Aadhaar seeded database. Farmers in the States of Assam, Meghalaya and J&K, where there has not been enough Aadhaar penetration, have been exempted from this requirement till 31 march 2020.

However, it has not been possible to get 100% Aadhaar seeding for release of funds as per the prescribed time schedule before release of instalments after 1st August, 2019. Since the farmers are still gearing up for Rabi season, they are in dire need of money to take care of various farming activities like procurement of seeds, preparation of soil and other associated activities like irrigation, maintenance and mobilization of machinery and tools. Over and above these pressing needs, the just started festive season will put further stress on the financial condition of the poor farmers’ households in the country.

Non-seeding of beneficiaries’ details with Aadhaar number will delay the release of further instalments and will cause discontentment among the farmers. Therefore, the mandatory requirement of Aadhaar seeding for release of benefits after 1st August, 2019 has been relaxed till 30th November, 2019. This will enable immediate release of benefits to a large number of farmers who are not able to avail the same due this requirement. This mandatory requirement will remain applicable for release of benefits w.e.f. 1st December, 2019 onwards. The Government will take adequate measures to validate the data before payment is made.

 

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