PFC Signed Agreement for Liquidity Infusion Scheme
PFC has signed/exchanged agreement for Liquidity Infusion Scheme under "Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan" for UT of J&K.
PFC has sanctioned Rs. 2790 crore to JKPCL for clearance of outstanding dues of CPSU, GENCOs & TRANSCOs, IPPs and RE Generators as on 31st March 2020.
The exhange agreement was signed in the presence of Shri Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary, PDD Along with senior officers from JKPDD, KPDCL, JPDCL, PFC & REC.
Oct 18, 2020
Govt. Extends Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla's Tenure
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the extension in service of Bhalla as Home Secretary beyond the date of his superannuation, i.e. November 30, 2020 up to August 22, 2021.
He would have superannuated next month.
Bhalla, a 1984-batch IAS officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre, was in August 2019 appointed as the Home Secretary.
Assam Government-run Madrassas to be Converted into High Schools
According to Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, all government-run madrassas and Sanskrit schools will be closed down by the Assam government and the notification to this effect will be issued in November.
The State Madrassa Education Board, Assam will be dissolved and all the government-run madrassas will be converted into high schools. New admissions will be held for the existing students as regular ones. The final-year students will be allowed to pass out but those taking admission in these schools in January next year will have to study as regular students.
The Sanskrit schools will be handed over to Kumar Bhaskarvarma Sanskrit University and these will be converted into centres of learning and research where Indian culture, civilisation and nationalism will be studied.
The step has been taken by the government to ensure that students get a regular education under the Secondary Education Board of Assam (SEBA). The examinations conducted by the madrassas and the Sanskrit tols are different and their students do not appear for the matriculation examination conducted by the SEBA.
Oct 17, 2020
PM Narendra Modi Greets NSG Personnel
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished National Security Guard (NSG) personnel and their families on their 36th Raising Day, saying that NSG plays a crucial role in India`s security apparatus.
Established in 1984, NSG is popularly known as the Black Cats -- is an elite striking force in the country -- trained and equipped to handle situations like a terrorist attack, hijacking, and hostage captivity.
Ex-judge MB Lokur One-man Panel to Monitor Steps to Prevent Stubble-burning
The Supreme Court appointed Justice (retd) Madan B. Lokur as a one-man committee to monitor the measures taken by states of Punjab, Haryana, UP and Delhi to prevent farmers from resorting to stubble-burning that turns the entire NCR into a virtual gas chamber during October-November.
As per a a bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, it is necessary that there must be some monitoring of stubble-burning with a view to its prevention before it assumes abnormal proportions.
It directed chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, UP and Delhi and EPCA to assist the committee in physical surveillance of fields where stubble was likely to be burnt and to devise additional means/methods for preventing it.
Oct 16, 2020
Six Parties Join Hands to Restore J&K's Status
Six political parties of Jammu and Kashmir formed a formal alliance pledging to work for the restoration of the UT's pre-August 5, 2019, constitutional status.
The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration consists of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, People's Conference, JK People's Movement, CPM and Awami National Conference.
The alliance was formalised at a meeting held at Jammu and Kashmir National Conference's patron and Chief Farooq Abdullah's Gupkar residence in Srinagar.
The alliance has been named as "The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration".
NBA Hails BARC Decision
The News Broadcasters Association (NBA) welcomed the decision of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to suspend the measurement of television viewership ratings of news channels for a period of twelve weeks.
The NBA, which represents the news broadcasters, believes that the suspension is an important step in the right direction.
BARC which measures TV viewership on behalf of broadcasters, advertisers, and advertising agencies, should use these twelve weeks to completely overhaul its systems and restore the credibility of the information it collects about What India Watches.
NBA is the premier association of private news and current affairs broadcasters. IBF is the apex grouping of the Indian broadcast industry. IBF owns a 60% interest in BARC, which measures TV viewership ratings. The Indian Society of Advertisers and The Advertising Agencies Association of India own 20% each.
India and France Get Re-elected in ISA
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy announced that India was re-elected as President of International Solar Alliance (ISA). Along with India, France was also re-elected as the Co-President of the alliance in the ISA's Third Assembly. The tenure for both the countries would be of two years.
The Third Assembly of ISA was attended by 34 ISA Member Ministers, 53 member countries besides the 5 signatory and prospective member countries.
The Third Assembly further approved the initiatives of the ISA Secretariat to institutionalise the International Solar Alliance's engagement with the public and private corporate sector. They will also collaborate for the Sustainable Climate Action (CSCA).
At the assembly, 10 public sector organisations from India presented cheques of USD 1 million.
The solar awards were distributed for the first time to the countries where institutions and regions are working for solar power.
Oct 15, 2020
Subhashini Raj Rao Joins Congress Ahead of Bihar Assembly Elections
The daughter of the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) chief Sharad Yadav, Subhashini Raj Rao, and former general secretary of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), Kali Prasad Pandey, joined the Congress weeks ahead of the Bihar assembly elections.
While Pandey has filed his nomination as a Congress candidate for the upcoming polls from the Kuchaikote constituency, the party is expected to field Rao from the Bihariganj seat.
India-Norway Sixth Session of Joint Commission Held
The sixth-session of the India-Norway Joint Commission Meeting was held virtually. The meeting was attended by India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his Norwegian counterpart Ine Eriksen Soreide.
During the meet, the ministers of both nations reiterated their commitment to cooperate closely in combating the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. They also reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations between both the nations and expressed satisfaction with the progress.
The blueprint for a comprehensive partnership between India and Norway was laid during the visit of Norway's Prime Minister Erna Solberg to India in January 2019.
India Provides USD 1 Million for Palestinian Refugees
India contributed USD one million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East to support Palestinian refugees who have been facing extreme challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a move hailed by the UN body as timely help.
The Government of India handed over the contribution cheque to the UN agency through its representative in Palestine, Sunil Kumar.
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) thanked India for its timely help.
Assam to Delete Names from NRC
Assam NRC Coordinator Hitesh Dev Sarma asking Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and District Registrars of Citizen Registration (DRCR) of various districts of Assam to delete the names of ineligible persons from the final NRC (National Registrar of Citizens).
Sarma – who was handpicked by the BJP government in Assam for appointment as State NRC Coordinator ignoring frantic protests from Congress MP Abdul Khaleque – wrote to the DCs and DRCRs to submit a list of such persons who were not eligible for having their names in the NRC.
According to Sarma, the DCs and DRCRs had earlier reported to him about some names of ineligible persons belonging to the categories of DF/DV/PFT (declared foreigner/doubtful voters/pending before foreigners' tribunal) along with their descendants having found entry to the NRC.