Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal Resigns, Cites Personal Reasons
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal resigned citing "personal reasons" and submitted the resignation to President Ram Nath Kovind. Baijal, a 1969-batch IAS officer, was appointed as the 21st Lieutenant Governor of Delhi in December 2016 after the sudden resignation of Najeeb Jung.
His over five-year tenure was marked by frequent run-ins with the AAP dispensation over administrative jurisdiction and governance-related issues, including one in which Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his ministers staged a dharna at the LG office in 2018. In Delhi, three subjects --- land, services and law and order, directly come under the purview of the Lieutenant Governor. The matter regarding control over the services department is still in the Supreme Court.
Baijal was the Union home secretary in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. He has also served as additional secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation. He was also the Chairman and MD of Indian Airlines and CEO of Prasar Bharati.
Kerala to Launch India's First State-owned OTT Platform
In a first in the country, Kerala will launch a state-owned over-the-top (OTT) platform, CSpace, on November 1, offering film lovers an array of movies, short films and documentaries of their choice. The launch of CSpace, which boasts of several unique features, will coincide with the state's formation day on November 1.
Noting that this was a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, Minister for cultural affairs Saji Cheriyan said the launch of the state-owned OTT will mark a new beginning and will considerably help in the growth of Malayalam cinema.
OTT platform will also showcase films with artistic value irrespective of their performance at the box office, along with internationally-recognised and award-winning films, best films screened at the annual International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), short films and documentaries.
May 19, 2022
Ashwini Vaishnaw Inaugurates NIELIT Centre in Leh
Union Cabinet Minister of Electronics & Information Technology, Communications and Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) Centre Leh, Extension Centre Kargil and IT Enabled Incubation Centre for Handicraft and Handloom Sector.
Union Minister, Sh. Ashwini Vaishnaw, while inaugurating the NIELIT Centre in Leh, Kargil and Incubation Centre at Leh, reiterated the commitment of the Hon'ble Prime Minister for the development of UT of Ladakh. He informed that after the abrogation of Article 370 and the formation of the new UT, the path of development in this area has opened manifolds. Any proposal related to IT Education, Training, and Incubation for the development of UT of Ladakh will be approved immediately by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. He also complimented NIELIT for starting the Leh and Kargil Centres and setting up of IT Enabled Incubation Centre in record time which needs to be scaled up at a faster pace.
Piyush Goyal Chairs the 4th Meeting of National Start-up Advisory Council (NSAC)
The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Piyush Goyal chaired the 4th meeting of National Start-up Advisory Council (NSAC) in New Delhi. Minister urged NSAC to focus on tier-2 and tier-3 cities for VC funding, capacity building and awareness generation on government schemes that promote startups. The Council deliberated on protecting ownership of startups with original promoters, incorporating in India, listing in India and developing innovation hubs.
Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) had constituted the National Start-up Advisory Council to advise the Government on measures needed to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation and start-ups in the country to drive sustainable economic growth and generate large scale employment opportunities.
PM Modi Addresses Silver Jubilee Celebrations of TRAI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a programme marking the silver jubilee celebrations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) via video conferencing. He also released a postal stamp to commemorate the occasion. The Prime Minister cited the telecom sector as a great example of how self-reliance and healthy competition create a multiplier effect in society and the economy. Coming out of the despair, frustration, corruption and policy paralysis of the 2G era, the country has moved rapidly from 3G to 4G and now 5G and 6G.
India is connecting every village in the country with optical fibre. He said that before 2014, less than 100 village panchayats in India were there with optical fibre connectivity. Today, we have broadband connectivity reach to about 1.75 lakh gram panchayats.
Government Announces Formation of Cotton Council of India
The Union Government announced the formation of the Cotton Council of India under the Chairmanship of renowned veteran cotton man Suresh Bhai Kotak. The Council will have representation from Textiles, Agriculture, Commerce, and Finance Ministries along with Cotton Corporation of India and Cotton Research Institute. Mr. Goyal also appealed to the spinning and trading community to ensure a hassle-free supply of cotton and yarn first to the domestic industry.
The government is committed to protecting the interests of cotton farmers, spinners, and weavers, the Minister assured to actively consider the demand of the spinning sector for exemption from import duty on those import contracts in which bills of loading are issued up to September 30, 2022, to overcome the current cotton shortage and logistic issues.
The council will discuss, deliberate, and prepare a robust action plan for bringing out a tangible improvement in this field. The announcement came during a meeting with stakeholders from the cotton value chain, held under the Chairmanship of Union Textiles Minister Piyush Goyal.
Punjab CM Launches 'Lok Milni' for Redressal of Public Grievances
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann heard grievances of people and issued directions for their redressal in a first-of-its-kind public interaction programme, 'Lok Milni', which was launched in May 2022. This interactive programme is aimed at providing a single-window platform to the people for redressal of their complaints. People from different parts of the state came with several complaints regarding encroachment of panchayat land, land dispute, pending of Shagun Scheme among others.
The people who had submitted their complaints and grievances with the AAP-led government in the last two months were called at the programme. As many as 61 complainants listed their grievances before the Chief Minister during this 'Lok Milni'. He directed the top officers of the various departments present on the occasion to ensure resolution of these complaints in a time-bound manner.
May 18, 2022
Naveen Srivastava Appointed New Envoy to Nepal
India announced the appointment of Naveen Srivastava, currently additional secretary in the external affairs ministry, as the next ambassador to Nepal. Srivastava, who headed the East Asia division in the ministry, has played a key role in diplomatic and military talks with China to tackle the military standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since 2020. The East Asia division deals with China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea and Mongolia, and Srivastava is seen as an experienced China hand. This experience is expected to come in handy for his stint in Kathmandu in view of China's stepped up efforts to increase its influence in Nepal's politics and economy.
India and Nepal are currently repairing ties that were hit by several controversies during the term of former Nepalese prime minister KP Sharma Oli, who was removed from his post in a vote of no confidence. Oli's government published a new political map of Nepal in 2020 that included the Indian territories of Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani, triggering a row that lasted several months.
Get Set for 'Gaganyaan - Bharat ki Antariksh Udaan' on Discovery Plus
Boasting of a self-reliant space programme, ISRO prepares for Mission Gaganyaan, a voyage that will be showcased as Gaganyaan —Bharat ki Antariksh Udaan on Discovery Plus. The documentary will feature three eminent astronauts, namely Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to go into space, the elite record-holding woman astronaut of NASA Sunita Williams and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov. Along with them, various experts, namely Dr G Madhavan Nair (former chairman, ISRO); Air Cdre (retd) Ravish Malhotra (former test pilot, IAF); Asif Siddiqi (space historian); Dr Brigitte Godard (Flight surgeon, European Astronaut Centre) and other distinguished professionals, will be a lending their expertise on the subject.
Eight MoUs Signed at Incredible India International Cruise Conference
Eight Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) were signed at the first Incredible India International Cruise Conference that was jointly organised by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the Government of India and FICCI.
Strategies for developing India as a cruise hub, policy initiatives and port infrastructure, the potential of river cruise tourism, and the role of technology in the post-pandemic world were some of the key issues deliberated at the two-day event.
Addressing the first Incredible India International Cruise Conference (IIICC) in Mumbai, Union Minister for Culture, Tourism G. Kishan Reddy invited domestic and international tourists to 'Come, Cruise in India.'
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Partners with Indian School of Business
In line with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious programme 'Mission Karmayogi,' which is a first-of-its-kind experiment in the direction of capacity building and modernising the mindset, methodology, and skill set of government employees, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) partnered with the Indian School of Business (ISB) to conduct capacity-building programmes for MSDE officials.
A total of 120 officers (30 per batch) across divisions under MSDE would be undergoing a comprehensive five day long residential training across ISB Hyderabad and Mohali campuses. The first batch of 30 officers has completed their training from ISB Mohali campus with a convocation ceremony held for the officers.
The primary goal of the programme is to strengthen leadership skills while developing a strategic mindset that will aid in gaining insights into data analytics and digital transformation.
May 17, 2022
Devasahayam Pillai Becomes 1st Indian Layman to be Declared Saint by Pope
Devasahayam Pillai, who embraced Christianity in the 18th century, became the first Indian layman to be declared a saint by Pope Francis during an impressive canonisation ceremony at the Vatican. Devasahayam was recommended for the process of Beatification by the Vatican in 2004, at the request of the Kottar diocese, Tamil Nadu Bishops' Council and the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India.
A miracle attributed to Devasahayam was recognised by Pope Francis in 2014, clearing the path to his canonisation in 2022. It was the first canonisation ceremony at the Vatican in over two years. Pope Francis, who has been complaining of strained ligaments in his right knee for months, used a wheelchair to preside over the ceremony.
Government Bans Wheat Export to Rein in Food Inflation
In a surprise move, the Union Government announced a ban on wheat exports with immediate effect. A notification termed the decision part of measures to control rising prices. Export shipments for which irrevocable letters of credit (LoCs) were issued on or before the date of the notification would be allowed. Wheat exports will be allowed on the basis of permission granted by the Centre to meet other countries' food security needs and based on the request of their governments.
In another decision, the government increased the limit of shrunken and shrivelled grain to 18 per cent from the prescribed 6 per cent for Central procurement during 2022-23.
DoT Launches 'GatiShakti Sanchar' Portal for Centralised Right of Way
The Department of Telecommunications launched the GatiShakti Sanchar portal, which would streamline the application and approval procedure for right of way (RoW) across the country. According to Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the platform would help achieve the goal of Ease of doing business for telecoms infrastructure projects, which is in line with the vision of the Hon'ble Prime Minister.
The prompt disposal of RoW apps by various service and infrastructure providers would allow for faster infrastructure building, which will aid in the timely deployment of 5G networks. Applicants from various telecom service providers (TSPs) and infrastructure providers (IPs) would be able to apply to states and local governments for right of way licences to lay down optical fibre cable and erect mobile towers through a single platform.
May 16, 2022
Hardeep Singh Puri Launched Bharat Tap Initiative & Nirmal Jal Prayas On The Inaugural Day Of PLU...
The Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs & Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Hardeep Singh Puri launched the BHARAT TAP initiative at the 'Plumbex India' exhibition. This exhibition is aimed for products and services related to the plumbing, water and sanitation industry.
Shri Puri said that this exhibition caters to a fundamental service in the development of the nation – water and sanitation and there is no progress or growth without adequate sanitation, which is foundational in the hierarchy of basic services that citizens expect.
Shri Puri also launched NARDECO MAHI's 'Nirmal Jal Prayas' initiative which will work for saving of 500 crore litres of water per year.
Manik Saha appointed Tripura chief minister after Biplab Deb resigns
Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb stepped down from his position after meeting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president J.P. Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a two-day trip to New Delhi.
Manik Saha, the BJP State unit president and lone Rajya Sabha MP from Tripura, was elected as legislature party leader at a meeting held at the Chief Minister's official residence. Senior BJP leaders Bhupender Yadav and Vinod Tawde were present as observers at the meeting. After being named the next Chief Minister of the State, Dr. Saha told reporters that he "was a common worker of the party and will continue to be so".
Mr. Deb now became the fifth Chief Minister to be replaced in a BJP-ruled State after B.S. Yeddyurappa in Karnataka, Trivendra Singh Rawat and Tirath Singh Rawat in Uttarakhand, and Vijay Rupani in Gujarat. Mr. Deb had been appointed the Chief Minister after the BJP stormed to power in 2018, ending 25 years of Left Front rule in the State.
NSIC - MSME Ministry organizes 'Enterprise India- Mega Job Fair'
More than 30 companies participate providing employment opportunities to skilled workforce. The major objective of Mega Job Fair was to provide employment opportunities to the students who are passing out from different courses being conducted in the Centre. More than 30 companies including renowned companies like LG Electronics, Munjal Showa (Hero Honda Group), JBM Group, Maxop, SPM Auto Comp, were present with Various job offers.
Addressing the inaugural Event, Shri B. B Swain, Secretary, MSME congratulated everyone especially to NSIC - NTSC Okhla team for organizing the 'Enterprise India Mega Job Fair' after pandemic period to facilitate the trainees of the Centre for their employment .
The NSIC Centre organizes job fairs periodically to fulfil the requirement of skilled manpower for industry. During last 6-7 years more than 70,000 trainees have been trained by the Centre and many of them have been successfully placed in the industry through campus placements.
NITI Aayog Launches The National Data & Analytics Platform
NITI Aayog launched the National Data & Analytics Platform (NDAP) for open public use . The platform aims to democratize access to public government data by making data accessible, interoperable, interactive, and available on a user-friendly platform. It hosts foundational datasets from various government agencies, presents them coherently, and provides tools for analytics and visualization. This public launch follows a beta release of the platform in August 2021 that had provided access to a limited number of users for testing and feedback.
NDAP follows a use-case based approach to ensure that the datasets hosted on the platform are tailored to the needs of data users from government, academia, journalism, civil society, and the private sector. All datasets are standardized to a common schema, which makes it easy to merge datasets and do cross-sectoral analysis.
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