Government Eyes Guinness Record with 'Azadi Mahotsav'
From August 1, all 1.6 lakh post offices in India will facilitate the sale of the Tricolour. The government aims for at least 20 crore, nearly 65 per cent of Indian households, to hoist the flag on their residential premises between August 13 and 15 under the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign. Private flag hoisting by citizens is a major part of the government's push for a Guinness World Record for the ongoing Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.
The government issued a circular saying spending by companies for Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, including on mass scale production, procurement, supply of the national flag, outreach and related activities would qualify as Corporate Social Responsibility activities under the Companies Act, 2013.
Delhi's Each Assembly Constituency to be Divided into Minimum 3 Wards during Delimitation
Each assembly constituency in Delhi will be divided into a minimum of three wards during the delimitation exercise to be carried out in the national capital before the municipal polls are conducted.
Officials said that the estimated population in each ward after the delimitation is likely to be between 65,000 and 67,000.
The three erstwhile municipal corporations in Delhi comprised 272 wards – 104 each in the North and South corporations, and 64 in the East. According to civic officials, on average there used to be four wards in each assembly constituency earlier.
As per Delimitation Committee Chairman Vijay Dev, the process of delimitation of 250 wards in Delhi has been undertaken based on the 2011 census data.
Jul 30, 2022
Govt. Launches 11th Agricultural Census 2021-22
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launched the eleventh agricultural census to collect data on various parameters, including operational holdings.
For the first time, the data would be collected through smartphones and tablets.
The fieldwork of the Eleventh Agricultural Census (2021-22) will start in August 2022, said the agriculture ministry.
Agriculture Census is conducted every 5 years, which is being undertaken now after a delay due to corona pandemic.
The ministry is implementing an agriculture census scheme from 1970-71. The tenth edition of the census was conducted with the reference year 2015-16.
Those above 17 Years but Not yet 18 can Register to be Voters
In an effort to ensure greater participation of youth in polls, the Election Commission has decided that those above 17 years of age can now apply in advance to register as voters once they turn 18.
Till recently, people turning 18 on or before January 1 of a particular year were eligible to enrol themselves in the voters' list. Those turning 18 after January 1 had to wait for one whole year to register as voters.
Following change in election law, people can resister as voters on January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 on turning 18.
According to an EC statement, the poll panel led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey has directed the poll machinery in the states to work out tech-enabled solutions to facilitate those above 17 years of age (but not yet 18) to file their advance applications.
Punjab, WB, Kerala among 9 States to Refuse Consent to CBI
Nine states, including Punjab, have not given general consent to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register and investigate offences. The other states were Mizoram, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Kerala, Jharkhand and Meghalaya, Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh said in the Rajya Sabha in reply to a question by Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai.
The Maharashtra leader had asked whether prior consent of the state government was necessary for each and every crime that the Union Government proposed to hand over to any central agency. He had also sought details of the number of states that had agreed or disagreed. Jitendra Singh said the CBI had the power to investigate offences notified in the union territories only and the Centre could extend the jurisdiction to other areas, including railway areas and states. But states had to give consent.
However, in case the Supreme Court and High Courts entrusted matters for investigation to the CBI, there was no requirement for any notification conveying consent.
Jul 29, 2022
Hundreds Join Naga Solidarity Walk for Unity and Peace
Hundreds of Nagas from different states – Assam, Arunachal, Manipur and Nagaland joined the Global Naga Forum (GNF) organised two-day "Naga Solidarity Walk", on the theme "One People, One Destiny".
The walk commenced from Kohima, and culminate in Senapati Town in Manipur covering a distance of 81 km.
Addressing the flagging off programme, Adviser of GNF and President Overseas Naga Association, Dr. Visier Sanyu said while Naga people are deeply divided, the walk is a common journey to unite the Nagas as one and to defend the Naga history and land with the right spirit.
This is the first leg of a people's relay for unity and peace among Nagas, while GNF will conduct more such walks to reach out to Nagas in other states and country.
European Investment Bank Joins India-led Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure
The European Investment Bank (EIB), the lending arm of the European Union (EU), joined the India-led Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) as part of efforts to limit damage caused by climate change.
EIB will work with national governments, UN agencies, multilateral development banks and the private sector that are part of CDRI to promote the rapid development of infrastructure resilient to climate change and natural disasters around the world.
The European development bank intends to work with CDRI members to take forward EU initiatives to achieve sustainable global connectivity, such as the Global Gateway, and climate action initiatives such as the EU Green Deal. EIB also announced plans to double its annual investments in India in the next two years.
Jul 28, 2022
MHA Launches Common Web Portal for Recommendation of Awards
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) launched a common portal for recommendations and nominations of all official awards, including the Padma awards, to ensure transparency and partnership.
The "Rashtriya Puraskar" portal facilitates every citizen or organisation to nominate for various awards instituted by the Government of India.
The portal has been developed to bring all awards of various ministries, departments and agencies of the Government of India on a common platform to ensure transparency and public partnership.
Jul 27, 2022
Punjab Government's Top Lawyer Quits
The Punjab government's top lawyer Anmol Rattan Sidhu resigned citing personal reasons.
Mr. Sidhu was appointed Advocate General by the new Aam Aadmi Party government under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in March this year (2022).
He had replaced Senior Advocate D.S. Patwalia, who was appointed by the previous Congress government led by former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi in November 2021.
The Advocate General's resignation is the second high-profile exit of senior officials in just four months of the Aam Aadmi Party, or AAP, government. The first to quit was former police chief V.K. Bhawra.
India Contributes $2.5 million to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees i...
India contributed USD 2.5 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Director of the West Asia and North Africa Division of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Sunil Kumar presented the cheque of USD 2.5 million to the UNRWA Director of Partnerships of the Department of External Relations, Karim Amer in a signing ceremony at UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem.
Karim Amer expressed gratitude and appreciated India for its continuous efforts toward the Palestinian refugees.
The UNRWA, which was established as a humanitarian agency in 1949, is fully funded through voluntary contributions and grants from donor countries.