August 17
Over 33 lakh people affected by floods in State
The current wave of flood, which began on August 10, has affected a total population of 33,45,442 and has so far taken a toll of altogether 39 human lives.
Altogether 2,970 villages under 82 revenue circles of 25 districts are submerged by floodwaters.
In total 41,871 people have been evacuated by the NDRF, SDRF, CRPF, Army, police and forest and civil administration personnel and local people, stated the Assam State Disaster Management Authority.
A total of 3,34,025 hectares of cropland in 31 districts have been affected by floods. The floodwaters have also affected 9,62,426 big animals, 5,54,281 small animals and 11,66,110 poultry.
Air pollution critical in 5 cities of Assam
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is concerned at the rising air pollution in eight towns and cities of the region, including five in Assam and has called for a coordinated approach from various stakeholders to control it.
Since 2011, at least 94 Indian cities have not met national air quality standards, including Guwahati, Nagaon, Nalbari, Silchar and Sivasagar, besides Byrnihat in Meghalaya and Kohima and Dimapur in Nagaland. These places have consistently recorded higher than acceptable particulate matter (PM10) levels and the CPCB has listed them as polluted cities in which the prescribed National Ambient Air Quality Standards are violated.
The Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA) will start monitoring levels of other toxic substances – PM2.5 (smaller particulate matter), benzene, ammonia and carbon monoxide – from this year. Till now, the PCBA has been monitoring only PM10, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.
The PCBA has also proposed to increase the number of monitoring stations in the State from 23 to over 30.
Centre to bring soon law to regulate NGOs
The Centre informed the Supreme Court that it was in the process of taking a final policy decision, including the framing of a law to regulate the activities of NGOs across the country.
Earlier, the apex court had asked Central government body Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (CAPART) to apprise it about the steps taken in pursuance to its direction to consider making a law to regulate the NGOs, disbursal of funds and consequential proceedings against them.
The apex court had asked the Centre to examine enacting a law to regulate disbursal of public funds to over 32 lakh NGOs and voluntary organisations (VOs) and consider prosecuting NGOs or voluntary organisations if they were found misusing public funds.
The court had suggested to the Centre that it can legislate under Entry 97 of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution which provides the list of issues on which the Centre or states or both can make laws to regulate NGOs.
The CAPART, which works under the Ministry of Rural Development and disburses funds to voluntary organisations (VOs) working in rural areas, had earlier apprised the top court that it has recommended lodging of 159 FIRs against various NGOs for alleged misappropriation or misuse of funds. It had blacklisted 718 NGOs for not following the due process and not submitting their accounting details.
While hearing the PIL filed by Sharma, the court had said the Centre and its departments were doling out crores of rupees but were not aware of the repercussion of non-auditing.
An amount of Rs 950 crore every year was being given by the Centre and state governments to NGOs.
China has not shared details this year: India
With Assam facing devastating floods this year, India claimed that despite an agreement it has not received any hydrological data on Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers for the current year from China. The hydrological data is used for flood forecast.
As of now, there is no treaty with China on water sharing. Currently, India and China only have a data sharing arrangement that is used for flood forecast. These data are shared every three months.
The Government of India, under the Memorandum of Understanding on Strengthening Cooperation on Trans-border Rivers with China, signed in October 2013, obtains hydrological data from China on rivers Brahmaputra and Sutlej.
New Metro Rail Policy approved
The Union Cabinet has approved a new Metro Rail Policy to enable realization of growing metro rail aspirations of a large number of cities in a responsible manner.
- It focuses on compact urban development, cost reduction and multi-modal integration.
- PPP component mandatory for availing central assistance for new metro projects which is a big move for private investments across a range of metro operations.
- Seeking to ensure financial viability of metro projects, the new Metro Rail Policy requires the States to clearly indicate in the project report the measures to be taken for commercial / property development at stations and on other urban land and for other means of maximum non-fare revenue generation through advertisements, lease of space etc.
- At present, metro projects with a total length of 370 kms are operational in 8 cities viz., Delhi (217 kms), Bengaluru (42.30 kms), Kolkata (27.39 kms), Chennai (27.36 kms), Kochi (13.30 kms), Mumbai (Metro Line 1-11.40 km, Mono Rail Phase 1-9.0 km), Jaipur-9.00 kms and Gurugram (Rapid Metro-1.60 km).
- Metro Projects with a total length of 537 kms are in progress in 13 cities including the eight mentioned above. New cities acquiring metro services are; Hyderabad (71 kms), Nagpur (38 kms), Ahmedabad (36 kms), Pune (31.25 kms) and Lucknow (23 kms).
- Assam’s Guwahati may soon start work for metro rail project
Record 275.68 million tones Food grains production estimated
As per Fourth Advance Estimates for 2016-17 released by Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers, total Food grain production in the country is estimated at 275.68 million tonnes which is higher by 10.64 million tonnes (4.01%) than the previous record production of Food grain achieved during 2013-14.
- This is due to very good rainfall during monsoon 2016 and various policy initiatives taken by the Government.
- The estimated production of major crops during 2016-17 is as under:
- Food grains – 275.68 million tonnes (record)
- Rice – 110.15 million tonnes (record)
- Wheat – 98.38 million tonnes (record)
- Coarse Cereals – 44.19 million tonnes (record)
- Maize – 26.26 million tonnes (record)
- Pulses – 22.95 million tonnes (record)
- Oilseeds – 32.10 million tonnes
- Cotton – 33.09 million bales (of 170 kg each)
- Sugarcane – 306.72 million tones
- Production of Sugarcane is estimated at 306.72 million tonnes which is 41.73 million tonnes(-11.98%) less than the last year’s production of 348.45 million tonnes.
August 18
India Signs Global Environment Facility (GEF) Grant Agreement
The Government of India, the Governments of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education and the World Bank signed a US$ 24.64 million grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to improve forest quality, sustainable land management and benefits from Non-Timber Forest Produce for forest dependent communities in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
- The Ecosystem Services Improvement Project will support the Government of India’s Green India Mission’s (GIM) goal of protecting, restoring and enhancing India’s forest cover and responding to climate change.
FACTFILE: Green India Mission
National Mission for a Green India or the Green India Mission (GIM), is one of the eight Missions outlined under India’s action plan for addressing the challenge of climate change -the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
It is aimed at protecting, restoring and enhancing India’s diminishing forest cover and responding to climate change by a combination of adaptation and mitigation measures.
It has broad objective of both increasing the forest and tree cover by 5 million ha, as well as increasing the quality of the existing forest and tree cover in another 5 million ha of forest/ non forest lands in 10 years.
It also aims to enhanced annual CO2 sequestration by 50 to 60 million tonnes in the year 2020.
FACTFILE: Global Environment Facility (GEF)
- The Global Environment Facility (GEF) unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions, civil society organizations (CSOs), and the private sector to address global environmental issues while supporting national sustainable development initiatives.
- The GEF is the largest public funder of projects to improve the global environment. An independently operating financial organization, the GEF provides grants for projects related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, the ozone layer, and persistent organic pollutants.
- Since 1991, the GEF has achieved a strong track record with developing countries and countries with economies in transition, providing $12.5 billion in grants and leveraging $58 billion in co-financing for over 3,690 projectsin over 165 countries.
- Through its Small Grants Programme (SGP), the GEF has also made more than 20,000 small grants directly to civil society and community-based organizations, totaling $653.2 million.
New Corpus Fund for Higher Education
The Cabinet approved creation of a single corpus fund in which all proceeds of secondary and higher education cess will be credited and utilised for the government’s schemes in education sector.
- The HRD Ministry will be responsible for the administration and maintenance of the non-lapsable pool account which will be known as “Madhyamik and Uchchtar Shiksha Kosh” (MUSK).
- As a percentage of GDP, the expenditure on education has dipped to 2.8 per cent in 2014-15, from 3.1 per cent during 2009-10 to 2013-14.
- This new corpus fund would be used for funding ongoing schemes as well as programmes started in the future.
- The funds arising from MUSK will be utilised for schemes in education sector, which will be available for benefit of students of secondary and higher education all over the country.
- It will be administered and maintained by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development.
- The MUSK will be maintained as a Reserve Fund in the non-interest bearing section of the Public Accounts of India.
- It will be operationalised as per the present arrangements under Prarambhik Shiksha Kosh (PSK) wherein the proceeds of cess are used for Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Schemes.
- The expenditurure on ongoing schemes of the HRD Ministry will be initially incurred from the gross budgetary support (GBS) in any financial year and the expenditure will be financed from MUSK only after the GBS is exhausted.
August 19
New welfare schemes for Assam govt staff
State Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced two welfare schemes for the family members of the government employees, including a proposed law on parental care.
In one of the decisions, the finance department will soon issue a notification wherein the family members of a government employee who dies in harness would be entitled to full pay till the deceased’s retirement age. This would include all kind of pay hikes and financial benefits. Once the new policy comes into force, the provision of appointment to family members on compassionate ground would cease to exist.
The finance department would soon place The Assam (Employees Parental Responsibility and Norms for Accountability and Monitoring) Bill, 2017, in the State Assembly, according to which every government employee would have to share 10 to 15 per cent of his salary with his parents and physically challenged siblings, if it is found that the government employee concerned is overlooking their care and protection needs.
TRIFED Celebrates World Honey Bee Day on 19 August
To create awareness about Beekeeping and uses of its products including Honey, Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) is celebrated World Honey Bee Day (WHBD) on 19 August.
- The main theme of celebrating WHBD is to save Indian honey bee.
- Honeybees/ beekeeping have been recognised as one of the important inputs for sustainable development of agriculture/ horticulture.
FACTFILE: TRIFED
- Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) is an apex organisation at National Level and functioning under the administrative control of Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
- TRIFED is serving the interests of Tribals, who are engaged in collection of NTFP and making of Tribal Art & Handicraft Products for their livelihood so as to ensure better remunerative price for their products as well as for the socio-economic betterment.
August 20
Four new universities to come in Assam
Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced setting up of four new universities in the State.
The universities include Bhattadev University at Bajali, Madhabdev University at Bihpuria, Rabindranath University at Hojai and Assam Cultural University at Majuli.
The universities at Bajali, Bihpuria and Hojai will be upgraded from the existing college set-ups. The minister further announced that as many as 89 single-stream colleges with ready infrastructure will be added with another stream and the required posts will be sanctioned before October 15. Of these 89 single-stream colleges, the Bornagar College at Sarbhog has already been added with another stream.
Sadbhavana Diwas celebrated on 20 August
The Sadbhavana Diwas or Harmony Day is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary (August 20) of Rajiv Gandhi.
On this day national integration, peace, love, affection and communal harmony among all Indians is encouraged.
FACTFILE: Rajiv Gandhi
Shri Rajiv Gandhi was born on August 20, 1944, in Bombay.
He was the 6th Prime Minister of India, serving from 1984 to 1989.
At 40, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi was the youngest Prime Minister of India.
In 1991 the Indian government posthumously awarded Gandhi the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award.
China Launches First Cyber Court in e-commerce Hub
China launched its first cyber court specialising in handling internet-related cases in the e-commerce hub of Hangzhou, amid a spike in the number of online disputes.
The Hangzhou Internet Court in Hangzhou, capital of east China’s Zhejiang Province will handle cases such as online trade disputes and copyright lawsuits. The cases handled by the court will be tried online.
The cyber court will offer regular people an efficient, low-cost solution to these new kinds of disputes that take place on the internet.
The Hangzhou municipal legislature appointed the president, vice presidents and judges of the court.
Hangzhou is home to many Internet companies, including e-commerce giant Alibaba.
China is home to the world’s largest number of internet users—731 million at the end of last year and e-commerce is a vital part of the government’s efforts to turn China into a consumer demand-driven economy.
Japan Launches New Satellite to Improve Country’s GPS
Japan launched the third satellite in its effort to build a homegrown geolocation system aimed at improving the accuracy of car navigation systems and Smartphone maps to mere centimeters.
An H-IIA rocket blasted off from the Tanegashima space centre in southern Japan, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
The rocket successfully released the “Michibiki” No.3 satellite about 30 minutes after launch.
Japan relies on the US-operated Global Positioning System (GPS).
The first satellite was put into orbit in 2010 and the second was launched in June. The fourth is to be launched by March 2018 to start up the service.
Japan plans to boost the number of its satellites in orbit to seven by around 2023.