National:
Union Cabinet gives nod to establish 6 new IITs
The Union Cabinet has approved proposal of setting up of 6 new Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) across the country.
The 6 new IITs would be set up in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala and Karnataka.
Key facts
In its first year, each new IIT will have an initial intake of 180 students and each IIT will have a sanctioned faculty-student ratio of 1:10.
In the second year, the intake strength would increase to 450 and subsequently in the third year to 928 (840 Undergraduates, 80 Postgraduates and 8 PhD).
Each new IIT would function from temporary campus for the initial period of 3 years and later shift permanent campuses in the 4th year.
The Union Cabinet also gave its approval for operationalisation of these new 6 IITs initially by forming of Societies under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
This provision will be mainly to give them legal status till the amendment in The Institutes of Technology (IIT) Act, 1961 is enacted for their incorporation.
Background:
Currently, IIT Act, 1961 contains no provision to enable establishment of new IITs. So for establishment of every new IIT, enactment of amendment is necessary to the Act from the Parliament.
Government gives nod to introduction of Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill, 2015
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for introduction of Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill, 2015.
The bill aims for establishment of a Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) in Faridabad, Haryana and provide a legal status to the Centre.
Key facts
The Centre is an inter-disciplinary regional hub and institution in life sciences and biotechnology.
It would offer novel educational and training courses in the interdisciplinary and related areas of biotechnology.
It would also address designing of new and novel programmes for education and training purposes that could then be assimilated by the existing universities in India and the Region.
Legal status will empower the centre to function independently as an autonomous body and as an Institution of National Importance.
RCB will give emphasis on novel education programmes relevant to industry, including bio-drug discovery science, medicine and nano-science, designer crops, bioengineering and biomaterials, imaging techniques.
It will also include technology transfer, intellectual property and regulations to fulfil and overcome the acute shortage of skilled human resources in India in this field.
It would act as a hub of biotechnology expertise in the countries in South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region, Asia region to address human resources needs.
Background
Regional Centre for Biotechnology already has been established in 2008 by an executive order of the Union Government after the approval by the Union Cabinet. Presently it is operational at Faridabad based NCR Biotech Science Cluster. Enactment of law in this regard would not involve any financial implications at this stage.
NCERT to publish tactile books for visually challenged
Tactile books with maps and diagrams for visually challenged students will become a reality soon with the National Council of Educational Research and Training introducing them in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. So far, books in Braille had no maps and diagrams.
The IIT went by the guidelines drawn up by the Braille Authority of North America and the Royal National Institute of Blind People of the U.K., which have had tactile designs for the past 40 years.
The idea is to have tactile diagrams for students to get a feel of the maps which uses 3-D printing for mould-making and thermoforming. Though the National Institute for the Visually Handicapped has Braille books and special maps are available, this marks the first foray of the NCERT into tactile books with maps and diagrams.
Goa Government launches National Food Security Act, 2013
Goa Government has launched the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 to benefit more than one third of the state’s population.
It will bring more than one third population of the coastal state into legal entitlements of existing food security programmes and schemes of Central Government.
Key facts
Around 5 lakh 11 thousand persons in the targeted Public Distribution System (PDS) in Goa will receive 5 kgs subsidised rice or wheat per person per month.
Rice will be given at the subsidised rate of 3 rupees per kg and wheat at the rate of 3 rupees per kg to target persons.
For effective implementation of this scheme, state government’s civil supplies and distribution departments have scrutinised the PDS households.
They also have digitised the ration cards and updated the consolidated data with Aadhar card and other identifications prior to launching the scheme for implementation of NFS Act.
For the implementation of the scheme, Union government will bear a subsidy of 65 crores rupees, while the state government will spend 25 crores annually.
Background
National Food Security Act, 2013 envisages adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life of dignity under Article 21 of Constitution. It includes the Midday Meal (MDM) Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme and Public Distribution System (PDS) under it to provide subsidized food grains.
International:
Union Cabinet approves pacts with Germany for solar energy
The Union Cabinet has approved an agreement with Germany to expand bilateral cooperation in the field of solar energy between both countries.
In this regard, Union Cabinet has approved a MoU which was signed in October 2015 between both countries during Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to India.
It was signed to expand bilateral development cooperation in the field of Solar Energy by increasing use of solar energy through technical and financial cooperation in India.
The agreement
Germany will provide concessional loans to India in the range of 1 billion Euros over the next five years i.e. till 2020.
Concessional loans will be provided through Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KfW), a German government-owned development bank.
The loan funds of KFW will be also utilized for providing soft loans to the end-users through partner banks.
The bilateral cooperation between the two countries will help India meet some part of its ambitious target generating 100 GW solar power generation capacity under the National Solar Mission (NSM) by 2022.
MoU for Capital Goods Sector
Union Cabinet also has approved MoU between India and Germany which has been signed for implementation of Make in India campaign for Capital Goods Sector.
It was signed between Department of Heavy Industries and Germany’s Fraunhofer Gesellschaft which is a leading organisation in Europe for applied industrial research.
The objective of MoU is to provide platform to various PSUs and capital goods sector units in order to have easy access to capabilities and expertise of Fraunhofer.
It would help for identifying and plugging technology gaps in Indian PSUs in line with 12th Five Year Plan.
Union Cabinet approves DTAC agreement with Japan
Union Cabinet has approved signing and ratification of a protocol between India and Japan for amending the Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC).
It aims at avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.
The protocol incorporates provisions for an effective exchange of information and assistance in collection of taxes between tax authorities of the two countries. It also includes exchange of banking information between tax authorities.
DTAC between both countries will facilitate:
Exchange of information on tax matters including bank information and information without domestic tax interest as per accepted international standards.
Sharing of any information received from Japan to Indian authority in respect of an Indian resident with other law enforcement agencies.
Offer assistance to each other in matters related to collection of revenue claims as well as for exemption of interest income from taxation in the source country.
In this regard the claim would be made with respect to debt claims insured by the government or government-owned financial institutions.
It should be noted that DTAC between India and Japan was signed in 1989 for avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion through a protocol.
Government gives nod to MoU between India and Israel in the field of water resources
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing MoU between India and Israel in the field of water resources management and development cooperation.
The bilateral cooperation between both countries will benefit them in strengthening the techniques in efficient use of water, micro-irrigation.
It would also help them in recycling and re-use of waste water, aquifer recharge, desalination and in-situ water conservation techniques.
Both countries will form a joint working group to monitor the activities to be carried out for the fulfilment of provisions mentioned in the MoU.
Israel which is one of arid country in West Asia has pioneered different water conservation and water management techniques to overcome the issue of water scarcity.
Its pioneering techniques include efficiency use of water, micro-irrigation, reuse of waste water, desalination, aquifer recharge etc.
Background
The Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has envisaged bilateral cooperation route with other countries in the field water resources development and management through sharing of policy and technical expertise.
India already has entered into agreements in this regard with countries like Australia, China, Bahrain Cambodia, Rwanda, Iran, Fiji and Iraq for water resources management and development cooperation.
Death:
Industrialist MAM Ramaswamy passes away
Veteran industrialist, former parliamentarian and the last King of Chettinad, MAM Ramaswamy died on Wednesday evening at Chennai’s Fortis Malar Hospital. He was ailing for a while and on treatment at the hospital from November 7. He was 84.
About MAMR:
Known as MAMR in political, business and sports circles, all of which he was an important part of, he was born into a respected family in the Nattukottai Chettiar community, also known as ‘The Rajah Family’.
His grandfather Rajah Sir Annamalai Chettiar and his father Rajah Sir MA Muthiah Chettiar along with his uncles MRM Ramanathan Chettiar and MA Chidambaram Chettiar assiduously built the Chettinad Group into a business empire in Tamil Nadu.
Interest and records:
The Chettinad Group has diverse interests in cement, granite, engineering among others. As he was building his business empire, he also developed a passion for horses and horse racing.
He was the first to enter the Guinness Book of World Records for having won 100 Classics. The tally later went up to 400 classics. His love for sports did not end with horses; he had a great interest in tennis and hockey too.
MAMR was the president of the Indian Hockey Federation and it was during his stewardship in 1975, India won its World Cup hockey championship.
New Appointments:
Vijay Kumar Choudhary elected as Bihar assembly Speaker
Senior Janta Dal United (JDU) leader Vijay Kumar Chaudhary has been elected as new Speaker of Bihar legislative assembly.
The pro-tem Speaker and Congress MLA Sadanand Singh had announced election of Mr. Chaudhary as the new Speaker.
He was elected unanimously after all parties supported his candidature including main opposition Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP).
Mr.Chaudhary is a five time MLA and represents Sarai Ranjan assembly constituency of Samastipur district and is a close associate of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Previously in Bihar Legislative Assembly, he had severed as JDU Leader of Legislature Party.
He also had served as the Minister for Water Resources, Agriculture and Information & Public Relations Departments in the cabinet under Nitish Kumar.
During his stint as a legislator from 1982 to 1995, he had served as the Deputy Chairman of Bihar State Industrial Development Corporation (BSIDC).
Business:
Air India launches first direct flight to Silicon Valley
Air India’s first non-stop flight from New Delhi to San Francisco has landed, amid rousing welcome, becoming the first Indian airline to provide a direct air connection to the West Coast in the United States.
The Air India flight AI 173, a B777-200LR aircraft, with 230 passengers on board landed with airport traffic control tower lit in Indian tricolor to welcome the flight to the city. The passengers applauded when the aircraft touched the ground.
A number of officials from the US and India, including Venkatesan Ashok, Consul General of India, attended a formal ribbon cutting ceremony to mark beginning of the services.
Tata Sons inks agreement with Chinese bank
Tata Sons and Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Limited (ICBC) have entered into a long-term partnership, under which ICBC will become a strategic banking partner to the Tata group for its businesses in several countries across continents, according to a statement from Tata Sons.
A team of Tata executives, led by Chairman Cyrus P. Mistry, met with Jiang Jianqing, Chairman from ICBC to formalise the engagement.
Under the alliance, ICBC will provide the Tata group with financing products, global cash management, consulting, international trade finance business, investment banking, foreign exchange, derivatives trading, and other global financial services.
Global service team
ICBC will also create a global service team which will support Tata group’s strategic development plans.
Sports:
Ashwin, Shami in ICC Test, ODI team of year
Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and seamer Mohammed Shami were the only Indians to feature in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test and One-Day International (ODI) teams of the year 2015, respectively.
Ashwin is the highest wicket-taker of 2015 with 55 scalps, ahead of England pacer Stuart Broad (51). The Tamil Nadu spinner, who had five scalps in the first innings, returned with figures of 7/66 in the second innings, to help hosts beat South Africa by 124 runs in the third Test and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series recently. But he was been named the 12th man of the Test side.
ICC Test Team of the Year 2015: David Warner, Alastair Cook (captain), Kane Williamson, Younis Khan, Steven Smith, Joe Root, Sarfraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Stuart Broad, Trent Boult, Yasir Shah, Josh Hazlewood, Ravichandran Ashwin.
ICC ODI Team of the Year 2015: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Hashim Amla, Kumar Sangakkara (wicket—keeper) AB de Villiers (captain), Steven Smith, Ross Taylor, Trent Boult, Mohammed Shami, Mitchell Starc, Mustafizur Rahman, Imran Tahir, Joe Root.
Join The Discussion