Current Affairs April 2016 - Regional
News 1 -Telangana Road Transport Authority Launched M-Wallet
The Telangana IT Minister KT Rama Rao and the Transport Minister P Mahender Reddy launched the State Road Transport Authority’s new mobile app, M-Wallet in Hyderabad.
The app lets a user download digital copies of documents like driving license and registration certificate which could be produced before the police and RTA authorities when demanded. Driving licenses issued in other states are not incorporated and Insurance policy documents not integrated.
News 2 - ‘Education Qualification’ – A Must for Urban Bodies' Haryana polls
Any male contestant participating in contest for Urban Local Bodies in Haryana will now have to be matriculate and have a functional toilet at home while and a woman and a Scheduled Caste candidate will be required to be at least 8th standard pass. The amendment aims at strengthening the Urban Local Bodies, the third tier of the governance and improving the efficiency, transparency and accountability by making education a necessary qualification for the office-bearers of the Urban Local Bodies, according to the government.
News 3 - Maharashtra first state to link colleges to National Cancer Grid
Maharashtra tied up with the Tata Trusts to link all government colleges and medical colleges to the national cancer grid for uniform cancer profiling and quality treatment.
The target was to have 50,000 bone marrow donors in the next three years. The chief minister said a total of 9 MoUs were inked between the government and Tata Trusts. Tata Trusts has established a national cancer grid that links all existing and proposed cancer care centers to create a uniform line of treatment for cancer patients across the country. Maharashtra is the country’s first state to join the initiative.
News 4 - Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched Green Delhi Initiative Phase 1
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched the Green Delhi initiative by planting trees at the Triangular Park at the ITO Chowk. The exercise involves the greening of approximately 120 acres of the 1,260 kms of road maintained by the PWD.
The greening will be completed within three months at an estimated cost of Rs. 2 crores. The next phase of the program, which will cover other areas, will begin in July and shall be completed by September, 2016.
News 5 - Bihar Government imposes complete ban on alcohol
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has completely banned on all types of liquor (alcohol) throughout the state. Earlier on 1st April 2016, Bihar government had banned country made liquor in the state except IMFL in the first phase. Second phase bans foreign liquor (IMFL).
The Bihar Excise (Amendment) Act bans the production, sale and business of all types of liquor due to which people if found involved in manufacturing trade, transportation, sale or consumption of liquor across the state will have to face ‘capital punishment’.
News 6 - Odisha Government launched Adarsha Vidyalaya Project
The Odisha Government launched the Odisha Adarsh Vidyalaya (OAV) project with an aim to open one Adarsh Vidyalaya in each of the 314 revenue blocks of the State and provide modern schools on the lines of Kendriya Vidyalayas. 100 of these schools already started functioning with the official launch of the project.
Adarsh Vidyalayas will have teacher-pupil ratio of 1:25 and classroom-student ratio of 1:40. Around 50 per cent of total seats would be reserved for the scheduled categories and girls. The schools will provide free education to students along with free uniforms and other study materials.
News 7 - Gujarat Government launches 'Maa Annapurna Yojna'
Gujarat chief Minister Anandiben Patel officially implemented National Food Security Act, which has been renamed as Maa Annapurna Yojna which will benefit 3.82 crore people of Gujarat. An individual will get rice at Rs 3 per Kg and wheat at Rs 2 per Kg. Initially, out of 35 kg given at subsidized rates during Congress rule, only 16 kg of food-grain was given at those rates, while for the remaining 19 kg, government used to charge Rs 7.70. Centre has announced to give the entire 35 kg of food-grain at subsidized rates.
The National Food Security Act has been partially implemented by 11 states till date. The number of states has increased from 11 to 21, including Gujarat, which will implement it by April 1, 2016.
News 8 - Manipur, Imphal organized North East-ASEAN Business Summit
The summit was organized by Manipur Commerce and Industries Department in collaboration with the Union Ministries of External Affairs and Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Indian Chamber of Service Industries (ICSI)
The first-ever three-day North East-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Business Summit concluded at the City Convention Centre in Imphal, Manipur to attract investment from both domestic and foreign firms to the North-East states of India and to increase productivity and generate employment in the region.
News 9 - Rajasthan Passed Urban Land (Certification of Titles) Bills 2016
Rajasthan become the first state to pass land title bill. The Provisions in the bill helps in good governance and improves transparency for land acquisition in the state and also benefit authorities as no capital expenditure will be required from their end. It means the state residents living in urban areas, which are governed by the municipalities or state development authorities, can seek a certificate of ownership of their lands by paying a nominal fee to the state government.
State government will set up an authority which will be headed by an Indian Administrative Service Officer. It will seek all the documents from the landowners, and will verify it against records held by the state.
News 10 - Two-member inquiry commission set up by the Haryana Government to probe Jat quota stir
The Haryana government appointed a two-member Commission of Inquiry to probe conspiracy behind violent incidents during Jat agitation on demand of reservation quota. The committee is headed by Justice (retd.) S N Jha, former Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court and Rajasthan High Court. The committee has former IPS officer NC Padhi as its member. The government has asked the committee to submit its report within six months from the date of its first hearing.
The headquarters of the Commission shall be at Chandigarh.
News 11 - Delhi Government launched a Carpool App
The Delhi Government launched a Poochh-O Carpool app to help people explore carpooling options during the second phase of the 15-day odd-even car scheme set to begin from 15 April 2016.
The app is prepared by the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS), can be downloaded on Google Play store for Android users. Users after downloading the app will have to register themselves and then can search for carpooling options within a radius of 1-5 km. Those who wish to participate will be required to give their car number.
News 12 - Haryana government to rename Gurgaon as Gurugram and Mewat as Nuh
Haryana Government announced to rename Gurgaon as Gurugram and Mewat as Nuh. The decision will now be placed before the Haryana cabinet before it is sent to the union Government.
Gurgaon is renamed Gurugram after Guru Dronacharya of Mahabharat. The decision was taken on the basis of the representations received at several forums that it would be appropriate to rename Gurgaon as Gurugram. Similarly, the people and the elected representatives of Mewat had been demanding that the name of Mewat be changed as Nuh.
News 13 - Maharashtra Assembly passed Dance Bar Bill 2016
The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly unanimously cleared the Dance Bar Regulation Bill 2016 to regulate dance bars in Mumbai and the rest of the state. The draft of the bill was discussed and cleared in the 25-member all-party MLA and MLC committee.
As per the draft bill, stringent conditions have been put forward. Those owners who violate terms and conditions prescribed to get permission to set up the dance bar can be jailed for five years or fined Rs 25 lakh. In cases of sexual harassment or ‘vulgar dance’, an owner wpuld be jailed for three years or fined Rs 10 lakh.
News 14 - J&K Government announces Mufti Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme
Jammu and Kashmir government announced the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme (MMSFES) to supplement the National Food Security Act in the state. The State Government will bear the financial burden of Rs 1497 crores per annum for the implementation of NFSA and MMSFES.
Under this scheme, the beneficiaries will get additional 5 kgs of ration per person in addition to 5 kgs of ration they are entitled to get under NFSA at the subsidized rate of Rs. 13 per kg for aata (flour) and Rs. 15 per kg for rice. The state cabinet also approved the revision in Temporary Move Allowance from existing rate of Rs. 1,500 per month to Rs. 2,000 per month, with effect from 1 April, 2016.
News 15 - Maharashtra government approved the Prohibition of Social Boycott Bill 2016
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly unanimously approved the Prohibition of Social Boycott Bill, 2016. The bill seeks to curtail down on extra-judicial bodies like caste and community panchayats. Maharashtra will be the first state in India to give nod to a law against social boycott. The violation of the law will lead to punishment for imprisonment up to 7 years or fine up to 5 lakh rupees or both. According to bill, the victim or any member of the victim's family may file a complaint either through the police or directly to the magistrate.
News 16 - Bhimrao Ambedkar Awas Yojana for widows launched by Jharkhand Government
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das launched the Bhimrao Ambedkar Awas Yojana for widows on the occasion of 125th birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar.
An amount of Rs 75,000 would be granted to build a house in districts in hilly terrains and Rs 70,000 in plains and the amount would be distributed among the beneficiaries in three installments in their bank accounts. A target of 11,000 units (houses) has been set in the current financial year for the program. The budget allocation is Rs 80 crores.
News 17 - The phase 2 of odd-even scheme rolled out in Delhi
The Delhi Government rolled out the second phase of odd-even car rationing scheme from 15 April 2016 till 30 April 2016.
Under the scheme, private cars having odd registration numbers will be allowed to ply on odd dates and those with even numbers on even dates. Violation of the Scheme will attract a penalty of Rs 2,000 under relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act. Under the experiment, 25 categories of people are being given exemptions including the VIPs.
News 18 - Maharashtra to use hologram technique to check spurious liquor
The Maharashtra Government decided to paste polyester base track and trace hologram on every alcohol bottle manufactured and sold in the state, to be supported by a mobile app in order to check sale of spurious liquor. It will also help prevent loss of revenue due to cheap liquor being imported into Maharashtra.
If one holds the liquor bottle against the mobile app one will get a green tick mark indicating it is a genuine product. A red tick mark will indicate the product to be fake. The decision will be implemented either from July 1 or August 1. Twenty-one states are already using the hologram technology.
News 19 - Maharashtra Government bans digging of bore wells beyond 200 feet
The Maharashtra Government has banned digging of borewells beyond 200 feet in order to check the steep decline in ground water level across the state. State Government has taken this decision in the wake for severe drought and decreasing ground water level across various regions in the state. This ban will be implemented under the Maharashtra Groundwater Development and Management Act in order to control the excess water pumping through borewell. Henceforth, the violators of the rule would now face fine or even imprisonment.
News 20 - Himachal HC issued notice to Union and State government over declaring Monkeys as Vermin
The Himachal Pradesh High Court issued notices to the Union and State governments on the issue of declaring monkeys as vermin for the next six months in the jurisdiction of the Shimla Municipal Corporation. The notice was issued by a division bench of Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan. The bench was hearing a plea in this regard filed by animal activist Rajeshwar Singh Negi.
News 21 - Uttarakhand HC revoked President's Rule in Uttarakhand
The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice K.M. Joseph and Justice V.K. Bisht of the Uttarakhand High Court revoked the order of the Central government that had put the State under President’s Rule on March 27. The court ordered for a floor test where former Chief Minister Harish Rawat’s claim of having majority support shall be put to test.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat had filed an application with apprehensions that the Centre might revoke Article 356 from Uttarakhand and attempt to get the BJP in Uttarakhand to form government.
News 22 - Uber enters into partnership with Gujarat Tourism and FICCI for soft skills training
Uber has entered into a partnership with Gujarat Tourism and FICCI to facilitate training for Uber driver-partners.
The training is designed and conducted by Ace Driving & Road Safety Education Pvt. Ltd on areas of Safe Driving and Interpersonal Skills of the drivers, in order to improve the overall rider experience in Gujarat. All drivers who attend the training will be certified by FICCI and Gujarat Tourism under their program.
News 23 - Union Government to provide plastic park to Andhra Pradesh
The Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Ananta Kumar announced that the Centre would provide a plastic park to Andhra Pradesh with Rs.1000 crore and it would be the plastic hub.
The announcement was made after laying the foundation stone for the Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology (CIPET) at Surampalli village of Gannavaram Mandal, near Vijayawada. He also announced that a plastic waste management center would be set up in Vijayawada.
News 24 - Cadbury installed the largest Asia-Pacific facility in Andhra Pradesh
Cadbury India installed its $190 million factory in Sri City SEZ and was inaugurated by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. It is the company’s largest plant in Asia Pacific.
The plant will have an initial capacity of about 60,000 tonnes a year, which will be increased to 250,000 tonnes by 2020. It will start production of Dairy Milk chocolates. It will help create around 1,600 jobs.
News 25 - Isuzu opens a manufacturing plant in Andhra Pradesh
Isuzu Motors India opened its manufacturing plant in Sricity, Andhra Pradesh. The facility was inaugurated by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Isuzu rolled out its India-made D-Max pick-up on the day. Ambassador of Japan to India Kenji Hiramatsu was also present.
The initial production capacity of the plant is 50,000 units per annum and can be scaled up to 1,20,000 units. Isuzu Motors President is Masanori Katayama.
News 26 - Installation of Solar Power Plant of 200 MW or more Capacity at the Central State Farm at Jetsar, Rajasthan
28/04/2016. The Union Cabinet gave its approval for utilization of 400 hectares of un-cultivable farm land at the Central State Farm (CSF), Jetsar in Sri Ganganagar District, Rajasthan for setting up of a solar Power Plant of capacity exceeding 200 MW. The land is presently in possession of National Seeds Corporation (NSC).
The Solar Power Plant will be set up by a Central Public Sector Enterprise. The identified CPSE will be allowed to utilize the land for the installation of a Solar Power Plant over a contract period of 25 years.
