“ENSURE” portal launched to connect with Direct Benefit Transfer
The Agriculture Ministry launched online portal Ensure to connect with direct benefit transfer and provide simple, useful and transparent system to the beneficiary.
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shri Radha Mohan Singh launched the portal ENSURE- National Livestock Mission- EDEG developed by NABARD and operated under the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries.
How it works?
In order to make it better, simpler and transparent, the NABARD has developed an online portal “ENSURE” so that the information related to beneficiary and processing of application can be made readily available.
Under the new process, controlling officer/branch manager of the bank, after scrutinizing and sanctioning of proposal, uploads the subsidy claims in the portal.
The subsidy will be approved within 30 days from the date of sanction of loan. Earlier, even after the loan approval, subsidy took a long time to reach the beneficiary’s account.
_____________________________
Prime Minister inaugurates Partners’ Forum 2018
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 12 Dec inaugurated the fourth Partners’ Forum in New Delhi. The objective of the conference is to improve knowledge, alignment and accountability to accelerate action on women's, children's and adolescents health.
Partner’s Forum
The Partners’ Forum is a global health partnership launched in September 2005 to accelerate efforts to reduce child and maternal mortality, improve adolescent, child, newborn and maternal health.
Ministry of Health in association with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, PMNCH is hosting the two-day international conference. 1500 participants from across 85 countries will participate in the conference to improve the health and well-being of women, children and adolescents.
Ministry of Health in association with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, PMNCH is hosting the two-day international conference. 1500 participants from across 85 countries will participate in the conference to improve the health and well-being of women, children and adolescents.
This is the second time India is hosting the Partners’ Forum. The programme has been framed around the objectives of the Global Strategy of Survive - Thrive - Transform.
_____________________________
Indo-Myanmar Rice Bio Park dedicated to the people of Myanmar
Indian President Ram Nath Kovind dedicated the Indian funded Rice Bio Park situated in Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw (Myanmar) to the people of Myanmar.
It is a unique facility where byproducts of rice such as husk, straw and bran are converted into biomass value added products which can be produced from wasteful rice materials.
Indian president also inaugurated the Advanced Centre for Agricultural Research and Education in Myanmar implemented by Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi.
Myanmar:
Myanmar is a predominantly rural and agrarian country. Agriculture contributes 32 per cent of GDP and 18 per cent of the export earnings. Nearly two-thirds of the populations depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Women play a particularly important role in the production of rice and horticultural crops. Rice and pulses constitute the dominant food crops.
The BioPark will demonstrate methods of rice milling which can help to avoid the widespread loss now occurring in that country in the conversion of paddy into rice. The Advanced Agricultural Research and Education Centre will be set up with the help of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, while the Rice BioPark will be set up by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation with the help of an eminent expert, Dr. Pillaiyar.
_____________________________
Slain journalist Khashoggi named Time’s "Person of the Year"
Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in October at his country's Istanbul consulate, has been named Time magazine's "Person of the Year" alongside several other journalists.
The publication recognizes a person or a group of people who most influenced the news and world affairs over the past year "for better or for worse."
Who was Jamal Khashoggi?
Jamal Khashoggi was working for the US newspaper The Washington Post. He was a Saudi Arab journalist who was in self-exile and wrote columns for the newspaper. On 2 October 2018, he approached Saudi Consulate in Istanbul for paper work so he could get married to his Turkish Fiancée. But he never came out from consulate.
Turkish administration started investigation and found out that he was killed inside the consulate on the orders of Saudi Prince Mohammad Bin Salman. Even Central Investigation Agency of USA confirmed the bloody hands of the Saudi Prince, but US president denied to condemn him as Saudi Arabia has been a reliable partner in the Middle East.
Time Magazine also awarded following journalists:
Capital Gazette Staff
A gunman on 28 July killed 5 editirial staffs of the Capital Gazette in Maryland, USA. However, the very next day they published their newspaper despite being in trauma and left the editorial page blank saying they were speechless.
Maria Ressa and Rappler
Former CNN journalist Maria Ressa founded her online news site Rappler in the Philippines in 2012, and it has since gained a reputation for hard-hitting, investigative journalism.
It has been openly critical of Philippines’s President Rodrigo Duterte, questioning the accuracy of his public statements, particularly over his deadly war on drugs.
Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo
Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, both citizens of Myanmar, were sentenced to seven years in jail in September for violating a state secrets act.
It stemmed from their work in September 2017 investigating the murders of 10 Rohingya men by the army in the northern Rakhine village of Inn Dinn.
_____________________________
State Assembly Elections 2018 Result
The results of recently held State Assembly Elections in five states were announced on 11 Dec 2018.
Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Rajasthan election results have seen a strong opposition parties a comeback.
1. Madhya Pradesh
Total Seats: 230
Congress: 114
BJP: 109
Others: 7
2. Chhattisgarh
Total Seats: 90
Congress: 68
BJP: 15
Others: 7
3. Rajasthan
Total Seats: 199
Congress: 99
BJP: 73
Others: 27
4. Mizoram
Total Seats: 40
Mizo National Front: 26
Congress: 5
Others: 9
5. Telangana
Total Seats: 119
Telganana Rasthriya Samiti: 88
Congress +: 21
Others: 10
_____________________________
Shaktikanta Das appointed RBI Governor
The government on 11 Dec appointed Shaktikanta Das, member of the fifteenth finance commission, as the governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
A day before pervious governor Urjit Patel resigned on 10 Dec over the alleged tussle between government and RBI’s independence.
Who is Shaktikanta Das?
He was a former secretary at the department of economic affairs. He retired as the Economic Affairs Secretary in May 2017.
He is a 1980 batch IAS officer from Tamil Nadu cadre.
RBI and Government: Challenges
1. Interest Rates:
The spat began with the government unhappy with the inflation-focused RBI for not cutting interest rates – and even raising them. However, it spilled over into regulation, something the central bank believes is its exclusive domain.
2. NPA Classification:
RBI’s February 12 circular on classification of non-performing assets (NPAs) and norms of loan restructuring was the next flashpoint. The government saw it as overly harsh, and indeed it drove all but two state-run lenders into the red.
3. NBFC:
The government has been insisting that RBI step in to provide relief to non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), which are grappling with a cash crunch after IL&FS defaulted on repayments.
4. Prompt corrective action or PCA framework:
The government wants the RBI to exempt power companies under the prompt corrective action or PCA framework, which outlines triggers for declaring a loan account as stressed or non-performing asset (NPA).
The RBI uses the PCA framework -- based on three parameters -- as an early-warning tool to check danger signs in the health of lenders. The PCA framework is applicable only to commercial banks.
No comments:
Post a Comment