UTTARAKHAND

 

• 94 cr spent on Assembly sessions between 2014 &17

 

• The Congress and BJP governments in Uttarakhand have spent Rs 1.94 crore for holding Assembly sessions in Gairsain between 2014 and 2017.

 

• In 2014, when the session was first hosted by the Congress government in Gairsain for three days, a total expenditure of Rs 57.09 lakh was incurred, then in 2015 the session was held for two days and a total of Rs 2.77 lakh were incurred as expenditure. In 2016, again under the Congress government rule, a total of Rs 36.29 lakh was spent for hosting the session for two days.

 

• However, when the BJP government came to power last year, again the session was held for two days and a total expenditure of Rs 98.69 lakh was incurred.

 

• While most of the expenditure was incurred on making temporary arrangements for holding the session, the work on the Assembly building remains incomplete.

INTERNATIONAL

·        Washington Becomes First State to Enact Its Own Net Neutrality Rules

 

• Washington became the first state to pass a new law — House Bill 2282— that restores and protects certain net neutrality rules, after the Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 in favor of repealing net neutrality nationwide late last year.
• Washington state’s new rules were signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee, and prevent internet service providers from blocking and slowing down content online.
• This will become nationwide law itself by April 23, 2018. 

 

·        International Womens Day 2018 Theme

 

• Every year, March 8is celebrated as International Women’s Day.
• 2018  Theme is: “Press for Progress“
• 2018 UN Theme of “International Women’s Day” is: – “Time is Now: Rural and urban activists transforming women’s lives“
• Celebrated since:- 1913
• This day was recognised by the United Nations in:- 1975

 

 

NATIONAL

 

• Centre sanctions Rs 1,000 crore for research and innovation

 

• The Union Government has announced a grant of Rs 1,000 crore for the second phase of the Impacting Research Innovation and Technology (IMPRINT) India programme.

 

• Under the IMPRINT-II, a fund is being created by the Department of Science and Technology and Ministry of Human Resource Development together, in which participation will come from industry and other interested Ministries.

 

• Under the IMPRINT-I Programme, 142 projects at a cost of Rs. 318.71 crore are already under implementation.

 

 

• Cabinet approves MoU between UPSC and Public Service Commission of Mauritius

 

• The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and Public Service Commission of Mauritius.

 

• The MoU will strengthen the existing relationship between UPSC and Public Service Commission of Mauritius.

 

• It will facilitate sharing of experience and expertise of both the parties in the area of recruitment.

 

• The MoU will develop institutionalized linkage between the Public Service Commissions of two countries.

 

 

• RK Singh launches National E-Mobility Programme

 

• Shri R K Singh, Union Minister of State (IC) Power and New & Renewable Energy, launched the National E-Mobility Programme.

 

• The Programme aims to provide an impetus to the entire e-mobility ecosystem including vehicle manufacturers, charging infrastructure companies, fleet operators, service providers, etc.

 

• The Programme will be implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) which will aggregate demand by procuring electric vehicles in bulk to get economies of scale.

 

 

• Biplab Deb to be the new Tripura Chief Minister

 

• Tripura BJP president and newly-elected MLA Biplab Kumar Deb was unanimously elected leader of the BJP legislature party in the state, Union minister Nitin Gadkari announced.
• Deb, whose name was proposed by party MLA Sudip Roy Burman in the meeting, will be the new chief minister of Tripura, Gadkari said.

• BJP MLA Jishnu Debbarma will be the deputy chief minister.

 

• Deb will stake claim to form government in the state before Governor Tathagata Roy.

 

·        Architect BV Doshi becomes first Indian to win 2018 Pritzker Prize

 

• Indian architect, urban planner, and educator Balkrishna Vithaldas (BV) Doshi has won the 2018 Pritzker Prize for ‘deeply personal, responsive, and meaningful’ architecture.
• Born in Pune in 1927, Doshi is the oldest ever recipient of the prize, which is regarded as the highest accolade in international architecture and is worth $100,000 (£72,000). He is also the first winner from India.

 

·        NHAI launches new mobile app named Sukhad Yatra App to empower highway users

 

• Ministry of Road Transport and Highways headed by Nitin Gadkarihas launched a new mobile app called ‘Sukhad Yatra‘ which is aimed to empower frequent highway users.
• Sukhad yatra mobile application has been developed by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and offers a number of convenient features including real-time data waiting-time at toll-plazas.

 

• op-featuresof Sukhad Yatra Mobile App launched by Ministry of Road Transport and NHAI:

Complain about FastTag facility/Lane

Complain against Toll Plaza management

Potholes and other maintenance issues

Safety hazard during road construction along highways across India

Poor workman ship of construction

Online recharge FastTag cards

 

·        Ministry to introduce new biofuel policy soon: Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas

 

• Minister of Petroleum & Natural GasDharmendra Pradhan ministry will soon introduce a new biofuel policy 2018 and cabinet will give nod for its implementation.
• Inaugurating a two-day bilateral conference on advanced biofuels jointly organized by European Union and India in New Delhi today, he said, in the policy-making, generation of 2G ethanol from non-sugar resource will be the key factor.
• The government is committed towards green energy and has stressed on Govardhan Yojna, for generation of Bio-CNG, in this year’s budget.
• The country will witness a new economy of waste to wealth worth one lakh crore in coming years.
• He will give incentives to the companies which are converting agri-waste into energy in the NCR- Region.
• The conference aims at facilitating the deployment of advanced renewable fuels in the European Union and India and providing a common platform to technology developers, industry representatives and investors in value chains producing low carbon fuels for the decarbonization of transport in European countries and India.