UTTARAKHAND

Centre launches six-year secure Himalaya project

The Centre launched a six-year project to ensure conservation of locally and globally significant biodiversity, land and forest resources in the high Himalayan ecosystem spread over four states in India.

Protection of snow leopard and other endangered species and their habitats is one of the key components of the project which will also focus on securing livelihoods of the people in the region and enhancing enforcement to reduce wildlife crime.

The project – called SECURE Himalaya – was launched by the Union environment minister Harsh Vardhan in association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on the inaugural day of the Global Wildlife Programme (GWP) conference here.

The SECURE – securing livelihoods, conservation, sustainable use and restoration of high range Himalayan ecosystems – is meant for specific landscapes. It include Changthang (Jammu and Kasmir), Lahaul – Pangi and Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh), Gangotri – Govind and Darma – Byans Valley in Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand) and Kanchenjunga – Upper Teesta Valley (Sikkim).

INTERNATIONAL

· Jeffrey C Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W Young win 2017 Nobel prize in physiology or medicine

The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet decided to award the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicinejointly to the American trio of Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young for their discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythm.
The winners will share a prize of 9m Swedish kronor (£825,000), and each receives a medal engraved with their name.
It is the 108th timethe prize has been awarded and was announced at the Nobel Forum at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.

· Indian Entrepreneur wins UK Business Award for Innovative IT Solutions

Birendra Sasmal, CEO of Subahwon the International Business Person of the Year at the Asian Achievers Awards in London for turning the company into a thriving IT, telecoms and manufacturing success story with operations across West Africa.

NATIONAL

· GIFT City’s IFSC Bags 10th Place in Global Financial Centres Index

Gujarat International Finance Tec-City(GIFT City)’s International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) bagged the 10th spot in the latest edition of Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI),
The rank is tenth ahead of Luxembourg, Seoul, Abu Dhabi, Toronto and Beijing in the list of the GFCI report, which has 15 centers that are likely to become more significant in the next few years.
GIFT is operational with approximately 10 leading banks, 8 insurance companies, and participating brokers, and 2 International Exchanges (India INX and NSE IFSC) along with around 100 capital market players have established their base at GIFT IFSC.

· President Ram Nath Kovind appoints Commission to examine sub-categorisation of Other Backward Classes

President Ram Nath Kovind appointed a Commission to examine the sub-categorization of the Other Backward Classes(OBCs).
The sub-categorization of the OBCs will ensure that the more backward among the OBC communities can also access the benefits of reservation for educational institutions and government jobs.

The Commission will examine the extent of inequitable distribution of benefits of reservation among the castes or communities included in the broad category of OBCs with reference to such classes included in the Central List.

Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurates Pratham-Shyok bridge in Leh

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the Pratham-Shyok bridge that will link Leh to Karakoram, providing connectivity on the strategically important Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Olde axis for military transport.

The bridge is a major development on the Shyok Gong river which will enhance travel of locals as well as the Army in this strategic region.

It will increase travel and communication for strategic transport, the Minister said.

The third edition of ‘Women of India Organic Festival’

To celebrate and promote women entrepreneurs and farmers in the organic sector from across India, the Ministry of Women and Child Development is hosting the 3rd annual ‘Women of India Organic Festival’ from October 1st to 15th, 2017, in New Delhi.

Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, Union Minister for Women and Child Development, inaugurated the festival in the presence of Shri Virendra Kumar, Minister of State, Ministry of Women and Child Development, on October 1 at Dilli Haat (INA).

With the theme ‘Good for Women; Good for India; Good for You’, the Ministry intends to highlight the health and environmental advantages of organic goods, provide a platform for women engaged in it and boost the development of sustainable and easily accessible sales outlets for women producers from the remotest corners of India.

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