UTTARAKHAND

Now, an app for rainwater harvest queries

People interested in installing rainwater harvesting plants in their homes would soon be able to do so with a smart phone app. The Uttar Pradesh groundwater department will soon launch an Android-based mobile application which will enable people to easily install rainwater harvesting plants.
The app will also help people to find out if the area in which they are living is witnessing a depletion of groundwater table.

The application will not only provide assistance in setting up a rainwater harvesting plants but will also provide information about groundwater and related queries.

With the application, a user will be able to find out which water harvesting technique would be best for setting up a plant at their rooftop and calculate how much water can be harvested.

The application will also provide region-wise data about groundwater levels.

INTERNATIONAL

Nobel prize in physics awarded for discovery of gravitational waves

Three American physicists have won the Nobel prize in physics for the first observations of gravitational waves.

Rainer Weiss has been awarded one half of the 9m Swedish kronor (£825,000) prize, announced by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm.

Kip Thorne and Barry Barish will share the other half of the prize.

All three scientists have played leading roles in the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or Ligo, experiment, which in 2015 made the first historic observation of gravitational waves.

NATIONAL

· First US Crude Oil Shipment Arrives in Paradip

The first United States crude oil cargo of 1(point)6 million barrels bought by Indian Oil Corporation from the US reached Paradip Port, Odisha.
Indian Oilbecame the first Indian public sector refiner to source US crude has placed a cumulative order 3.9 million barrel from the US.
They will process the crude at its East-Coast base refineries, located at Paradip, Haldia, Barauni and Bongaigaon.

· National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) launches new website and PMIS Mobile App

The Chairman of National Highways Authority of India Shri Deepak Kumar launched a world-class, new multilingual website of the organization.
He also launched a Project Monitoring Information System (PMIS) Moblie App that will facilitate close, in-house monitoring of NHAI projects on a mobile phone.
The system is now digitally monitoring them through a state-of-the-art Project Monitoring Information System (PMIS) which has been developed in-house along with The Boston Consulting Group.

· Karnataka launches ‘Mathru Purna’ scheme for pregnant women

Karnataka Chief Minister Mr.Siddaramaiah launched ‘Mathru Poorna’ scheme,for the nutritional wellness of pregnant and lactating women in rural areas, at Vidhan Soudha, in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
The ‘Mathru Purna’ scheme, aims at providing pregnant and lactating poor women in rural areas with one nutritious meal daily, for 25 days in a month.
A full meal of rice, dal with vegetables or sambar, one boiled egg, and 200ml of milk, will be given to pregnant women, through anganwadis.
It benefits around 12 lakh women.The food will be provided for 15 months, from the start of pregnancy to six months after delivery.

· Indian Railways announced No service charge on train e-tickets till March 2018

The Union Government waived service charges in November last year after demonetization to encourage digital modes of booking.
The facility had been extended from June 30 and then to September 30.
The Railway Board directedIndian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) that the benefits be extended till March next year.
The Service charges on booking train tickets online through IRCTC ranges from Rs 20 to 40 per ticket.

· Union Government launches SECURE Himalaya Project

The Union Government launched SECURE Himalaya, a six-year project to ensure conservation of locally and globally significant biodiversity and land.
The Himalayan ecosystem spread over four states namely Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Sikkim.
The system was launched by Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC)in association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Ministry of Health adjudged best for ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’, receives award

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been adjudged as the best department for its contribution during Swachhta Pakhwada, an inter-Ministry initiative of Swachh Bharat Mission of Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.

The Health Ministry observed the Swachhta Pakhwada from 1st February, 2017 to 15th February, 2017.

The award was presented to the Ministry on 2nd October, 2017, the third anniversary of Swachh Bharat Mission. Shri C K Mishra, Secretary (HFW) received the award on behalf of the Ministry.

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