UTTARAKHAND
Soon, tourists visiting Uttarakhand may have to pay ‘green tax’
- Whether it is pilgrims going on Char Dham Yatra, adventure sports lovers or those planning gala wedding events with the Himalayas as the backdrop — everyone may soon have to mandatorily pay a ‘green tax’ in Uttarakhand. The tax would be decided by the urban local body of the place and the revenue generated thus would be utilised for the area’s development and sustenance of eco-friendly practices.
- The move comes after the Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board (UEPPCB) raised the matter of escalating pollution due to entry of tourists in the Himalayan state.
INTERNATIONAL
- India to contribute USD 5 Millions in 2019 to UN Palestine refugee agency
- India pledged USD 5 millionin 2019 to the UN Palestine refugee agency.
The agency’s difficult financial situation due to voluntary contributions from a limited donor base and called for ensuring sustained fiscal support for its work. - India’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador K Nagaraj Naidu the government increased its annual financial contribution four fold to the UNRWA core budget from USD 1.25 million in 2016 to USD 5 million in 2018.
- India’s support for UNRWA’s work is providing assistance to about 5.4 million Palestine refugees to help them achieve their full human development potential.
As part of the Government of India’s ongoing assistance programmes in Palestine to strengthen capacity-building efforts focused on institutions, services, and training personnel.
- The country is providing 150 places for Palestinian professionals every year under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation program.
NATIONAL
- Govt launches ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’
- Union Government has launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan to create awareness on the benefits of water conservation and declining sources of water in the country.
- The Jal Shakti Abhiyan has been launched in two phases.
- The first phase is 1st July to 15th September and is for all participating States and the second phase will be between 1st October to 30th November for States with retreating monsoon.
- Under Jal Shakti Abhiyan, the focus will be on 256 water stressed districts and 1,592 water stressed blocks.
- There are five key intervention areas under the movement including water conservation and rainwater harvesting, renovation of traditional and other water bodies, reuse, borewell recharge structures, watershed development and intensive afforestation.
- Information and Broadcasting Minister reviews National Film Heritage Mission Project
- Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekarreviewed theNational Film Heritage Mission (NFHM) Project in a meeting held at National Film Archives in Pune. The assessment part of the project is now over. The Conservation and Digitisation part of the project work will start soon.
- The broader objectives under NFHM are to undertake film condition assessment and preventive conservation of around150,000 film reels.
- The project has taken by the Modi Government and have allotted budget of600 crore rupeesfor the project. The Film Institute has given 3-acre land to create a new volt where films can be stored safely.
- Lok Sabha passed the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers Cadre) Bill 2019
- The Lok Sabhapassed theCentral Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Bill 2019 in 1 July 2019. The Bill seeks to replace an Ordinance which was issued in The House unanimously passed the Bill. The opposition demanded the bill to be referred to the standing committee for a comprehensive review.
- The Bill will reiterate the government’s commitment towardsreservation and to give equal opportunityto all as per the Constitution. This bill will give enough scope and opportunities in higher education sector in the country.
- The Bill will help fill about 7,000 existing vacancies in 41 Central universities. It aims to provide for reservation in appointments by direct recruitment of persons belonging to the SC, ST, Socially and Economically Backward Classes and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) to the teachers’ cadre in certain Central Education Institution.
- First UIDAI-run Aadhaar Seva Kendra operational in Delhi, Vijayawada
- The UIDAI has operationalised the first ‘Aadhaar Seva Kendra’ in Delhi and Vijayawada.
- These Aadhaar centres, meant to facilitate enrolment, updation and other activities.
- The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is in the midst of setting up ‘Aadhaar Seva Kendras’ (ASKs) – similar to the concept of Passport Seva Kendras – covering 53 cities across India at an estimated project cost of ₹300-400 crore.
- The UIDAI plans to complete setting up of 114 ASKs across various locations by end of 2019.
- MoU between BPR&D and Morarji Desai National Institute Yoga
- Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D) and Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding.
- The MoU has been signed for organizing Yoga education and training courses/programmes for Police Personnel and CAPFs at different levels and their family members across the country.
- Also, organised training on Yoga will be introduced in the curriculum of CAPT, CDTIs and various Police Training Institutes for all the Police personnel of various ranks in all the States/UTs/CAPFs.