1. PM Modi addresses inaugural session of Joint Conference of CMs, Chief Justices of High Courts
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a joint conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of High Courts at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on April 30.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the government considers the potential of technology in the judicial system as an essential part of the Digital India mission.
He said, the e-court project is being implemented in the country in mission mode.
He said, the judiciary is the custodian of the constitution and the legislature represents the aspirations of the citizens.
He said, this balance will prepare the roadmap for an effective and time bound judicial system in the country.
He said that the central government has abolished 1,450 laws that have become irrelevant, but the states have abolished only 75 laws.
About joint conference
The Joint Conference brings together the executive and judicial branches of government to develop a framework for the delivery of justice in a simple and convenient manner.
It examines the actions required to address the challenges of the system.
This joint conference has been organised after a gap of six years, it was last held in 2016 under the e-courts mission mode project.
Since then the government has taken several measures to improve infrastructure and integrate digital technology into judicial processes.
Chief Justice of India NV Ramana presided over the 39th conference.
2. Govt to launch indigenously developed e-commerce network in 100 Indian cities
Tags: Latest Economics/Business National News
The government is planning to launch an indigenously developed online e-commerce network in 100 Indian cities to provide kirana stores and consumers an alternative to multinational platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart.
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday announced the trial-launch of the open-source system.
The beta launch will unveil the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) and Registry's IT applications, which were launched in Bengaluru on Friday.
UPI is another game-changing idea to democratise commerce.
The project is being prepared in a big way as it will provide a wider choice to all consumers and retailers and will be formally launched after successful testing of the system.
End-to-end testing is being done to create a playbook with an aim to launch it in 100 cities in six months.
The initial test launch, which began in Bengaluru, will also cover cities such as Coimbatore, Bhopal, Delhi and Shillong.
The system will have multiple options for both retailers and customers in terms of cataloguing, inventory, warehousing, suppliers, logistics and payments.
3. Semicon India Conference-2022
Tags: Latest Summits National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Semicon India Conference-2022 today. This three-day event will take place in Bengaluru.
The three-day conference is being organised to take forward the Prime Minister's vision to make India a leader in electronics manufacturing, semiconductor design, manufacturing and innovation.
The conference is being seen as a launch pad to launch the country's ambition of becoming a global semiconductor hub, nurturing the chip design and manufacturing ecosystem.
Industry associations, research organisations and education experts will participate in the conference.
Theme of the conference : Catalysing India’s Semiconductor Ecosystem
Vision : To position India on the Semiconductor map of the world and build a vibrant semiconductor innovation and manufacturing ecosystem.
4. AAI first time successfully conducts flight trials using 'GAGAN'
Tags: National Latest Science and Technology
Airports Authority of India (AAI) successfully test fired at Kishangarh airport in Rajasthan using GAGAN (GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation) based LPV approach procedures.
The successful test is a major achievement and a major milestone in the field of Air Navigation Services (ANS) in the history of Indian Civil Aviation.
India is the first country in the Asia Pacific Region to achieve such a landmark.
What is LPV (Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance)
LPV is a Satellite Based Procedure which has been used by the aircraft for landing purposes at Kishangarh Airport (Rajasthan).
It permits aircraft guided approaches that are operationally nearly equivalent to Cat-IILS, without the need for ground-based navigational infrastructure.
The service depends on the availability of GPS and GAGAN geostationary satellites (GSAT-8, GSAT-10 and GSAT-15) launched by ISRO.
Significance
The LPV approach will make it possible to land at airports that are not equipped with expensive instrument landing systems, including many smaller regional and local airports.
AAI in coordination with Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has implemented Gagan Message Service (GMS) through which alert messages will be sent to fishermen disaster affected people on occurrence of natural calamities like flood, earthquake etc.
Additional capabilities of GAGAN are also being explored for its use in non-aviation sectors like railways, surveying, agriculture, power sector, mining etc.
About GAGAN
It is an Indian Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) jointly developed by AAI and ISRO.
This is the first such system developed for India and neighbouring countries in the equatorial region.
GAGAN System was certified by DGCA in 2015 for Approach with Vertical Guidance (APV 1) and en-route (RNP 0.1) operations.
There are only four Space-Based augmentation systems available in the world -
India (GAGAN),
US (WAAS)
Europe (EGNOS) and
Japan (MSAS).
5. Govt approves Rs 60,939 crore subsidy for phosphate-based fertilisers
Tags: Latest Economics/Business National News
The Union Cabinet has approved nutrient based subsidy rates for Phosphatic and Potash, P&K fertilisers for Kharif season-2022.
The subsidy will cover the period to September 2022.
India provided a subsidy of 571.5 billion rupees for the previous 12 month period ending March 31.
A subsidy of Rs 2,501 will continue to be available at Rs 1,350 for every 50 kg bag of crop nutrient diammonium phosphate in local markets.
The decision to increase fertiliser subsidies was taken after rising crop nutrient prices in global markets, mainly due to supply chain disruptions after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, increased freight traffic and rising energy costs.
Background
Government is providing Urea and 25 grade P&K fertilisers at subsidised prices to the farmers through fertiliser manufacturers/importers.
The subsidy on P&K fertilisers is being governed by the NBS Scheme.
In line with its farmer friendly approach, the Government is committed to ensure the availability of P&K fertilisers to the farmers at affordable prices.
6. Digital India RISC-V Microprocessor (DIR-V) Program launched
Tags: Latest National News
The Electronics and Information Technology ministry has launched the Digital India RISC-V Microprocessor (DIR-V) programme.
It aims to enable manufacturing of microprocessors for the world in India and achieve industry-grade silicon and design by December 2023.
IIT Madras Director Professor V Kamakoti will be the Chief Architect of DIRV-programme while S Krishnakumar Rao of C-DAC will be the Program Manager.
DIR-V program will see partnerships between Startups, Academia and Multinationals, to make India not only a RISC-V Talent Hub for the World but also supplier of RISC-V System on Chips for Servers, Mobile devices, Automotive and Microcontrollers across the globe.
The Ministry unveiled India's Strategic Roadmap for Semiconductor Design and Innovation to catalyse the semiconductor ecosystem along with the blueprint of the roadmap for the design and implementation of the DIR-V programme.
7. Union Minister Giriraj Singh launches ‘Azadi Se Antyodaya Tak’ campaign
Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh today launched a 90-day inter-ministerial campaign 'Azadi se Antyodaya Tak' under the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'.
The campaign will be implemented by involving all rural stakeholders such as families of selected freedom fighters, Panchayati Raj Institutions, women's networks, youth groups and students highlighting the achievements of the schemes.
The campaign has been launched with a mission to saturate 75 districts of 28 states and union territories with the beneficiary schemes of nine central ministries.
Direct assistance to beneficiaries in saturation mode in 17 selected schemes during the campaign, will reach the person at the bottom of the pyramid in rural areas by each of the participating Ministries and Departments.
in this campaign the following ministries and department will be involved -
Ministry of Rural Development, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment,
Ministry of Women and Child Development
Department of Financial Services,
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship,
Department of Agriculture and farmers Welfare,
Department of Health and Family Welfare,
Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Ministry of Labour and Employment.
8. Cabinet approves 540 MW Kwar Hydroelectric project in J&K’s Kishtwar
Tags: Latest State News
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, has approved the construction of 540 MW Kwar Hydro Electric Project located on the Chenab River in Kishtwar district of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The project will be implemented by Chenab Valley Power Projects Pvt Ltd which is a joint venture company between NHPC and JKSPDC.
The project has been approved with an investment of more than Rs 4 thousand 526 crore.
This project will generate 1975.54 million units of electricity in an average year.
The construction activities of the project will result in direct and indirect employment to about 2,500 people.
It is part of the Indus Basin and will be one of at least four upcoming projects in the district, including the 1,000 MW Pakal Dul Hydroelectric Project and the 624 MW Run-of-the-River Kiru Hydroelectric Project.
Under the 1960 Old Indus Water Treaty (IWT) between India and Pakistan, the two countries share the waters of six rivers in the Indus basin that flow from India to Pakistan.
Out of these three eastern rivers – Sutlej, Beas and Ravi have full rights by India, while western rivers – Chenab, Jhelum and Indus have rights of Pakistan.
9. NTPC Signs MoU with Energy Vault for Gravity-based Energy Storage Technology
Tags: Latest National News
NTPC Limited announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Energy Vault Holdings (“Energy Vault).
NTPC Limited the largest power generating utility in India.
The objective of the MoU is to collaborate and formalise a long-term strategic partnership for deployment of Energy Vault’s EVx™ gravity-based energy storage technology and software solutions based on the outcome of a joint feasibility study.
The technology also offers beneficial utilisation of coal ash for manufacturing of composite blocks for Energy Vault’s gravity based energy storage system.
About NTPC
It is a Central Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Power.
It aims to provide reliable electricity and related solutions in an economical, efficient and eco-friendly manner driven by innovation.
It became a Maharatna company in May 2010.
It is located in New Delhi.
It is India's largest power utility company with an installed capacity of 63925 MW (including JVs)plans to become a 130 GW company by 2032.
It was incorporated on November 7, 1975 under the Companies Act.
10. Government scraps MP quota for admissions in Kendriya Vidyalayas
Tags: Latest National News
As per the admission guidelines for 2022-23, the central government has abolished the quota through which Members of Parliament could recommend names for admission in Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs).
Along with this special provision for admission of employees of the Ministry of Education, children and dependent grandchildren of MPs and children of serving or retired KV employees, the discretionary quota of Chairman of the School Management Committee has also been removed.
What was the MP quota and how much was the right of recommendation ?
Through the quota of MPs, 10 students could be recommended by each MP for admission to classes I to IX at the beginning of each academic year.
As per the rule 10 names should be restricted to children whose parents belong to the constituency of the recommending MP.
There are 543 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 245 in the Rajya Sabha who could have collectively recommended the admission of 7,880 students per year under the individual quota.
But according to the official figures, 8,164 admissions were done under the quota of MPs in 2018-19 i.e. crossed the prescribed limit.
The following admission quota has been retained
The special provisions that have been retained in the admission quota include admission of children of recipients of Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Ashok Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra.
Recipients of National Bravery Award, 15 children of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) employees, children orphaned due to Kovid-19, children of late Central Government employees, children showing special talent in fine arts etc will be able to take admission from the respective quota.
