CHHATTISGARH
- Rs 5.88 crore okayed for new irrigation projects
- The State Government has approved sanction of Rs 5.88 crore for canal from Goda to Kusmi and micro irrigation project under Mahanadi project in Balodabazar-Bhatapara district, officials informed.
- The completion of projects would help irrigate Khatif crops cultivated in around 366 hectares of land.
- A comprehensive and phased survey of more than 300 small irrigation projects for their full capacity utilization will be carried out in Chhattisgarh, officials informed.
- The survey would be done for 1698 small irrigation projects , 766 anicuts , stop dams and 585 diversion projects.
- The survey of canals and barrages would also be carried out. An elaborate action plan would be prepared for carrying out the surveys.
- Notably, the State Water Resources Department is gearing up to inaugurate and also lay foundation of 72 irrigation projects worth nearly Rs 1400 crore in Chhattisgarh during the next two months, officials informed.
- Chief Minister Raman Singh has been invited for inauguration and foundation laying of these projects.
- Under the special campaign launched by Prime Minister. Narendra Modi to double the income of farmers, micro irrigation schemes are being focussed upon in Chhattisgarh, so that the policy of each drop more crop could be materialized in order to boost agriculture production further, officials informed.
- With this objective, Water Resources Department has started preparing for inauguration-foundation laying of 72 small irrigation projects worth more than Rs 1400 crore.
- The Chhattisgarh Government on March 21 , 2017 had also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NABARD with the latter agreeing to provide loan worth nearly Rs 715 crore for completion of three incomplete major irrigation schemes under Prime Minister Agriculture Irrigation Scheme.
- These schemes include– Kelo Major Irrigation Project, Kharang Canal Lining Project and Maniyari Canal Lining, which are to be completed by year 2019 to meet the target. The completion of these projects will expand irrigation facility in 47,685 hectares, officials informed.
INTERNATIONAL
- Singapore Names Exotic Orchid After PM
- An orchid was named after Prime Minister Narendra Modi to commemorate his visit to the National Orchid Garden of Singapore.
- The orchid, located within the Singapore Botanic Gardens, was named Dendrobrium Narendra Modi to mark Prime Minister’s visit.
- It is the only tropical garden to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- OP Nistar – Evacuation of Stranded Indians from Socotra, Yemen
- Indian Naval Ship Sunayna, currently deployed for a mission based deployment in the Gulf of Aden, was directed to evacuate 38 Indian nationals stranded on the Yemeni island of Socotra in the aftermath of cyclone Mekenu.
- A very Severe Cyclonic Strom Mekenu crossed the Yemeni Island of Socotra on 24 May 18, leaving the 38 Indians stranded on the island with limited food and water.
- INS Sunayna, deployed on a mission based deployment in the Gulf of Aden was pressed into action to evacuate the 38 Indian nationals from Socotra.
- The operation, code name ‘NISTAR’, was carried out on the morning of 03 Jun 2018 off the coast of Socotra.
· Facebook Ties-Up With National Women Commission To Launch Digital Literacy Programme
- Social networking giant Facebook partnered with the National Commission for Women (NCW) to launch a Digital Literacy Programme (DLP).
- The DLP will be launched in collaboration with the Cyber Peace Foundation (CPF).
- Cyber Peace Foundation is a Ranchi, Jharkhand-based civil society organization involved in training related to all aspects of cybersecurity.
NATIONAL
· NTPC adopts Charminar under Swachh Iconic Places Project
- NTPC Ltd has adopted the iconic Charminar in Hyderabad under the Swachh Iconic Places Projects of India.
- This is part of a special drive under the Centre’s Swachh Bharat Mission.
- NTPC Ltd and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation have signed a memorandum of understanding for implementation of development and beautification works under the Charminar Pedestrianization Project in Hyderabad.
- PM Modi Unveils Plaque At Singapore’s Clifford Pier Paying Tribute to Mahatma Gandhi
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Singapore’s former premier Goh Chok Tong jointly unveiled a plaque to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at the immersion site of his ashes at the waterfront Clifford pier.
- After Mahatma Gandhi’s death in 1948, his ashes were sent to various parts of India and the world, including Singapore, for immersion.
- Agni-5 missile Successfully Tested
- The long range ballistic missile Agni 5 is successfully flight tested from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island (Wheeler Island).
- All the Radars, Electro Optical Tracking Stations and Telemetry Stations tracked the vehicle all through the course of the trajectory.
- All the mission objectives have been achieved. Raksha Mantri Smt Nirmala Sitharaman has congratulated all the DRDO Scientists, Staff, Armed Forces and Industries for the success of A5 Mission.
· Union Government launches new scheme SevaBhojYojna
- The Union Ministry of Culture introduced a new scheme called ‘SevaBhojYojna’ to reimburse the central share of CGST and IGST on items for food/Prasad/langar/Bhandara offered free of cost by charitable religious institutions.
- The scheme launched for financial years 2018-19 and 2019-20 with a total outlay of Rs. 325.00 crores.
- The scheme seeks to reimburse the central government’s share of Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) and Integrated Goods and Service Tax (IGST) on purchase of raw items such as ghee, edible oil, atta, maida, rava, flour, rice pulses, sugar, and jaggery, which go into preparation of food/Prasad/langar/Bhandara offered free of cost by religious institutions.
- The main objective of the scheme is to lessen the financial burden of such charitable religious institutions, which provide free of cost without any discrimination to the general public and devotees.
· Central Government sets up Cauvery Water Management Authority to address water sharing dispute
- The Centre constituted the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CMA)in compliance with a Supreme Court order to address the dispute over sharing of river water among the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry.
- On 16th of February, the Supreme Court had directed the government to form the CMA within six weeks.
- A notification by the Ministry of Water Resources said, it has framed a scheme, constituting the CMA and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee to give effect to the decision of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal as modified by Apex Court order.
· Income Tax Department launches new Benami Transactions Informants Reward Scheme, 2018
- The Income Tax Department has issued a new reward scheme titled “Benami Transactions Informants Reward Scheme,2018” to seek people’s participation in the Income Tax Department’s efforts to unearth black money and to reduce tax evasion.
- Under the new rewards scheme, a reward up to Rs 1 crore would be given to those who can give specific information in a prescribed manner to the Joint or Additional Commissioners of Benami Prohibition Units (BPUs) in Investigation Directorates of Benami transactions and properties as well as proceeds from such properties which are actionable under Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988, as amended by Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016.
Substantial evasion of tax on income or assets in India which are actionable under the Income-tax Act, 1961
People of foreign origin would also be eligible for such a reward if they can provide the required specific information.