“Operation Thirst” launched by RPF
As many as 1,371 people were arrested and over 69,294 bottles were seized by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) under 'Operation Thirst', an all India drive to crackdown the selling of unauthorised packaged drinking water here.
According to RPF, the operation was launched in all major railway stations across the country to curb the menace of unauthorised packaged drinking water on railway stations.
"During the operation, which was carried out on July 8 and 9, a total fine of Rs 6,80,855 has been realised from these offenders. Four pantry car managers involved in the selling of spurious mineral water were also arrested," an official statement said.
Government waives duty on products imported for nuclear plants
With rising focus on reducing dependency on carbon-based fuel for electricity generation, the government has waived off basic customs duty (BCD) for a clutch of products which are imported for nuclear power plants and allocated more funds in atomic energy research.
“All goods for use in generation of nuclear power” and “all forms of uranium ores and concentrates for generation of nuclear power”, which earlier attracted BCD of 7.5% and 2.5%, respectively, will now have to pay no such duty. The present installed nuclear power capacity of 6,780 MW is seen to reach 13,480 MW by FY25.
Ukraine inaugurates world's largest Metal Dome
Ukraine and its European partners on Wednesday formally inaugurated a new metal dome encasing the destroyed reactor at the infamous Chernobyl plant, wrapping up a two-decade effort.
Branded as the world’s largest movable metal structure, the so-called New Safe Confinement seals the remains of the fourth reactor at the nuclear plant that was the site of the massive Chernobyl disaster in 1986.
Defence Ministry signs MoU with IPFC and NRDC
Intellectual Property Facilitation Cell (IPFC), Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence and National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), Ministry of Science and Technology, yesterday signed an MoU with a vision to bridge the capacity shortfall and provide a major fillip to the ongoing efforts of Ministry of Defence towards promoting a culture of Innovation and Intellectual Property Rights IPR in Indian Defence industry.
The move will be a boost to the Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti. It may be recalled that Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti was launched with the aim to inculcate IP culture in Indian defence manufacturing ecosystem.
Prasar Bharati and IIT Kanpur signs MoU for research collaboration
Prasar Bharati and Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur today signed a Memorandum of Understanding for research collaboration in newly emerging technologies and broadcasting-related areas in New Delhi.
The move is likely to boost research activities in the broadcasting field. Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharati Shashi Shekhar Vempati and Director, IIT Kanpur Abhay Karandikar were present at this juncture.
Direct to mobile broadcasting, Convergence of 5G, Artificial Intelligence Incubation Centre by Prasar Bharati and student internship for students of IIT, Kanpur at Prasar Bharati are among the main areas in the research collaboration.
MP Govt announces cow welfare fund, hikes Haj committee grant
The Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh Wednesday presented its maiden budget aiming to please various sections of society wherein it has proposed to allocate Rs 132 crore for the welfare of bovines and hiked grant to the state Waqf Board and Haj committee.
The budget, presented by Finance Minister Tarun Bhanot, also proposes a three-fold hike in the honorarium for the priests working in the registered temples.
The minister said a budgetary allocation of Rs 8,000 crore has been made to waive remaining loans of the farmers in the state.
ICSI launches UDIN to improve corporate governance
The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) has rolled out an initiative in the form of a Unique Document Identification Number (UDIN) in an attempt to pursue heightened sense of self-governance and strengthen the practising side of company secretaries.
UDIN will provide ease of maintaining register of attestation and certification services. It will prevent counterfeiting of various attestations and certifications besides ensuring compliance with regard to ceilings on the number of certifications and attestations.
The initiative will also enable stakeholders and regulators to verify genuinity of documents signed or certified by company secretaries in practice, according to a statement.
RBI panel moots changes in timings for foreign exchange market
An internal committee of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which was set up to review timings of different financial markets, suggested that the foreign exchange market could function from 9 am to 9 pm At present, the currency market works from 9 am to 5 pm.
“Calibrated extension of market hours, and to begin with, revised market timings of 9 am — 9 pm, may be considered to gauge demand and potential benefits,” the draft report of the committee said.
The report noted that there are mixed views on the benefits of extension of market timing.
MN Rao appointed DG of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guard
The Central government on Friday appointed M Nageswar Rao, Additional Director of CBI as the Director General of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guard.
As per the government order, he will continue to hold the post till superannuation in July 2020.
LinkedIn appoints Ashutosh Gupta as country manager for India
LinkedIn, a social network for professionals owned by American technology company Microsoft, named Ashutosh Gupta as country manager for India, its second such appointment in six months.
The previous country manager, Mahesh Narayanan, said he left LinkedIn to pursue other opportunities in the country’s fast-growing digital ecosystem.
Gupta will take over in September and report to Olivier Legrand, LinkedIn’s managing director for the Asia-Pacific region.
36th Meeting of the Central Apprenticeship Council (CAC)
The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship organised the 36th meeting of the Central Apprenticeship Council (CAC) in New Delhi. The 36th CAC meet under the chairmanship of Minister of MSDE, aims to meet the aspirations of the Indian youth who strive to gain on-the-job training and secure better opportunities for employment.
14th conference of Parties to be hosted by India
India will host the 14th conference of the parties from September 02 to 13 in Greater Noida. 197 countries are expected to participate in the conference.
Three crucial issues in this conference are desertification, land degradation and drought.
Fergus Kavanagh to conduct camp for Indian hockey defenders
Fergus Kavanagh has been roped in to conduct a 7 day camp with Indian defenders at the Sports Authority of India Centre in Bengaluru. He will be working closely with 14 Indian defenders identified by Hockey India.
Kavanagh was part of the Australian dream team that won the 2010 World Cup in New Delhi and the 2014 World Cup in The Hague.
Gold medals for India in Commonwealth Championships
Rakhi Halder and Davinder Kaur has won a gold medal each in the senior women’s section of weightlifting in the Commonwealth Championships.
Davinder Kaur has won the gold medal in women’s 59kg event. While Rakhi Halder has won the gold medal in the 64kg category. The Championship is taking place in Apia, Samoa.
World Population Day: 11 July
The United Nations observes 11 July every year as World Population Day. This year's World Population Day calls for global attention to the unfinished business of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development.
Taylor Swift Topped 100 highest-paid Forbes Celebrity list
Singer Taylor Swift has topped the Forbes' Celebrity 100 list and emerged as the highest-paid celebrity with her 2019 estimated earnings of over USD 185 million.
Taylor Swift replaced Kylie Jenner. Jenner is now 2nd in the list.
India's Akshay kumar is placed 33rd in the list.
Isha Kanth bags ICJ internship programme
Delhi girl Isha Kanth is one of the two persons in the world to have bagged an internship programme at the International Court of Justice based in Hague.
Ms. Kanth, who is currently pursuing a bachelor degree in Law from Queen Mary University of London, has earlier worked in rural Bihar spreading awareness on the right to education and women empowerment among children belonging to the marginalised sections.
Brazilian bossa nova pioneer Joao Gilberto passes away
The legendary Brazilian musician and songwriter Joao Gilberto passed away. He was the pioneer of the lilting, melodious and famous music known as Bossa Nova.
