Odisha CM launches ‘Jalsathi’ programme

1.China withdraws its request from UN Security Council to hold discussions on Kashmir

China withdraws request from UNSC to hold discussions on Kashmir, but may proceed to hold talks in a 15-nation council.The Himalayan region has long been a flashpoint between nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan, with both claiming Kashmir in full but ruling it in part.

UN peacekeepers have been deployed since 1949 to observe a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in the region.

The matter was expected to be discussed in the Security Council Consultations Room under “other matters” during closed consultations.

2.Phase-III of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana launched

Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launched Phase-III of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in New Delhi to further enhance connectivity of villages with hospitals, schools and agricultural markets.The Phase-III of PMGSY aims at consolidation of 1 lakh 25 thousand Kilometers through Routes and Major Rural Links that connect habitations to Gramin Agricultural Markets, Higher Secondary Schools and Hospitals with an estimated cost of 80 thousand 250 crore rupees for the period 2019-20 to 2024-25.

The Central Share will be 53 thousand 800 crore rupees.

The funding pattern for the scheme will be 60:40 between Centre and the States.

For North-East and the Himalayan States the ratio will be 90:10.

3.‘OCTOPUS’ inducted into Andhra CM’s security cover

In order to enhance the security cover of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, special force ‘OCTOPUS’ has been inducted into his security.Organisation for Counter-Terrorist Operations, also called ‘OCTOPUS’, is a specialised and elite counter-terrorism unit of the state of Andhra Pradesh.

A team of 32 members divided into five teams would be part of the security.

4.Odisha CM launches ‘Jalsathi’ programme

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the ‘Jalsathi’ programme which will ensure supply of safe drinking water to all households in the state.Patnaik also distributed water quality testing kits and POS (point of sale) machines to the women volunteers – ‘Jalasathis’.

Inclusion of women volunteers from Mission Shakti for piped water supply is a cherished step as they will serve the people as ‘Jalasathis’.

Under the ‘Jalsathi’ programme, about 5,000 women will be engaged for supplying safe drinking water.

5.National conference on ‘Uniformed Women in Prison Administration’ begins in Bhopal

In Madhya Pradesh, a two-day National Conference on ‘Uniformed Women in Prisons Administration’ begins a Central Academy for Police Training at Bhopal.Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai inaugurated the conference.

For the first time, the conference is being held in Madhya Pradesh outside Delhi.

At present, there are more than 900 uniformed women government servants working in the state jail department.

6.GST Council fixes 28% uniform tax rate for lottery

The Goods and Services Tax or GST Council has fixed a uniform tax rate of 28 per cent on both state-run and private lottery.It also decided to rationalise the GST rate on woven and non-woven bags to 18 per cent.

The decisions were taken at the 38th meeting of the Council, chaired by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi.

The rates on the lottery and woven and non-woven bags will be effective from the 1st of March next year.

It was the first time that the GST Council resorted to voting to decide on an issue as it fixed a uniform tax rate on both state and private lotteries.

7.French carmaker PSA and US-Italian rival Fiat Chrysler sign merger

French carmaker PSA and US-Italian rival Fiat Chrysler have signed an agreement to create the world’s fourth largest automaker.The combined group will have a workforce of more than 400,000, total revenues of close to 170 billion euros ($190 million) and annual unit sales of some 8.7 million vehicles of the brands Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge, DS, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot and Vauxhall.

The combined group would be headquartered in the Netherlands, and continue to be listed on the Paris, Milan and New York stock exchanges.

Fiat Chrysler chief John Elkann will be chairman and PSA’s Carlos Tavares chief executive.

8.IPS officer Atul Karwal appointed as Director of National Police Academy

The Union Government appointed a senior Gujarat Cadre IPS officer Atul Karwal, as Director of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy.Atul Karwal, a 1988 batch IPS officer, is currently posted as Additional Director General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

The post was vacant as the previous Director of the Police Academy, Abhay, a 1986 batch IPS officer, was posted as Director-General of Police of Odisha.

9.Sahitya Akademi announces its annual Award

Sahitya Akademi announced its annual Award- 2019 in 23 languages.In Hindi, Nand Kishore has been awarded for his Poetry ‘Chheelate Hue Apne Ko’ and in English Dr Shashi Tharoor has been awarded for his Non-Fiction ‘An Era of Darkness’.

In Tamil, Cho Dharman has been awarded for his Novel ‘Sool’ and in Gujarati, Ratilal Borisagar has been awarded for his Essays ‘Mojama Revu Re’.

In Sanskrit, Penna Madhusudan will get the award for his Poetry ‘Prajnachakshusham’ and in Urdu, Shafey Kidwai will be awarded for his Biography ‘Sawaneh-E-Sir Syed: Ek Bazdeed’.

10.Thawarchand Gehlot launches Braille version of ‘Exam Warriors’ written by PM Modi

Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawarchand Gehlot launched Braille version of the book Exam Warriors written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.The braille version in English and Hindi has been printed by Rajasthan Netraheen Kalyan Sangh in Jaipur.

The book will surely benefit visually-impaired students who face mental stress during examinations.

The book contains a detailed-deion of the animated picture and various yoga asanas which will let students imagine the pictorial graphics with ease.