HIMACHAL PRADESH

State to hire US firm for better fiscal management

The cash-strapped state could hire the services of US firm Grant Thornton for better fiscal management.

With the debt trap mounting close to Rs 48,000 crore, Himachal is struggling hard to generate resources to meet its developmental needs.

The hill state has the highest employee ratio in the country which stands at 28 as compared to 11 in Punjab, 14 in Haryana, 17 in Uttarakhand, 12 in Rajasthan and 10 in Karnataka. A report by the World Bank “Scaling the Heights” had made mention of the fact that Himachal’s employee ratio was way beyond others at an astonishing 28. The national figure of employees ratio too was a mere 12 per cent.

Himachal got 232 per cent increase in allocation of funds by the 14th Finance Commission against just 52 per cent by the previous Finance Commission. The increase in the state share in Central taxes from 32 per cent to 42 per cent also pushed the receipts from Rs 11,328 crore to Rs 28,225 crore.

INTERNATIONAL

· UK announces new organ donation plan to address Indian origin shortages

The UK government has announced new plans to change the law for organ and tissue donation to address the urgent need for organs within theIndian-origin communitiesin the country.
The proposed new system of consent for organ and tissue donation is expected to come into effect in England in 2020, as part of a drive to help black, Asian and minority ethnic(BAME) people desperately waiting for a life-saving transplant.

· Maitree 2018 Joint Military Exercise between India and Thailand held inThailand

Exercise ‘Maitree’ is a joint military exercise between Indian Armyand Royal Thai Army and is running on in Thailand from 6 to 19 August 2018.
Maitree 2018 was platoon level exercise that comprises of infantry component.
To develope mutual understanding and bonhomie between the two armies in order to counter terrorism.

NATIONAL

Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve Included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves

The Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve has become the 11^thBiosphere Reserve from India that has been included in the UNESCO designated World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR).

The decision to include Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve in WNBR was taken at the 30^thSession of International Coordinating Council (ICC) of Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme of UNESCO held at Palembang, Indonesia, from July 23-27, 2018.

India has 18 Biosphere Reserves and with the inclusion of Khangchendzonga, the number of internationally designated WNBR has become 11, with 7 Biosphere Reserves being domestic Biosphere Reserves.

Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve in Sikkim is one of the highest ecosystems in the world, reaching elevations of 1, 220 metres above sea-level.

TRAI launches integration & availability of TRAI Mobile Apps on UMANG platform

Policy initiatives of TRAI, over the years, have been to protect the interests of the consumers. Recognizing the importance of reaching out to the consumers and to safeguard their interests, TRAI has now integrated its Mobile Apps namely DND 2.0 & MyCall with UMANG Platform.

UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) is developed by National e-Governance Division (NeGD), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). UMANG provides a single platform for all Indian Citizens to access pan India e-Gov services ranging from Central to Local Government bodies and other citizen centric services.

It provides a unified approach where citizens can install one application to avail multiple government services.

From now onwards, TRAI’s Mobile Apps namely DND 2.0 &MyCall shall also be available on Umang Platform.

· World’s largest bird sculpture Jatayu sculpture will be inaugurated in Kerala

The Jatayu sculpture at the Jatayu Earth Center (JEC) at Chadayamangalam in Kollam district, Kerala, said to be world’s largest bird sculpture, will be inaugurated on August 17 by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
This Rs 100 crore-project is a creation by film director and sculptor Rajiv Anchal.

· Goa becomes first state by starting its own app based taxi service

Goa CM Manohar Parrikarand Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar flagged off the Goa Tourism Development Corporation’s app-based taxi service called “GoaMiles“.
A taxi owner did not have to pay anything and GTDC’s charges would be recovered from the consumer. GTDC will charge the consumer around Rs 20-80 as service fee.
Customers will get honest service and will get to know the fare before the journey starts.
There is a panic-cumemergency button available on the app.

· NITI Aayog identified 117 districts as Aspirational Districts for RUSA Scheme

During the second phase of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan(RUSA), central assistance is provided for opening of new Model Degree Colleges (MDCs) in ‘Aspirational Districts’ identified by NITI Aayog and in unserved & underserved districts in North Eastern and Himalayan States.
These districts have been selected on the basis of the composite index which includes published data of deprivation enumerated under Socio-Economic Caste Census, Health & Nutrition, Education and Basic Infrastructure.

Commerce & Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu launches Mobile App Niryat Mitra

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Aviation Suresh Prabhu launched Niryat Mitra – mobile App in New Delhi.

The app developed by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) is available both on Android and on IOS platforms.

It provides wide range of information required to undertake international trade right from the policy provisions for export and import, applicable GST rate, available export incentives, tariff, preferential tariff, market access requirements – SPS and TBT measures.

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