HIMACHAL PRADESH

Caste discrimination a reality in Himachal schools

Caste discrimination continues to leave a bad taste among students savouring their midday meals in almost every rural government school of Himachal Pradesh, a state where the literacy rate is at a high of 82.8 per cent.
Lower caste students face social discrimination in all school activities, including partaking the midday meal. Even the chefs employed in 15,000-plus government schools for cooking meals are largely from the higher castes.

The centuries-old caste-based attitudes persist in almost every rural school despite India banning discrimination in 1955. The midday meal is a nationwide school programme of the Indian government to improve the nutritional status of school-age children.

Himachal Pradesh has a population of over 6.8 million as per the Census for 2011, and Dalits comprise one fourth of the state’s population. It says more than 90 percent people live in rural areas — in 17,882 villages — of the total 20,690 revenue villages.

INTERNATIONAL

World Ocean Summit 2018 concluded in Mexico

World Ocean Summit was held recently in Mexico’s Riviera Maya.

It’s a chance for business, government and environmental leaders to talk about the problems facing the world’s seas and to come up with solutions to protect the planet’s vast ocean resources.

UN’s environmental director says governments need to take more responsibility for the world’s oceans.

· Maldives Parliament Approved Anti-Defection Bill

The Maldives Parliament has approved the anti-defection bill with retrospective effect amidst the boycott by opposition MPs.
According to the bill, MPs elected on political party tickets will lose their seat if they leave their party, get expelled, or switch parties.
The bill would take effect from 13th July 2017, meaning that the 12 MPs that switched to the Opposition last year would lose their seats.
The bill was passed with 35 votes as opposition MPs continued to boycott the settings.

NATIONAL

India’s first coastal policing academy set up

The Union home ministry recently sanctioned the launch of the National Academy of Coastal Policing (NACP) located in coastal Okha in the newly created Devbhoomi Dwarka district.

It will be created and run by a multi-agency team of paramilitary and defence forces and sharpen the response and skills of the marine forces of multiple states which have sea lines.

· Union Government To Institute Award For Best Investigators Of Crime

The union government decided to institute an award for carrying out the best investigation of crime for promoting high professional standards among police forces.
The award – Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Police Investigation – will be given to the best investigators of police forces of States, Union Territories, and central investigating agencies.
Based on the average crime data for the last three years, a total of 162 medalswill be awarded every year. Out of these, 137 will be for the states and Union territories and 25 for the central investigating agencies – National Investigation Agency, CBI and Narcotics Control Bureau.

Home Minister to inaugurate International Police Conference on Cybercrime & Terrorism

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the two-day Asia-Pacific Regional Conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) in New Delhi.

The theme is “Challenges to Policing in 2020- How is Cyber Space shaping our approach to Cybercrime & Terrorism, how do we perform within it and take advantage of it”.

The regional conference is being organised by the Asia-Pacific World Regional Office (APWRO) of the IACP in partnership with the Intelligence Bureau.

The Director, Intelligence Bureau, as the Chair of APWRO, is the host of the Conference.

The phenomenal growth and influence of Cyber space and Cyber technology have opened new challenges in the field of policing in recent times.

The Conference is mainly focused on holding discussions about the growing interest of various terrorist/ organized groups and radical elements in exploiting the Cyberspace and its advanced technologies for their various heinous crimes and nefarious designs.

· Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address farmers on March 17 at annual Krishi Unnati Mela

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address farmers at the annual Krishi Unnati Mela in New Delhi. Briefing reporters in New Delhi, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said, the objective of the 3-day mela is to create awareness to farmers about the latest agriculture-related technological developments.
He will also inaugurate the Jaivik Kheti Portal and confer Krishi Karman Award and Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Krishi Vigyan protsahan awards.
Lakhs of farmers and agriculture scientists will participate in the meal.
During the latest agriculture and allied sector technologies will be displayed at more than 600 stalls.
The main theme pavilion will be based on Doubling of farmers income by 2022.
The theme area will display different kinds of organic farming techniques like natural farming and eco-farming.

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