HIMACHAL PRADESH

Rs 1,024 crore to be spent on irrigation

With more than 60 per cent cultivable area rainfed, the Himachal government has identified irrigation as thrust area and provided Rs 1,024 crore for the completion of the ongoing medium and minor irrigation schemes during 2020-21.

The government also planned to develop the command area under the already commissioned irrigation scheme to ensure that water actually reaches the fields of farmers.

Work on 111 minor irrigation schemes under “Pradhan Manti Krishi Sinchai Yojana” is in various stages of execution progress and a target has been set to complete these schemes with estimated expenditure of Rs 338 crore, sources said.

The “Nadaun Medium Irrigation Scheme” providing irrigation facility to 3000 hectares land would be shortly dedicated to people, bringing a sea change in cropping pattern in the covered area, said a spokesperson of Irrigation department.

The work on “Phinna Singh Medium Irrigation Scheme” under execution for past many years would also be completed during the next financial year, covering 4,000 hectare land.

Farmers in Himachal are diversifying their crops and switching over to cultivation of off season vegetables and commercial crops and assured water availability would prove a boon for them, said a progressive farmer Kanshi Ram, adding that more fallow lands should be brought under irrigation for increasing food and vegetable production.

INTERNATIONAL

India approved as observer of Indian Ocean commission

India approved as a member of the Indian Ocean Commission, the inter-governmental organization that coordinates maritime governance in the south-western Indian Ocean. India made the application to join as an observer of the organization last month.IOC has four observers – China, Malta, European Union and International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF).

It was set up in 1982, the Indian Ocean Commission comprises Seychelles, Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius, and Reunion island, France’s overseas territory in the region. India supported a more significant role for France in the bigger Indian Ocean Rim Association

UNDP released Gender Social Norms Index

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) released the new Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI) on 5 March. The report stated that gender disparity still exists in every country.

Highlights:

The index measured how social beliefs obstruct gender equality in work, politics, and education in 75 countries or 80% of the world’s population.

It revealed that about half of the world’s men and women feel that men make better political leaders, and over 40% feel that men make better business executives.

It also stated that people think that men have more right to a job when jobs are scarce, and 28% think it is justified for a man to beat his wife.

It highlighted that enormous power gaps still exist between men and women.

Only 24% of parliamentary seats worldwide are held by women, and only 10 out of a possible 193 female heads of government.

GSNI stated that less than 6% of CEOs in S&P 500 companies are women.

NATIONAL

FDI inflows recorded highest ever for fiscal year 2018-19

The total Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow was over 318 billion US dollars between 2014 and September 2019 representing nearly 50 percent of the cumulative FDI in India since April 2000.

In 2018-19, the FDI inflow stood at a record 62 billion US dollars, highest ever recorded for a fiscal year.

This information was given in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.

The initiative was launched in 2014 for promoting India as an important investment destination and a global hub for manufacturing, design and innovation.

TIFAC launched Vigyan Jyoti scheme

Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) launched the Vigyan Jyoti scheme on 8 March 2020. The scheme aims to encourage women to pursue science.

Vigyan Jyoti is an initiative that will create a level-playing field for the meritorious girls in high school to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in their higher education.

Under the scheme, Selected women from more than 500 districts will be given opportunities to attend science camps at Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), NITs, and other leading institutions of science and technology education where women are not adequately represented.

TIFAC was set up in 1988. It functions under the Department of Science & Technology, Ministry of Science & Technology. It foresees the technological innovation in select technology areas that were of national importance.

First ever Khelo India Winter Games begin at Gulmarg in Kashmir

Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju inaugurated the first-ever five-day Khelo India Winter Games at Gulmarg. Jammu and Kashmir’s Gulmarg hosting Khelo India Winter Games 2020 from March 7th to 11th.The sports shall be organized every year at Gulmarg. The training academy should be established on the standards of the International level in which international coaches shall impart training to sportspersons. The interactive session with youth at National Integration Camp hosted by Government Physical Education College Gadoora, Ganderbal. The camp was hosted to motivate and guide the youth for their active participation in the promotion of unity, communal harmony, national integration, FIT India.

Australia beat India to win ICC Women’s T20 World Cup for record fifth time

Defending champions Australia have won the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup for a record fifth time.

Australia defeated India by 85 runs in the summit clash at Melbourn.

Beth Mooney has been adjudged Player of the Tournament & Alyssa Healy has been adjudged the Player of the Match.

The 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup was the seventh edition of this game and was held in Australia between 21 February and 8 March 2020.

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