HIMACHAL PRADESH
- Manali-Leh road to open by mid-May
- The Border Roads Organisation is struggling hard to restore the traffic movement on the Manali-Leh highway via the Baralacha Pass.
- The BRO, entrusted with the task to clear the highway of snow, intends to complete the work in two weeks. The highway was blocked in November due to heavy snowfall.
- The restoration of this road will open the door for the people of tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti to run tourism activities in the region for self-employment.
- After connecting the 13,050 feet high Rohtang Pass, now the BRO has engaged its workforce and machinery towards the Baralacha Pass.
- BRO personnel are facing difficulty in moving ahead towards Baralacha due to high accumulation of snow.
- The General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF), commonly known as the BRO, is responsible for maintenance of the 474-km-long Manali-Leh highway. The road is the lifeline for the people of Lahaul-Spiti and Ladakh. It has gained immense strategic importance in view of the ongoing militancy in Srinagar.
INTERNATIONAL
- World Immunization Week: 24 April- 30 April 2018
- World Immunization Week 2018 is celebrated from April 24 to April 30.
- Immunization is considered to be one of the most cost-effective and successful plans in the health industry.
- World Immunization Week aims at highlighting the collective effort which is needed to ensure that every person gets protection from diseases which can be prevented from vaccines.
- Theme for the year 2018 is “Protected Together, Vaccines Work”.
- International Buddhist Conference concluded in Lumbini
- International Buddhist Conference concluded in Lumbini, Nepal, which is the birth place of Gautama Buddha.
- It was organised as part of 2562nd Buddha Jayanti celebrations.
- The basic objective of the conference was to disseminate teachings of Gautam Buddha and spread the messages of nonviolence, brotherhood, co-existence, love and peace to the international community.
- First Ever Joint Army exercise on Malaysian Soil Commences
- Exercise Harimau Shakti 2018, between the Indian Army and the Malaysian Army commenced on 30 April at Wardieburn Camp, Kuala Lumpur with a brief and impressive handing over of troops ceremony.
- Lt Col Irwan Ibrahim, Commanding officer of the 1st Royal Ranger Regiment of Malaysian Army welcomed the Indian contingent and wished the Indian and Malaysian troops for a successful and mutually beneficial joint exercise.
- First phase of the two week long joint military exercise begin with the formal handing over of the Regimental Flag to the Malaysian Army signifying merging of the two contingents under one Commander.
NATIONAL
- Pilot scheme Procurement of Aggregate Power of 2500 MW for three years
- The Government kicks off a Pilot Scheme for Procurement of Aggregate Power of 2500 MW on competitive basis for 3 (three) years under medium term i.e. from generators with commissioned projects but without Power Purchase Agreement.
- The Ministry of Power had recently issued the model bid documents, model PAPP and PPSA on 6thApril, 2018. The Guidelines for the said scheme were issued on 10th April, 2018.
- PFC Consulting Limited (A wholly owned subsidiary of PFC Ltd) has been appointed as Nodal Agency and PTC India Limited as the Aggregator.
- PTC India would sign three-year (mid-term) Agreement for Procurement of Power with successful bidders and Power Supply Agreement with the Discoms.
- Under the scheme a single entity can be allotted maximum capacity of 600 MW. The Scheme assures a minimum off-take of 55 per cent of contracted capacity.
- The Tariff will be fixed for three years without any escalation.
· West Bengal to promote cultural tourism at Darjeeling hills
- Taking on an enhancing route of tourism in the state, West Bengalchalked out development plans so as to promote cultural tourism in the hilly chilled region of Darjeeling.
- The state tourism department will be showcasing the customs, food habits and rituals of the tribal groups residing there. West Bengal Khadi and Village Industries Board (WBKVIB), which comes under the aegis of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Department, will be executing the project.
- Exhibiting cultural variability, West Bengal Khadi and Village Industries Board (WBKVIB) has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with 15 of the culture and development boards set up by the government.
- Taking cognizance of each of these boards, the WBKVIB will set up folk art centers, where the tribal people will be able to display their traditional dress, weapons, musical instruments and other specialties.
· Telecom Commission clears proposal for in-flight mobile services in India
- Telecom Commission today approved a proposal for allowing mobile phone calls and Internet services in domestic and international flights in India, with certain riders.
- The Telecom Commission —the highest decision making body of telecom department — also approved regulator TRAI’s recommendations on Internet telephony.
- Another proposal that received approval entails creation of an ombudsman to deal with telecom grievances.
- The ombudsman will be set up under TRAI and will require amendment to the TRAI Act.
- Nearly 10 million grievances are received per quarter in the telecom sector.
· Supreme Court wants trials in child sexual abuse cases to be fast-tracked
- The Supreme Court issued a slew of directions to all the high courts of the country regarding trial in sexual assault cases involving children.
- The Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra directed all high courts to ensure that the cases of sexual assault of children to be fast-tracked and decided by special courts.
- The apex court also asked the the high courts to instruct the trial courts not to grant unnecessary adjournments during trial of cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
- Earlier,the Union Cabinet had on April 21 approved the ordinance to provide stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of rape of girls below 12 years.