All India Radio News Summary: 06 SEPTEMBER 2017
- Prime Minister’s visit to Myanmar
Prime Minister has said that it is important to maintain security and stability along the land and maritime borders of India and Myanmar. After holding talks with Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in Nay Pyi Taw today, PM said, deepening relationship with Myanmar is a priority for India as a neighbour and also in the context of Act East Policy.
- The Prime Minister said, India would like to contribute to Myanmar’s development efforts as part of its Sabka Saath Sabka Vikaas initiative.
- He said, India stands with Myanmar over the issue of violence in the Rakhine state which has led to loss of innocent lives.
- PM also announced to grant gratis visa to Myanmarese citizens who wish to visit India.
Speaking on the occasion, Myanmar’s State Counsellor thanked India for taking a strong stand on the terror threat that Myanmar faced recently.
- She said together both countries can work to make sure that terrorists are not allowed taking route on our soil or on the soil of our neighbouring countries.
India is the largest development assistance providers to that country.
- Prime Minister expressed his agreement for opening of two more Industrial Training Centers in the near future in Myanmar.
- Indian Government has also committed to build a hospital in Nay Pyi Taw.
- Along with physical connectivity, the two sides negotiated a land border crossing agreement which will be formalized in coming days and this would essentially create the regime for people to travel from one country to the other by road.
- Physical connectivity between India and Mayanmar – between eastern India, north eastern India and western Mayanmar – would really deepen very much.
India and Myanmar have signed 11 MoUs in a range of sectors, including one on maritime security co-operation.
- Besides the MoU to strengthen maritime security cooperation, the countries also signed an agreement for sharing white shipping information to improve data sharing on non-classified merchant navy ships or cargo ships,
- one between the Election Commission of India and Union Election of Myanmar,
- another on cooperation between Myanmar Press Council and Press Council of India
- Extension of agreement on the establishment of India-Myanmar Centre for Enhancement of IT skill.
- The two countries also signed a MoU on enhancing the cooperation on up gradation of the women’s police training centre at Yamethin in Myanmar.
Indian PM expressed confidence that both sides will together build a strong and close partnership for mutual benefit in coming time.
- Prime Minister today also visited the Ananda Temple, at Bagan. This is a Buddhist temple built in the early 12th century.
- After concluding his visit to Bagan, he interacted with the Indian community.
Addressing the Indian diaspora at Yangon, Prime Minister said, his government has not shied away from taking big and tough decision as it considers nation bigger than politics.
- He said, India is not only reforming but also transforming.
- Mentioning that India is seen as a thought leader on the global stage, he said, the country is being transformed and new India is being built now.
- The Prime Minister said, the efforts are on to establish an India free from poverty, terrorism, corruption, communalism and casteism.
- He said, the Goods and Services Tax is ushering in a new culture across the nation.
- India-Russia Business Dialogue of Eastern Economic Forum
External Affairs Minister at the India-Russia Business Dialogue of Eastern Economic Forum, EEF, said that the dialogue should aim to bridge knowledge gap between businesses of both countries.
- Speaking on the occasion in Russian port city Vladivostok, she said, business dialogue between the two nations should exist to identify areas of common interest and potential with focus on mutual strengths and complementarity.
- India and Russia’s business dialogue is to identify actions to be taken by both the governments to further facilitate investments and trade.
- Delegates from at least 24 countries including the US, Japan, China, Australia, Canada, Britain and Germany are attending the gathering.
- External Affairs Minister told her Russian counterpart that the rock solid friendship between the two countries cannot be weakened by anyone.
- India was keen to expand its economic ties with Russia’s resource-rich Far East and sought Russian government’s assistance in facilitating Indian investors in the region.
- She said under the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Start-up India’ programmes, the Indian government has made concerted efforts to attract technology, investments and best practices from around the world.
- External Affairs Ministry lodged a strong protest over the cross border infiltration of a group of Pakistani nationals
The External Affairs Ministry summoned acting Pakistan High Commissioner and lodged a strong protest over the cross border infiltration of a group of Pakistani nationals belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist organization.
- The group carried out a brutal terror attack in the District Police Lines of Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir on 26th of last month resulting in the death of 8 Indian security personnel.
- Pakistan side was asked to investigate into the incident of infiltration and take action to bring to justice the individuals and entities responsible for orchestrating the heinous attack.
- It said, DNA samples of the neutralized terrorists have been preserved and could be made available for investigations in Pakistan.
- Government aims to begin work on three river inter-linking projects
Water Resources Minister has said the government aims to begin work on three river inter-linking projects and building two dams in the next three months. He said, the river inter-linking projects were necessary to tackle flood and drought situations. He said, the government will use the latest technology in the inter-linking projects.
- United Nations Secretary-General appealed to end violence in the country’s Rakhine state
United Nations Secretary-General (Antonio Guterres) appealed to Myanmar authorities to end violence in the country’s Rakhine state.
- He warned that violence was creating a situation that can destabilize the region.
- He had written to the UN Security Council to express his concern and propose steps to end the violence.
Rohingya crisis
- The latest violence in Myanmar’s northwestern Rakhine state began on 25th of last month, when Rohingya insurgents attacked dozens of police posts and an Army base.
- The ensuing clashes and a military counter-offensive have killed at least 400 people and triggered the exodus of villagers to Bangladesh.
- Prevention of Cow vigilantism
The apex court was hearing a PIL (filed by Tushar Gandhi, great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi) seeking various reliefs, including a direction to all the state governments to take preventive measures against cow vigilantism.
The Supreme Court has directed all state governments to appoint a senior police officer as a nodal officer in each district to ensure that incidents of cow vigilantism are prevented and dealt with effectively.
- A bench, headed by Chief Justice, also directed the Chief Secretaries of state governments to file a status report giving details of the actions taken to prevent incidents of cow vigilantism.
- The bench asked the Centre to respond to the submission that it could issue directions under Article 256 of the Constitution to all state governments on issues related to law and order.
- Road and Transport Minister released the publication ‘Road Accidents in India-2016’
Road and Transport Minister said, faulty road engineering is one of the major components for increased road accidents in the country.
- Releasing the publication ‘Road Accidents in India-2016’ in New Delhi today, he said 789 black spots have been identified of which 651 are on National Highway and 138 on State Roads.
- He said 140 National Highway spots already rectified 283 under execution / bidding and 228 under survey investigation.
- He urged people to cooperate with the government to reduce number of accidents.
According to released data, the Ministry said, more than one lakh 50 thousand people died in road accidents last year in the country. Numbers of person killed last year has increased by 3.2 per cent over 2015.
Black Spot:
In road safety management, an accident blackspot or black spot is a place where road traffic accidents have historically been concentrated. It may have occurred for a variety of reasons, such as a sharp drop or corner in a straight road, so oncoming traffic is concealed, a hidden junction on a fast road, poor or concealed warning signs at cross-roads.
- National Investigation Agency (NIA) is conducting searches in connection with terror funding
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is conducting searches at eleven locations in Srinagar and five in Delhi in connection with terror funding activities.
- The current crackdown is a part of the NIA investigation against allegations that separatist leaders were receiving funds from Pakistan and were using the money to fuel unrest in the Valley.
- The probe agency had alleged that money was being raised to fund separatist and terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir.
- Earlier, the NIA had arrested seven separatist leaders in connection with its probe into terror funding from Pakistan.
- Hurricane Irma
Officials in Florida’s Key West and popular Caribbean tourist islands have ordered people to evacuate as Irma, a potentially catastrophic Category Five hurricane, is set to make landfall. The hurricane coming on the heels of Harvey is expected to hit a string of French islands including Guadeloupe.
- President of United States decided to repeal an amnesty programme Deferred Action for Children Arrival (DACA)
US President has repealed the DACA programme that granted work permits to immigrants who arrived in the country illegally as children.
Thousands of people from India, who arrived in the US illegally as children, fear deportation after President decided to repeal an Obama-era amnesty programme Deferred Action for Children Arrival (DACA).
- According to a South Asian Advocacy group, South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), the number of people from India who arrived in the US illegally as children, could be more than 20,000.
- SAALT said, over 27,000 Asian Americans, including 5,500 Indians and Pakistanis have already received DACA.
- An additional estimated 17,000 individuals from India and 6,000 from Pakistan are eligible for DACA, placing India in the top ten countries for DACA eligibility.
- With the termination of DACA, these individuals could face deportation at the discretion of the administration.
- India and Japan have agreed to collaborate closely in defence production
India and Japan have agreed to collaborate closely in defence production, including on dual-use technologies.
- The two countries resolved to ramp up overall military engagement under the bilateral special strategic framework.
- Defence Minister and his Japanese counterpart held wide-ranging talks, as part of the India-Japan annual defence ministerial dialogue in Tokyo during which issues relating to the US-2 amphibious aircraft also figured.
The decision by India and Japan to boost defence ties comes amid escalating tension in the region in the wake of the nuclear test by North Korea and China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea.
ShinMaywa US-2 amphibious plane deal:
Japan has long sought a ShinMaywa US-2 amphibious plane deal with the Indian Navy. After the civil nuclear cooperation agreement, this deal is the most significant pending issue between Japan and India. If India were to possess US-2 amphibious planes, India could project a stronger presence into the Indian Ocean and beyond without arousing suspicion in other countries.
