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All India Radio News Summary: 18 SEPTEMBER 2017

All India Radio News Summary: 18 SEPTEMBER 2017

  1. Arjan Singh as the legendary warrior was laid to rest with full state honours

The nation today bade a tearful farewell to the Marshal of the Indian Air Force, Arjan Singh as the legendary warrior was laid to rest with full state honours, including a fly past by fighter jets.

The mortal remains of Marshal Singh were consigned to flames in New Delhi. He was accorded a 17-gun salute. The national flag is flying half-mast in Delhi on all buildings today as a mark of respect.

  • An iconic Hero, Marshal Arjan Singh was the only five star ranked Air Force officer of the country.
  • Sukhoi fighter jets carried out a fly past in the missing man formation in honour of the 1965 war hero. 
  • The missing man formation is an aerial manoeuvre to show respect to a departed military leader.
  • One of the finest soldiers of the country, Arjan Singh, led an young Indian Air Force during the 1965 India-Pakistan war. He was an exceptional pilot who played a major role in transforming the IAF into one of the most potent air forces globally and the fourth biggest in the world.

 

  1. Government will open museums in different parts of the country to acknowledge contribution of tribals in India’s freedom struggle

Prime Minister has said, his government will open museums in different parts of the country to acknowledge contribution of tribals in India’s freedom struggle.

  • He made the announcement after laying the foundation stone for one such museum at Sadhu Bet near Sardar Sarovar Dam at Kevadia in Narmada district in Gujarat.
  • Sadhu Bet is a small island on river Narmada where the state government is building Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 182-metre tall statue.

 

  1. Government has saved 65,000 crore rupees through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in various public schemes

Human Resource Minister has said, government has saved 65,000 crore rupees through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in various public schemes.

  • Scores of welfare schemes have been linked to DBT, under which the money is transferred directly to the beneficiary’s bank accounts.
  • DBT enables linking of Aadhar card to bank accounts and other subsidised services availed by citizens.
  • It is being used to plug the loopholes in the system due to which the government incurred losses.
  • The Minister said, government has successfully opened 30 crore Jan Dhan bank accounts and 118 crore Aadhar numbers have been issued.

 

  1. Heavy rain has caused widespread damage, landslide and water-logging

Heavy rain has been lashing Kerala since yesterday and has caused widespread damage, landslide and water-logging in various parts. Rail and road traffic has also been affected.

  • The South-West monsoon is vigorous over the state and the MeT office has predicted more rain over the next two days.
  • In the wake of the situation, Chief Minister has given orders to the District Collectors and officials to take necessary precautionary measures to deal with any kind of emergency situation.
  • Travel restriction had been imposed in the high range areas.
  • The water-level of major dams across the state has risen considerably.
  • High alert is declared in the coastal areas of the state.
  • Government has declared holiday for all educational institutions of the state today.
  • The exams conducted by various universities were also postponed. 
  • The state government has drawn up a comprehensive action plan to combat possible rain-related disasters and to coordinate rescue operations.

 

  1. A well-equipped skill city with a capacity of 10,000 training seats will be set up in Assam

A well-equipped skill city with a capacity of 10,000 training seats will be set up in Assam.

A Singapore-based premier institute will support the state government in this regard.

  • The construction of the proposed skill city would be completed after 4 to 5 years.
  • But prior to that, a temporary complex with 400 capacity is being set up in Guwahati.
  • Assam Skill Development Mission will set up skill training centres at block level.
  • 30,000 former militants will be given skill development training and ceasefire camps where they are residing now will be made production centres. 

 

  1. Tropical Storm Maria

Some of the Caribbean islands, which were devastated by Hurricane Irma, are bracing for a possible second major storm in two weeks. Tropical Storm Maria has been upgraded to a category one hurricane, the lowest on the five-point Saffir-Simpson scale, by the US National Hurricane Center. The Center said, the Hurricane is headed towards eastern Caribbean with a wind speed of 120 kilometres per hour, and is expected to strengthen over the next 48 hours. Hurricane warnings and watches have been issued at many islands.

Hurricane Irma, the category five storm, had hit some of these islands leaving at least 37 people dead.

 

  1. Welfare and Rehabilitation Board App, WARB

Home Minister has launched intelligence wing of Sashastra Seema Bal, SSB, and Welfare and Rehabilitation Board App, WARB.

The paramilitary force guards India’s borders with Bhutan and Nepal. The intelligence wing will gather actionable information. The app WARB contains features to facilitate retired CAPFs and Assam Riffles personnel to get their grievances redressed, and seek important information. Minister said, SSB officials should check authenticity of messages which are being spread on the social media regarding security or intelligence alerts.

 

  1. Finance Minister launched Google’s Unified Payments Interface

Finance Minister launched Google’s Unified Payments Interface, UPI-based digital payment service Tez.

  • FM said, Google team saw a great potential in the remonetisation after demonetization.
  • The Finance Minister said, Tez by Google and other service providers will make a major change in the digital payments landscape in India.
  • Google Tez supports several local languages including Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu.

 

  1. Centre today told the Supreme Court that the Rohingya Muslims are “illegal” immigrants in the country

The Centre told the Supreme Court that the Rohingya Muslims are “illegal” immigrants in the country and their continuous stay posed “serious national security ramifications“.

  • The Centre’s affidavit, filed in the apex court Registry, said the fundamental right to reside and settle in any part of the country is available to citizens only and illegal refugees cannot invoke the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to enforce the right.
  • The government said it may file in sealed cover the details of the security threats and inputs gathered by the various security agencies in this matter.
  • The Centre said that since India is not a signatory to the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, 1951, the obligations concerned to non-refoulement are not applicable.
  • The plea, filed by two Rohingya immigrants, who are registered refugees under the United Nations High Commission of Refugees (UNHCR), claimed they had taken refuge in India after escaping from Myanmar due to widespread discrimination, violence and bloodshed against the community there.
  • Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home appealed to International groups not to show India in a bad light on the Rohingya issue.

 

  1. Women and Child Development Minister and HRD Minister held a high level meeting on security and safety of children in schools

Women and Child Development Minister and Human Resource Development Minister held a high level meeting in New Delhi on security and safety of children in schools.

  • The meeting reviewed the existing measures and new suggestions placed for implementation.
  • The meeting came in the wake of recent incident of killing of a class two student in a private school in Gurugram and concerns raised over the safety of children in schools.
  • The two ministries made some suggestions and timelines will be decided for their implementation.
  • Suggestions include making female staff mandatory in school vehicles.
  • A committee of six secretaries will be constituted to monitor the implementation and progress of suggestions made for the safety of school children.

The secretaries of Women and Child Development, HRD, Tribal, Minority Affairs and Drinking Water and sanitation Ministries will be the part of the committee.

  • The officials and representatives from CBSE, NCERT, Kendriya Vidyalaya and National Commission for Protection of Child Rights put forth their suggestions over the issue during the meeting.