All India Radio News Summary: 20 OCTOBER 2017
- Kerala High Court says all inter-religious weddings cannot be viewed as ‘love jihad’.
The Kerala High Court has held that all inter-religious weddings cannot be viewed as ‘love jihad’ as it upheld a marriage between members of two different communities.
The court made the observations in its judgement on a habeas corpus petition filed by the man.
- The Kerala High Court’s observation on inter-faith marriages in the backdrop of the campaign by various religious groups against what they describe as ‘Love Jihad”.
- The court said, it is shocked to notice the recent trend in Kerala to sensationalise every case of inter-religious marriage as ‘love jihad’, even if there was platonic love between the spouses before.
- The court cautioned that every case of inter-religious marriage shall not be portrayed on a religious canvass as it creates fissures in communal harmony in Kerala.
- The bench also cited the Supreme Court order in the Lata Singh versus state of Uttar Pradesh case of 2004 to emphasise the need for encouraging inter-caste and inter-religious marriages.
- First-ever Tri Services Joint Exercise between Indian and Russian Armed Forces, INDRA-2017
The first-ever Tri Services Joint Exercise between Indian and Russian Armed Forces, INDRA-2017 began near Vladivostok in Russia.
- Two indigenously built Indian Naval ships INS Satpura and INS Kadmatt reached Vladivostok Port and were given a traditional ceremonial welcome.
- The Exercise INDRA in its previous nine editions has been conducted as a single service exercise alternately between the two countries.
- This year the Exercise has been upgraded to involve all the three Services Army, Navy and Air Force.
- The Indian contingent comprises of 350 personnel from Army, 80 from Air Force, two IL 76 aircraft and one Frigate and Corvette each from the Navy.
- The Russian Federation Armed Forces will be represented by nearly one thousand troops of the 5th Army, Marines and Ships of Pacific Fleet and aircraft from Eastern Military District.
- Prime Minister lays foundation stone for a slew of reconstruction projects in Kedarpuri on his visit to Kedarnath temple;
Prime Minister visited the Himalayan shrine of Kedarnath in Uttarakhand ahead of its closure for the next six months.
- PM laid the foundation stone for a number of reconstruction projects in Kedarpuri, including the renovation of Adi Guru Shankaracharya’s tomb which was devastated in the flash floods.
- The area surrounding the Kedarnath temple was destroyed in June 2013 when the Chorabari Glacier lake breached its embankment following heavy rain that caused flash floods in Mandakini river.
- The special attention will be given to environment while reconstructing the modern Kedarpuri.
- Gujarat celebrated its new year
Gujarat celebrated its new year yesterday. People are exchanging New Year wishes on the first day of Vikram Samvant 2074.
- Police Commemoration Day
Police Commemoration Day will be observed across the country. Home Minister will lay a wreath and pay homage to police martyrs at Police Memorial Ground in New Delhi.
- The day commemorates the sacrifice of ten policemen who laid down their lives while defending the border with China in 1959.
- On 21st October 1959, Chinese Army personnel opened fire and threw grenades at a police party of 20 personnel. Ten of them died, seven were taken prisoners by the Chinese and the remaining managed to escape.
- The Annual Conference of Inspectors General of Police of States and Union Territories held in January 1960 decided that 21st October will be observed as Commemoration Day in all Police Lines throughout India to mark the memory of these gallant personnel.
- Two sewage treatment plants at Varanasi
Varanasi will soon get two sewage treatment plants as part of the government’s bid to curb Ganga water pollution. In a statement, Water resource Ministry has said, the treatment plants, having a total 260 million litres daily (MLD) capacity will be commissioned at Varanasi’s Dinapur and Goitha before March next year.
- Around 81 percent ration cards have been seeded with Aadhar cards
Around 81 percent ration cards have been seeded with Aadhar cards in the country so far to check leakages in the PDS system.
- Food Minister said, the Central government is pushing to attach remaining ration cards with Aadhar cards.
- He said the states have been given time till December this year to link Aadhar with ration cards.
- People cannot be barred from the benefits under Food Security Act if they do not have Aadhar card at present.
- Government is working to bring a new method to decide prices of ‘new drugs’ to avoid delays in launching them
Government said it is not considering any changes in the methodology for calculating ceiling prices of scheduled medicines. However, it is working to bring a new method to decide prices of ‘new drugs’ to avoid delays in launching them in the market. The Department of Pharmaceuticals is also considering medicines that have become non-scheduled drugs to be sold without any freeze on prices for a further year.
Schedule drugs are substances that are controlled, in other words, have stricter guidelines for dispensing due to the potential for abuse.
- Schedule I are illegal substances such as heroine.
- Schedule II are the ones that have a high potential for abuse but have shown a significant medical benefit for use such as methadone or oxycontin.
- Schedule III, IV, and V have potential for abuse but are generally dispensed under similar guidelines.
- Essentially, the lower the drug Schedule the harsher the penalty if used or possessed improperly.
- The government has authorised all public sector banks and three private banks to accept deposits under various small savings schemes
The government has authorised all public sector banks and three private banks to accept deposits under various small savings schemes like National Savings Certificate (NSC), recurring deposits and monthly income plan.
- According to the government’s notification, the private banks are ICICI, HDFC and Axis Bank.
- So far, public sector banks were allowed to receive subion under Public Provident Fund, Kisan Vikas Patra-2014, Sukanya Samriddhi Account, Senior Citizen Savings Scheme-2004.
- The Indian Railways will soon cut short the running time of over 500 long distance trains
The Indian Railways will soon cut short the running time of over 500 long distance trains by up to two hours.
- The new timings will be updated in the November timetable of the railways.
- This has been made possible due to incorporation of innovative timetabling.
- Delhi’s air quality enters into severe zone but cleaner than previous years due to ban on sale of firecrackers.
Delhi’s air quality took a sharp plunge and entered the ‘severe’ zone with bursting of firecrackers on the night of Diwali festival.
- According to SAFAR-the System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research, the pollution indicator turned a deep shade of brown, indicating ‘severe’ air quality in the national capital.
- This kind of air pollution may affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing respiratory or cardiovascular diseases.
- But unlike previous years, the run-up to Diwali festivities was cleaner this time as the Supreme Court had temporarily banned the sale of firecrackers till 31st of this month in the NCR.
