All India Radio News Summary: 02 NOVEMBER 2017
- Bihar government to follow reservation policy in engaging employees through outsourcing agencies.
The Bihar government has decided to follow its reservation policy while engaging professionals and other employees through outsourcing agencies.
A decision to this effect was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister.
- The new policy will make private outsourcing agencies recruit manpower based on the reservation policy of the state government if they want to work with the state agencies.
- It may be noted 50 percent of the government jobs are reserved for the Scheduled Cast (SC), Scheduled tribe (ST), other backward classes (OBC) and differently abled candidates in Bihar.
- There is also a provision of 35 percent horizontal quota for women in all reserved categories.
- In the absence of technical manpower on its rolls, the state government engages technical staff, mostly dealing in information technology (IT)-based operations, through outsourced agencies.
- The ballot and not the bullet is the solution to ending Maoist violence
Vice President said, the ballot and not the bullet is the solution to ending Maoist violence. Addressing the Chhattisgarh formation day celebrations function in Naya Raipur VP said,
- No revolution will take place through violence and no change can be brought about through killings and by preventing development.
- Bullet and violence have not lead to peace and development anywhere in the world.
- The entire history of the world is very clear that the ballot is more powerful than the bullet and violence is not going to bring any change or any revolution whatsoever.
- India’s first consignment of wheat assistance to Afghanistan reaches Chabahar port in Iran.
India’s first consignment of wheat assistance to Afghanistan has reached the Chabahar port in Iran.
This is the first shipment that reached Afghanistan through the Chabahar port after Trilateral Agreement on Establishment of International Transport and Transit Corridor was signed.
Significance
- It will pave the way for operationalization of the Chabahar port as an alternative, reliable and robust connectivity for Afghanistan.
- It will open up new opportunities for trade and transit from and to Afghanistan and enhance trade and commerce between the three countries (India, Iran and Afghanistan) and the wider region.
- It indicates India remains firm in delivering on its regional commitment through partnership with Iran, despite Tehran’s on-going tension with the United States.
International Transport and Transit Corridor
- The International Transport and Transit Corridor (also known as the “Chabahar Agreement”) is a regional transport network initiative of the governments of Afghanistan, India, and Iran.
- Aim is to create a reliable transport corridor for the smooth transport and transit of goods and services through Chabahar Port between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Republic of India, and Islamic Republic of Iran.
- World Food India 2017 fair
World Food India 2017 fair is a mega platform for all the stakeholders in the food value-chain to come together, bringing-in FDI and technical knowhow.
- Participants from more than 30 countries would be exploring opportunities in the food processing sector in India.
- The mega fair is being held in New Delhi from 3-5th November 2017.
- There is going to be a very vibrant Food Street which is going to showcase all the cuisines of India, so that the globe gets to know what all of they can take back to their big retail chains.
- There is going to be international food companies who are going to be part of that Food Street, where national and international chefs are coming together to create a new kind of food.
- Our organic food, our super foods, our health foods all are going to be introduced to the world.
- Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)
Water Resources Minister reviewed the progress of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) Projects in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Karnataka at a high level meeting in New Delhi and expressed satisfaction over the progress of various projects in these States.
The major objective of PMKSY
- To achieve convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level,
- Expand cultivable area under assured irrigation,
- improve on-farm water use efficiency to reduce wastage of water,
- enhance the adoption of precision-irrigation and other water saving technologies (More crop per drop),
- Enhance recharge of aquifers and introduce sustainable water conservation practices by exploring the feasibility of reusing treated municipal waste water for peri-urban agriculture
- Attract greater private investment in precision irrigation system.
PMKSY has been conceived amalgamating on-going schemes viz. Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR,RD&GR), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) of Department of Land Resources (DoLR) and the On Farm Water Management (OFWM) of Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC).
- The scheme will be implemented by Ministries of Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Development. Ministry of Rural Development is to mainly undertake rain water conservation, construction of farm pond, water harvesting structures, small check dams and contour bunding etc.
Provisions of the Scheme
- Ensure access to some means of protective irrigation to all agricultural farms in the country in order to produce ‘per drop more crop’ to bring desired rural prosperity.
- Flexibility and autonomy: to states in the process of planning and executing irrigation projects in order to ensure water to every farm.
- Irrigation plans: ensure that state and district irrigation plans are prepared on the basis of sources of availability of water and agro-climatic conditions in that region.
- Promoting extension activities: related to ‘on farm water management and crop alignment’ for farmers as well as grass root level field functionaries.
- Agencies involved: nodal agency for implementation of PMKSY projects will be state agriculture department.
- Inter-ministerial National Steering Committee (NSC) will periodically review these projects.
- Funding Pattern: Centre- States will be 75: 25 per cent. In case of north-eastern region and hilly states it will be 90:10.
- China blocks another move to list Jaish e Mohammad Chief Masood Azhar as global terrorist by the UN
China blocked another bid by the US, France and the UK to list Pakistan-based Jaish e Mohammad Chief and Pathankot terror attack mastermind Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN.
- China said, it has rejected the move as there is no consensus.
- A veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, China has repeatedly blocked India’s move to put a ban on the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief under the Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the Council.
- China had in August extended by three months its technical hold on the US, France and UK-backed proposal to list Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN after having blocked the move in February this year at the United Nations.
UNSC 1267 Committee:
- The UNSC 1267 Committee was established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999). It is also known as the AlQaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee.
- It was established for the purpose of overseeing the implementation of sanctions measures imposed on Taliban-controlled Afghanistan for its support of Osama bin Laden.
- India – Bhutan Relationship
India is committed to partner with Bhutan in its socio-economic development. Vice President said,
- India is delighted to see the rapid progress which has been made in the neighbouring country while simultaneously preserving its culture as well as protecting the environment.
- India has been happy to share its knowledge, experience and resources with Bhutan and thus contribute to Bhutan’s socio-economic development.
- The security concerns of India and Bhutan are intertwined. India remains committed to consolidate existing hydro-power cooperation with Bhutan.
