Cabinet nod to 10,000 electric buses in 169 cities .
Union cabinet on Wednesday gave permission to for 10,000 e buses in about 169 cities . The project named PM e bus scheme will be implemented in cities that have population of more 3 lakhs and lack in urban mobility . North eastern states will also be covered . The scheme will cost around ₹58,000 crore of which ₹20, 000 crore will be provided by center .Rest amount will be born by states . Bus depos , sheds will also be developed . The money ₹20,000 will be used for 10 years .
States or cities will be responsible for running the bus services . Center will support by providing subsidies .
SC unveils handbook to eliminate gender stereotypes from law
SC released a 30 page Handbook on Combating Gender Stereotypes it refers to language a judge has to use in its judgement , orders or court pleadings .
Career woman , fallen woman , faithful or obedient wife , eve teasing , hermaphrodite , : SC has identified these words and many others as gender unjust ,the correct words that should be used in courts instead of these are woman , woman , wife , street sexual harassment , intersex .
Vishwkarma scheme will aid 30 lakh artisan family
Cabinet committee of Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved ” PM Vishwakrma ” scheme with an outlay of ₹13000 crore . The scheme was announced by PM Modi in his independence day speech , will be available for traditional craftsperson and barber from 2023 – 2024 to 2027-28 .
The centre in its release said that the release aims to nurture the ” guru shishya parampara ” ( teacher student tradition) or the family based practice of traditional skill by their hands and tool. ” The scheme also aims at impiroving the quality , as well as reach of qualityas well as reach of the product and services of artisan and craftspeople and to ensure that vishvakarma are integral to global value chain “.
Eighteen traditional traded such as carpenter,boat maker , armourer , black smith , hammer and tool kit maker , locksmith , goldsmith ,porter sculpturer , stone breaker , cobblet ,.Mason , basket/mat/ broommaker / court weaver , traditional doll and coir maker , barber Harland maker washerman , tailor and fishing net maker will be covered under this .
Artisan and craftsman under this will get PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card . Credit support of ₹ 1 lakh ( 1 st tranche ) and ₹ 2 lakh ( second tranche ) will be provided at a concessional interest rate of 5% .Under the scheme two types of training will be provided basic and advanced . Stipend of ₹500 per day will be given during training .
30 lakh families will be covered over five years in scheme .
Expansion of digital India programme gets ₹ 14,903 crore outlay
The Union cabinet on Wednesday approved a five year extension and expansion of Digital India Programme including expansion of Computer emergency Response team (CERT- In ) .
The expansion plan has an outlay of ₹ 14903 crore .
Low cost , easily accessible , Cyber security will be made available for small business , schools , hospitals which have to focus on their work . IT minister Ashwani Vaishanav said .
About 6.5 lakh IT officials will receive upskillong and reskilling training and 2.65 lakh employees will receive information security training.Unified Mobile application which has 1700 govt services will have 540 more services added to it .
Cabinet nod for seven rail connecting project worth ₹32500 .
Cabinet on Wednesday approved seven rail projects at an estimated cost of ₹32500 crore .
The money will be spent on improving rail connectivity and ease travel for commuters .
● The projects will span 35 districts in Uttar Pradesh. , Bihar , Telangana , AAndhra Pradesh , Maharashtra , Gujrat , Odisha , Jharkhand anda, west benglal
● The project will add 2339 km of rail networks .
● It includes 96 km Gorakhpur Cantonment. Valmiki Nagar single line section , at a cost of ₹ 1269.8 crore.and will save two to 3 hours in train running time for trains to Assam , Tripura , North Bihar , and eastern Uttar Pradesh and for the Passengers to and from Nepal said Ashwani Vaishnav .
● Doubling of 239 km Guntur Bibinahar ( Telangana ) single line section at ₹3238 crore will reduce distance for trains between Secunderabad and Chennai by 76km.
● Doubling of C
● Doubling of Chopan Chukar single line section will enable faster connectivity between mining area of Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh and cement industry in. Chukar churk region ( Uttar Pradesh ) to varansi .
Eminent Citizens express solidarity with Newsclick
Newsclick is a video news channel . Which used to give news that was very critical to govt . Recently a news report published in New York Time ( NYT) told that NewsClick was funded by a Chinese American businessman . The premises of NewsClick and it’s editor in chief Prabir Purkaystha were raided by ED in September 2021 .It last year attached a flat worth ₹4.53 crore in South Delhi Saket area .
On recent publication of report in New York Times 250 eminent citizens wrote to president for action against Newsclick .
However there are those who has expressed solidarity with Newsclick .
‘Pretty move’ : Congress on name Change to Nehru memorial
On August 15 , Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) was renamed as Prime Minister Museum and Library ( PMML) . It is in Delhi . If contains bulk of freedom fighters writting such as Mahatma Gandhi’ s writingwritting .
It contains writting and materials of all Prime Minister’s .
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh in a post on X called it ‘ petty move ‘.
53 member CBI team to probe Manipur cases
Central Beureue of Investigation ( CBI) has constituted a team of 53 officials to investigate multiple cases related to incidents of Manipur violence . Three of the officials are of the rank of DIG ( Deputy Inspector General ) two of whom are women . CBI would first look into 12 cases related to women victims .
Odisha govt withdraws the controversial ‘ deemed forest ‘ order .
Deemed Forest is land which appears to be a forest but is not notified as forest land by center or state govt .
The Odisha govt issued an order on August 11 , which told district officials that ‘ deemed forest ‘ as a category would cease to exist under recently amended act .
A 1996 order of Supreme Court had entrusted states to identify the land which are not included as forest but are entrusted as ‘ deem d forest ‘ and to be given similar protection as first gets .
Center and WHO to launch Global Initiative on Digital health
India in collaboration with World Health Organisation will launch the Global initiative on Digital health as part of G2O summit in Gandhinagar in Saturday . The first such global initiative is aimed at data convergence , interface of health platforms and investment in digital health space and the globe
Continue CoVid 19 testing to check emergence of new virus variants : WHO chief
Warning that many countries are not checking newly emerging variants of Corona , WHO chief Tedros Gherebeyanes told that testing is vital and should be done at rapid pace .
WHO chief is in Gujrat to attend G20 Health Ministers meet.
Mob attacks Pak Church over blasphemy allegations
Several Churches were set on fire by angry mob on Wednesday when a Christian family was accused of blasphemy in Pakistan .
The attack was triggered by a crown claiming that a local Christian family in Faisalabad has desecrated Koran . photos and videos of birnt Koran were shared among local people that created uproar .
Social media videos showed hundreds of people armed with sticks and rocks vandalising Church in Faisalabad city .
A Pakistani bishop in Lahore said that he was ” deeply pained and distressed ” .
Blasphemy is a serious crime in Pakistan and it can be punished to death penalty .
Faisalabad is near Lahore
Ukrainian grain depot was hit by Russian drones again
Russian drones pounded grain storage facilities along Danube river that Ukriane has relied on as alternative route to Europe .
Ukrianes economy heavily relies on agricultural exports of wheat ,barley , sunflower oil , and other food export to developing nations .
After Russia broke of Balck Sea Agreement , Danube river is main route to transport grains to Europe .
Recaptured village on southern point : Ukraine
Kyiv on Wednesday said it’s forces and liberated the settlement of Urozhaine in the Industrial Donetsk area as part of grinding push to wrest Russian Forces along the southern front in Ukraine .
Urozhaine is at boundary of donestsk
China says economic recovery ‘ tortuous ‘
China on Wednesday said it’s economic recovery ” will be bumpy and tortuous process ” , but insisted Western critics ” will for sure be proven wrong ” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told in a news conference .
Recent figures released by Chinese Statistics department had showed concerns over China’s stuttering post COVID recovery .
Recently Joe Biden had told that China’s economic recovery has made it ” a ticking time bomb ” .
Germany okays ‘controlled’ use of Cannabis
The German govt approved a draft law on Wednesday that legalises the purchase and possession of Cannabis for recreational use .
The legislation will allow adults to possess up to 25 grams of Cannabis and grow upto 3 plants for personal use .
The bill still needs to be approved by lawmakers .
US beefs up military presence in Gulf
Three thousand additional US personals on troop landing warships have already been passed through warships through red sea .
US is preparing to put Marines and Navy aborard commercial takers crossing Gulf of Homruz.
17 troops killed , 20 injured in new Niger attack , says Defence Ministry
17 troops died in a jihadist ambush in Niger ,the govt said. The attack happened in Tailaberi region near Burkina Faso on Tuesday .
Truce holds in Libya after armed clashes kill 55, injured 146 : media
On Monday night fighting had erupted between the 444 Group and Al Radaa.
444 brigade is defence ministry affiliated forces while Al Radaa is special deterrence force in Libiya .
Fight erupted as Mahmoud Hamza a senior commandant 444 brigade was allegedly detained by Al Radaa forces .
Over 60 dead as migrant boat sinks off Cape Verde : UN Agency
Migrant boat had sailed from Senegal .Near Cape Verde island the boat was found sinking .
A necessary brake
Haphazard development is increasing the impact of Weather events .
About the editorial :
The editorial talks about the recent rains in North India that has resulted in floods , landslides and loss of life and property .It tells that haphazard buildings , development in sensitive areas is one of the regions for loss of life and property .
About Monsoon this year
This year was El Nino year . El Nino years generally brings less rain . But this year has seen heavy rainfall especially in North India .
Initially Delhi faced floods . Himachal Pradesh faced it . Now Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand both are again are getting heavy rain causing landslides . Himachal Pradesh and Ukltakjand together has seen 60 loss of lives .
WD – Western Disturbance is one of the cause of this heavy rain .Western Disturbance is when jet streams bring moisture from Caspian sea and black sea and causes rain . Western Disturbance generally causes rain in Winter season in North India . It generally causes rain in February .
Western Disturbance is bringing rain in Monsoon this is unusual .
About Joshimath
Joshimath is example of haphazard development in environment sensitive zone . That led whole town to subside inside . The construction of Chardham linking project is should be looked into carefully , as the zone is sensitive and such project may increase incidences of landslides
Western Disturbance
Housing for all
Addressing housing in Urban areas requires urgent , concerted effort
About the editorial
The editorial talks about the prime minsiters address on Independence day that a new programme to address urban housing will be launched .
The editorial analyses Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojan – Urban ( PMAY U)
What PM announced
PM in his independent day speech announced that new scheme will be brougt for those living on rents in Urban areas so that they can own their house . The scheme will give relieve in interest in bank loans for making home for urban Poor
About PMAY U performance
● PMAY- U claims ” housing for all ” . In eight years only two thirds of sanctioned houses has been or 76.25 lakh houses out of 1.19 crore has been sanctioned .In PMAY U about 40 % subsidy is given by govt , 24% by center 16% by state while rest is born by owner . The problem here was that many who had to own the house were not able to return their tranche of loan because of poverty . In new scheme the owner will have to pay only 40%.