Govt removes NTA chief , announces CBI probe
The Union government on Saturday removed Subodh Kumar Singh, the former Director General of National Testing Agency ( NTA ) over allegations of irregularities in NEET UG exam .
Meanwhile , the health ministry has announced the postponement of NEET PG exam “ as a precautionary measure “ . The exam was to be held on Sunday .
Conceding to persistent demand of students and the opposition , the Education Ministry has announced a CBI probe in cheating allegations in the NEET exam .
The Ministry has constituted a seven member committee of experts on Saturday to create a roadmap for reforms of NTA and it’s processed .
The panel will make recommendations of the structure and functioning of NTA , reforms in the mechanism of the examination process , and improvement in data security protocols .
Six held in Bihar
The Bihar police on Friday arrested six persons from AIIMS in Deoghar , Jharkhand in connection with the NEET question paper leak .
New Delhi , Dhaka to hold talks on comprehensive ties
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina is on a two day visit to India . She is the first state guest to India.
PM Modi and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina announced several projects and initiatives to be taken .
About project that has completed between two countries , PM said :
● Between Akhauara and Agratalla sixth India Bangladesh cross border rail link has been started .
● Cargo facilities for India’s North Indian states and has been started through Khulna Mongla port
● 1320 Maitri Thermal Power plant have started generating electricity .
● Trade in Indian Rupees have started between the two countries .
The projects and initiatives announced :
● India and Bangladesh on Saturday , agreed to begin a dialogue on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement ( CEPA ) .
● The two sides signed multiple MoUs , covering maritime cooperation and economy , rail connectivity , oceanography , health , disaster management etc .
● India will open an Assistant High Commission in Bagladesh’s Rangpur .
Rangpur is strategically located between West Bengal and Assam near Teesta river .
● A technical team will soon visit Bangladesh to discuss “ conservation and management of Teesta . “ China top has shown interest in this . And the project can feature in talks in Ms Sheikh Hasina’s upcoming visit to China .
In near future India can attempt train services that will connect Tripura and West Bengal through Bangladesh .
No GST for hostel stay below ₹20,000 , Railway services
GST council meeting was chaired by FM Nirmala Sitharaman . Following major decisions were taken in the meeting
● Hostel accommodation worth upto ₹20,000 a month and railway accomodation has been exempted from GST .
● Members agreed on Biometric based Adhaar authetication system for GST registration across county in a phased manner .
She said that this will quicken the registration process , but also curb the fraudulent use of input taxes .
● Milk cans , sprinklers , carton boxes and solar cookers will now attract 12 % GST .
INDIA MPs. not to assist pro tem speaker
The Lok Sabha session will start on 24th June .
Bhartruhari Mahtap will be the pro tem speaker .
A five member panel has been formed to assist pro tem speakers . The panel consisted of Congress’s K Suresh , DMK T.R Baalu , Sudip Badyopadhyay of TMC , BJP leaders Faggan Singh and Radha Mohan Singh .
By all convention and tradition Faggan Singh has been appointed ,
INDIA bloc members K Suresh , T R Ballu and S Badyopadhyay will not perform their duties of assisting pro tem speaker .
Congress demand was to make K Suresh the pro tem speaker .
By Convention senior most member in the house is made pro tem speaker . K Suresh is senior most member . But his term has not been continuous . K Suresh was. Not
Erred in not crediting ICMR as co inventor of Covaxin , admits Bharat Biotech
Bharat Biotech India Limited ( BBIL ) , the manufacturer of India’s Covaxin said it had made “ inadvertent mistake “ by not including names of ICMR in patent application filed in India and abroad to protect intellectual property rights .
CoVID 19 vaccine Covaxin was invented by Bharat BioTech India Limited ( BBIL ) with the help of Indian Council of Medical Research ( ICMR ) .So , Covexin is jointly owned by BBIL and ICMR .
In the patent application ICMR name was missing , BBIL later cited it a “ inadvertent mistake “ , BBIL later said that it is in process of adding ICMR in application .
Programme to fast track traveller immigration launched at IGI airport
Union Home minister inaugurated the fast track immigration trusted travellers programme ( FTI TTP ) at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Sunday .
The initiative designed for faster , safer and smoother , immigriation clearance on congested airports .
Users has to register through online portal . Registered passengers will have to scan boarding pass at e gates .once passengers will be authenticated the e gates will open and
World
Israeli attack on Gaza City camp leaves at least 42 dead
At least 42 people were killed in Israeli districts of Gaza City in the North of Palestinian enclave on Saturday , the director of Hamas media office said .
The death toll in the Israeli attack has crossed 37,400 .
PM Modi likely to skip SCO summit in Kazakhstan ; Xi , Putin , Sharif may attend
PM Modi is likely to miss the SCO meeting scheduled on July 3-4 in Astana .
EAM S Jaishankar will likely participate , according to sources .
Most of the heads of states of SCO is likely to participate . The absence of PM Modi is likely because of the presence of Pakistan and strained ties with China .
India in the past had difficulties at SCO , it didn’t sign infrastructure initiatives proposed by China in earlier SCO summits .
The SCO members are Russia , China , Kyrgyzstan , Kazakhstan , Tajikistan , Uzbekistan , Pakistan .
Iran and Belarus are expected to be inducted this year .
Pakistan Minister condemns swat lynching
Pakistan’s planning minister on Saturday condemned the lynching of a man in town swat , for allegedly committing descration of Koran , lamenting how religion is being weaposnised to justify “ street justice “ and “ vigilantism “ .
Russia targets ‘ Kyiv’s power grid in ‘massive’ attack
Ukraine said on Saturday that Russia had launched a massive wave of attacks on energy infrastructure in the West and South .
Russia launched 16 cruise missiles from land , sea and air as well as 13 attack drones .
The zaporozhian and Lviv is the most affected regions .
At least seven people died in the strike .
FAQ –
Are heat waves natural disasters ?
North India has been bearing the brunt of the longest stretch of heatwave in the last 15 years .
At least 100 have died due to heatwaves between March 1 and June 18.
This has revived the discussion of labelling heatwaves as natural disasters .
Currently 12 disasters come under National disasters under National Disaster Response Fund ( NDRF ) and State disaster Response Fund ( SDRF ) . The 12 disasters are cyclone , drought , earthquake , Tsunami , flood , Hailstorm , Landslide , Avalanche , Cloudburst , Pest Attack , Frost and Cold waves .
There is demand mainly by states to include Heatwave in the list .
States can face difficulty in expenditure for heatwaves . Currently under SDRF there is provision that 10 % of funds can be spent on some different type of disaster situations .
the 16 th Finance commission can review the request by states to include heatwaves in the National disasters list .
Where does India stand with respect to G7 ?
Leaders of G7 countries met in Apulia from June 13 – June 15 .
India and G7
India was invited to as an G7 outreach member along with 12 other countries . This was India’s 11 th invite in G7 as an outreach member .
PM Modi hailed India’s election as “ victory of democratic world “ . He met his counterparts from West .
Bilateral meetings with Ukriane , France , UK , Italy was also put in .
India’s importance goes as being as most important voice of global South . India is also under G20 trioka . So it was important for G7 countries to invite India .
Achievement of G 7
Among the major discussion point at G7 were support to Ukraine in war with Russia , funding support to African countries , climate Change , Artificial Intelligence as the main issues of discussion.
Ukraine was given 50 billion dollar loan .
