Shubha Mudgal selected for Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award
Singer Shubha Mudgal has been selected for the prestigious the 23rd Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award 2016. She will be bestowed with this award for her outstanding contribution towards the promotion of communal harmony, peace and goodwill. About Shubha Mudgal Shubha Mudgal is a well-known Indian singer of Hindustani classical music, Thumri, Khayal, Dadra and popular Indian pop music. She was also awarded the 1996 National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film Music Direction for ‘Amrit Beej’. She was honoured with Padma Shri in 2000.
Rajya Sabha passes The Constitution (122nd Amendment) (GST) Bill,
The Rajya Sabha has unanimously passed The Constitution (122nd Amendment) (GST) Bill, 2014 to introduce the goods and services tax (GST). With this passage of bill, India took giant step in structural indirect taxation reform and paved way for the concept of one nation, one tax. Earlier the Bill was passed in Lok Sabha in May 2015. However, now the Bill will again go back to the Lok Sabha to incorporate the few amendments approved by the Rajya Sabha. Note: The Constitution (122nd Amendment) (GST) Bill, 2014 will enter into the statute book as The Constitution (101st Amendment) Bill, 2016.
Union Cabinet approves Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill, 2016
The Union Cabinet has approved the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill, 2016 to improve road safety scenario in the country. The bill seeks to amend Motor Vehicles Act (MVA), 1988 and proposes to hefty penalties against violations of road safety rules as a deterrent measure.
Union Cabinet approves amendments in Central List of OBCs applicable to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for making suitable amendments in the Central List of OBCs (Other Backward Classes) applicable to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. This decision has been taken as per the recommendations of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC).
Union Cabinet approves Spectrum Usage Charge for the spectrum in various bands
The Union Cabinet has approved the rates for Spectrum Usage Charge (SUC) for various bands of spectrum for which auction are going to be conducted shortly. With this approval the path is clear for issuance of the Notice Inviting Application (NIV) for spectrum auction by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). SUC is the charge that telecom firms have to pay the government every year. The Union Government earns about Rs.7,000 crore annually from it.
Nobel Prize-winning Egyptian chemist Ahmed Zewail passes away
The Egyptian-born Nobel-winning scientist Ahmed Zewail passed away in the United States. He was 70. Mr Zewail had won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1999 for his pioneering work in femtochemistry. He is the first Arab Scientist to win the Nobel Prize.
Union Cabinet approves signing of Air Services Agreement between India and Lao
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing of new Air Services Agreement (ASA) between India and Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). Decision in this regard was taken in the union cabinet meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
7th meeting of SAARC Immigration Authorities held in Islamabad
The seventh meeting of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Immigration Authorities was held in Islamabad, Pakistan. Pakistan’s Director General Immigration and Passports Usman A. Bajwa was unanimously elected as Chairman had chaired the meeting.
