Maneka Gandhi lays the foundation of India's first advanced DNA Forensic Lab
The Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi laid the foundation stone of an advanced DNA forensic laboratory in the campus of Central Forensic Science Lab, Chandigarh.
The lab will have four units sexual assault and homicide, paternity, human identification, and mitochondrial.
Forensic analysis plays a critical role in criminal investigation and the Advanced Lab will contribute to addressing the gap in forensic DNA analysis of pending sexual assault cases in the country.
Note:
At present, there are 6 Central Forensic Science Labs (CFSLs) in Chandigarh, Guwahati, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune & Bhopal and one State Forensic Science Lab in each State/UT.
These labs are responsible for conducting forensic analysis of all cases in the country including sexual assault, criminal paternity, and homicide.
IMD launches a new system to improve weather forecasts
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has launched a new Ensemble Prediction Systems (EPS) to provide probabilistic weather forecasts up to the next 10 days.
These new systems shall improve upon deterministic forecasts that are prone to high margins of error.
The EPS involves generation of multiple forecasts using slightly varying initial conditions.
The 450-crore acquisition of eight petaflops high-power computing systems will help in generating newer forecasts which have a higher resolution of 12km.
The new model has been developed jointly by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting.
Note:
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences of the Government of India.
It is the principal agency responsible for meteorological observations, weather forecasting and seismology.
Centre introduces new scheme ‘Seva Bhoj Yojna’
The Union Culture Ministry has introduced a new scheme namely ‘Seva Bhoj Yojna’ with a total outlay of Rs. 325.00 Crores for current and next financial-year to take care of the tax liability.
The scheme allowed for repayment of central GST and the Centre’s share of integrated GST paid for the purchase of ‘specific items’.
The union govt. will refund its share of goods and services tax (GST) charged on the purchase of raw food items by charitable religious institutions for distributing free meals to the public.
The objective of the scheme is to lessen the financial burden of such Charitable Religious Institutions who provide food free of cost without any discrimination to the Public/Devotees.
Odisha starts health insurance scheme for journalists
The Odisha Govt. has launched a health insurance scheme ‘Gopabandhu Sambadika Swasthya Bima Yojana’ for journalists of the state.
Under this scheme, at least five members of the journalist’s family would be covered.
In the first phase, 3233 working journalists would be covered to up to Rs. 2 lakh a year.
Health insurance cards would be distributed by the district offices of the District Information and Public Relations Offices (DIPRO).
Govt. forms the executive committee for Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary celebrations
The Union Govt. has set up an executive committee, under the chairmanship of PM Narendra Modi to spread Mahatma Gandhi's legacy among the people at the national and international level.
The panel was formed after the first meeting of the National Committee (NC) under the chairmanship of President Ram Nath Kovind to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
The National Committee has 125 members, of which 116 are from India.
First deluxe train Deccan Queen completes 88 years of service
India’s first deluxe train ‘Deccan Queen Express’ (or Queen of Deccan) from Mumbai to Pune marked 88 years of service.
The train began operations on 1st June 1930.
This was the first train which had coaches with roller bearings, replacement of end generation coaches with self-generating coaches with 110 volts system and first and second-class chair cars.
Currently, the Deccan Queen operates with 17 coaches, 4 AC chair car, one buffet car, 10-second class chair car and two-second class cum brake vans.
Important Days
Telangana celebrates its fourth formation day today
Telangana was formed on this day in 2014 following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
A number of cultural, sports and social events have been lined up in the state capital Hyderabad & also in districts as part of the celebrations.
Telangana is situated on the center-south stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau.
Telangana is bordered by the states of Maharashtra to the north and northwest, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka to the west and Andhra Pradesh to the east and south.
International Appointments
Rajoy forced out as Spain's Prime Minister
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy was toppled by a corruption scandal, becoming the first leader in Spain's modern democracy to lose a vote of no confidence in Parliament.
The demise of Rajoy paves the way for Pedro Sánchez (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) to become Prime Minister.
Giuseppe Conte sworn in as Italian new Prime Minister
Giuseppe Conte (53-year) was sworn in as Prime Minister of Italy’s new populist government.
Mr. Conte will head a government of ministers from the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) and the far-right League Party.
International Affairs
PM Modi gives Padma Shri Award to Tommy Koh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over the Padma Shri award to former Singaporean diplomat Prof Tommy Koh (80-years).
Koh was among 10 ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) receipts of the award this year.
Koh has served as Singapore's ambassador to the US and the UN, and as president of the third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea in 1981 and 1982.
Currently, he is chairman of the board of governors of the Centre for International Law at the National University of Singapore.
India signs Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) in nursing with Singapore
India has signed the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) in Nursing with Singapore.
This is the first MRA being signed by India with any of our FTA (Free Trade Agreements) partners.
Singapore agreed to expand coverage of Indian nursing institutions by recognizing seven nursing institutions in the MRA.
India and Singapore agreed to expand the coverage of tariff concessions, liberalize the rules of origin and incorporate new Product Specific Rules (PSRs) to further enhance the trade between the two countries.
Cuba, US to restore direct postal service
Cuba and the US have agreed to permanently restore the direct postal service between the two countries.
This measure is coming into force after the execution of a pilot program, approved by Washington and Havana in December 2015.
This service allows the postal delivery of mail, parcels, and express courier deliveries on direct flights between Cuba and the United States, and through post offices in both countries.
Note: The direct postal service between Cuba and the US was suspended by Havana in 1968 after the explosion of a bomb in a parcel coming from New York that killed five postal workers.
