‘One nation, one election’ cleared by Union Cabinet
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday (September 18, 2024) unanimously accepted the report submitted by a high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind that explored the feasibility of ‘one nation, one election’. Ram Nath Kovind-led panel had submitted the report in March ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections. Placing the report before the Cabinet was a part of the Law Ministry’s 100-day agenda.
Chandrayaan-4 mission expansion gets Centre’s approval
Union Cabinet on Wednesday (September 18, 2024) approved expansion of Chandrayaan-4 Mission to include preparatory measures for eventual manned moon mission. It also approved Venus Orbiter Mission. The decision was confirmed by Union Electronics Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The Cabinet approved Venus Orbiter Mission, expansion of Gaganyaan, Chandrayaan-4 missions, said Mr. Vaishnaw.
Cabinet approves ₹24,475 crore subsidy on P&K fertilisers for rabi season
The government on Wednesday (September 18, 2024) approved ₹24,474.53 crore subsidy on phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilisers for the rabi season of 2024-25 to ensure supply of crop nutrients to farmers at affordable rates. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for rabi season 2024 (from October 2024 to March 2025) on P&K fertilisers.
Union Cabinet gives nod to Bio-RIDE scheme to support R&D in biotechnology
The Union Cabinet approved the Biotechnology Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (Bio-RIDE) scheme to support cutting-edge research and development in biotechnology on Wednesday (September 18, 2024). “Bio-RIDE combines two existing schemes — Biotechnology Research and Development (R&D) and Industrial and Entrepreneurship Development (I&ED) — with a new component, ‘Bio-manufacturing and Bio-foundry’,” an official statement said.
Cabinet approves setting up of National Centre of Excellence for Animation on lines of IITs, IIMs
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday (September 18, 2024) approved a proposal to set up the National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) on lines of the IITs and IIMs to anchor the animation ecosystem in the country. Aimed at positioning India as a content hub for providing state-of-the-art content thereby enhancing India’s soft power globally and attracting foreign investments into the media and entertainment sector, the centre will be set up in Mumbai as a Section 8 Company under the Companies Act, 2013.
Cabinet approves continuation of PM-AASHA to provide better prices to farmers
The government has approved the continuation of the PM-AASHA scheme, with an outlay of ₹35,000 crore, to provide better prices to farmers and control price volatility of essential commodities for consumers. “The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the continuation of schemes of Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) to provide remunerative prices to farmers and to control price volatility of essential commodities for consumers,” an official statement said.
Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan, sanctions ₹79,156 crore for tribal communities
The Cabinet on Wednesday (September 18, 2024) approved the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan, with a budget of ₹79,156 crore, to improve the socio-economic conditions of tribal communities across the country. The programme aims to provide all government benefits to five crore tribal families in 63,000 tribal-majority villages. It will cover 549 districts and 2,740 blocks in 30 states and Union territories, according to an official statement.
‘One nation, one election’ not practical; BJP’s bid to divert attention: Kharge
The Congress on Wednesday (September 18, 2024) said ‘one nation, one election’ is not practical and alleged that the BJP comes up with such things to divert attention from real issues when elections approach. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge asserted as the Union Cabinet approved the proposal for ‘one nation, one election’ as recommended by the Kovind panel. The panel headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind submitted the report in March ahead of the announcement of Lok Sabha elections. Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the report was approved unanimously by the Cabinet.
Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls: J&K sees 58.19% voter turnout till 5 p.m.
The first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election saw a voter turnout of 58.19% as of 5 p.m. in the 24 Assembly constituencies. According to officials, the highest voting percentage so far among the 24 assembly segments of the Union Territory was recorded in Inderwal at 80.06%, followed by Padder-Nagseni at 76.80% and Kishtwar at 75.04%. Doda West also recorded a high turnout of 74.14%. In the Kashmir valley, the Pahalgam segment recorded the highest turnout of 67.86%. It was followed by D.H. Pora at 65.21%, Kulgam at 59.58%, Kokernag at 58% and Dooru at 57.90%. The lowest voter turnout percentage was recorded in the Tral segment at 40.58%, officials said. They added that the four constituencies in Pulwama district have not yet crossed the halfway mark.
Kolkata rape and murder case: Stage set for second round of talks between Bengal government, doctors
The West Bengal government on Wednesday (September 18, 2024) invited the junior doctors agitating over the RG Kar incident for a meeting at the state secretariat at 6.30 p.m., responding to their request for a fresh round of talks. In his response, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant reiterated the State’s appeal to the protesting medics to join work in the wake of the emerging flood-like situation in parts of the State. The scheduled meeting would be the second round of talks between the stirring medics and the State government in 48 hours, the first of which was held in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday (September 16, 2024).
Supreme Court says government may argue on law if it chooses not to file a counter to pleas to criminalise marital rape
Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on Wednesday (September 18, 2024) said if the Union government did not want to file a response on petitions seeking the criminalisation of marital rape, it would present oral arguments on the tenets of the law when the case comes up for hearing in the Supreme Court. The observation followed an oral mentioning made by senior advocate Indira Jaising requesting a Bench headed by Chief Justice Chandrachud to fix a specific date for hearing the case.
Wikipedia parent, users move to avert confrontation with Supreme Court over RG Kar victim identity
After the Supreme Court on Tuesday (September 17, 2024) ordered that the identity of the medic murdered at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata should be removed from Wikipedia, the Wikimedia Foundation moved to avert a confrontation with the highest court. The Foundation does not as a policy edit or censor articles, complicating its ability to directly change the contents of the Wikipedia entry on the incident. Instead, a representative for the foundation participated in an existing user discussion on whether the victim’s name should be mentioned in the article on the incident, and the name has been removed, for now, by volunteer editors.
‘My daughter would have been alive…’: R.G. Kar Medical College victim’s father accuses Mamata Banerjee of inaction
The father of the deceased trainee doctor from Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College on Tuesday (September 17, 2024) said that her daughter would have been alive if West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had taken action against former college principal Sandip Ghosh in 2021. “CBI is doing its job, we cannot say anything about this [investigation]… Whoever is connected to this murder in some way or those who are involved in tampering with evidence, all are under investigation… They are sitting in protest [protesting junior doctors] with pain, they are like my children, we feel pain seeing them… The day the accused will be punished, that day will be our victory… In the year 2021 also, many allegations were levelled against former principal Sandip Ghosh; if the Chief Minister had taken action against Sandip Ghosh then, today my daughter would have been alive,” the victim’s father told reporters.
West Bengal economy performs poorly over several decades: EAC-PM paper
West Bengal has experienced a continuous decline in its relative economic performance over several decades, according to a working paper by Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM). Authored by EAC-PM member Sanjeev Sanyal, the paper ‘Relative Economic Performance of Indian States: 1960-61 to 2023-24’ said the development of eastern part of the country remains a concern.
Army officer, fiancée assault case: Orissa High Court grants bail to fiancé of Army captain
Orissa High Court on Wednesday (September 18, 2024) granted bail to the fiancé of an Army captain, who was subjected to custodial abuse and arrested following a heated exchange with police personnel in Bharatpur police station in Bhubaneswar. Arrest of the woman by Odisha police personnel had evoked massive reaction across the country. Both army captain and his lady friend had approached Bharatpur police station in Bhubaneswar to report about miscreants indulged in rash driving past midnight on Saturday.
Chandigarh court issues notice to Kangana Ranaut over movie ‘Emergency’
A court in Chandigarh has issued notices to BJP MP and actress Kangana Ranaut and others on a complaint accusing them of maligning the image of Sikhs in her upcoming movie ‘Emergency’. The notices were issued by the Chandigarh district court on Tuesday (September 17) on a plea filed by advocate Ravinder Singh Bassi, who is also the president of the NGO Lawyers for Humanity.
Pager attack: Taiwan, Hungary firms deny making Hezbollah pagers
A Taiwanese company and its Hungarian partner reportedly denied making pagers that exploded while being used by Hezbollah members in Lebanon on Wednesday (September 18, 2024). The New York Times, citing American and other anonymous officials, reported that Israel had inserted explosive material into a shipment of pagers from Taiwan’s Gold Apollo. Taiwanese prosecutors launched an investigation. Taiwanese company Gold Apollo denied producing the devices and instead pointed the finger at its Budapest-based partner BAC Consulting KFT.
China hits 9 U.S. firms with property freeze over weapons sales to Taiwan
China announced steps against nine U.S. military-linked firms on Wednesday (September 17, 2024) over U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan, freezing their property within China, in the latest move to put added pressure on the United States to halt its arms sales to the island. China has repeatedly called on the White House, an important international backer and arms supplier for democratically-governed Taiwan, to refrain from formal dealings with the island’s leadership. Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory.
Worst drought on record lowers Amazon rivers to all-time lows
The worst drought on record has lowered the water level of the rivers in the Amazon basin to historic lows, in some cases drying up riverbeds that were previously navigable waterways. The Solimoes, one of the main tributaries of the mighty Amazon River whose waters originate in the Peruvian Andes, has fallen to its lowest level on record in Tabatinga, the Brazilian town on the border with Colombia. Downriver in Tefé, a branch of the Solimoes has dried up completely, as seen by Reuters reporters who flew over the river on Sunday.
WHO urges promotion of healthy diet, physical activity in Southeast Asia
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday (September 17, 2024) called on countries in the global health body’s ‘South-East Asia Region’ to strengthen policies and promote healthy diets and physical activity to combat the rising numbers of overweight individuals, obesity, and the spread of non-communicable diseases, which are leading causes of death in the region. Saima Wazed, Regional Director, WHO, South-East Asia, speaking at the inaugural event of a regional meeting to “promote healthy diets and food environments, and physical activity through policies and enabling environments” said that the burden of being overweight, obese, and their associated metabolic disorders has been steadily rising in the region, affecting both children and adults.
Salvatore ’Totò’ Schillaci, the Italy striker who was top scorer at 1990 World Cup, dies at 59
Salvatore “Totò” Schillaci, the Italy striker who was top scorer at the 1990 World Cup that his country hosted and epitomised a player exceeding expectations on soccer’s biggest stage, has died. He was 59. Schillaci had been hospitalised in Palermo following treatment for colon cancer. The Palermo Civico hospital said in a statement that Schillacci died on Wednesday (September 18, 2024) morning after being admitted 11 days ago. Schillaci scored six goals for Italy during the 1990 World Cup. He came on as a substitute during Italy’s opener against Austria, scored in a 1-0 victory, and went on to earn the Golden Boot awarded to the tournament’s top scorer.
Published – September 18, 2024 07:30 pm IST
