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Arunachal Pradesh: Famous ‘Parshuram Kund Mela’ begins

January 15, 2020

Parshuram Kund Mela started in North-Eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. Parshuram Kund, a Hindu pilgrimage centre is situated on the Brahmaputra plateau in the lower reaches of the Lohit River.

Devotees across the country visit the sacred place to take a holy dip in the Kund on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. More than 12,000 footfalls of pilgrims are recorded so far who have come to the Mela this year.

The legendary beheading of his mother by Lord Parshuram and eventual penance followed by taking a bath in the so-called Brahma Kund, has added religious significance to this place.

Madhya Pradesh: Government to set up Gandhi chairs and pillars

January 15, 2020

Madhya Pradesh government has decided to set up Gandhi ‘chairs’ and pillars dedicated to him in universities and colleges across the state. The stone pillars will bear inscriptions regarding Gandhiji with an objective to help the young generation connect with the Mahatma, and inspire them to work in nation-building.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath will inaugurate the study centres to promote research on Gandhiji at a symbolic function here on January 30 (the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi). All the varsities and colleges have been directed to complete the work of setting up the chairs and the stone pillars by January 26.

Maharashtra: CM launched first girder of India’s longest sea-bridge MTHL

January 15, 2020

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray launched the first girder for the country’s longest sea-bridge, the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL). The girder weighs 1,000 tonnes and was set off by a 1,400-tonnes ‘launching girder’ marking the erection of the first span in the civilian works of the MTHL.

It is expected to be completed by 2022 and slash the travel time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai from existing 100 minutes to 30 minutes. Estimated to cost around Rs 14,260 crore, it is being financed by a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The bridge is said to be 22 km long, of which 16.5 km will run in the sea making it the longest sea bridge in India, and second after the Bandra Worli Sea Link, that will connect the mainland with Sewri and Chirle. The MTHL will connect the new international airport coming up in Navi Mumbai, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, the country’s first expressway, the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Mumbai-Goa Highway, providing faster access to north Maharashtra and southern India.

China launches driverless bullet train, Ahead of Beijing Olympics 2022

January 14, 2020

In the run-up to 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, scheduled between February 4 and 20, China has launched a driverless bullet train from the capital city to Zhangjiakou, cutting short the travel time for a 108-mile journey from three hours to just 47 minutes. The train has 10 stoppages including Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, which will be close to the venues of the event. The train is capable of running at speeds up to 350km per hour.

Taking about four years to build, the line became operational on December 30. The coaches of the train are equipped with 5G signals, intelligent lighting and 2,718 sensors to get real-time data needed to detect any operational abnormalities. Meanwhile, each seat comes with a touch-screen control panel and wireless charging point.

Considering the requirements of the Winter Olympics, it has larger storage areas accessible by QR codes, a dining car that can be transformed into a media room and removable seats to facilitate wheelchair-bound Paralympians.

Nepal Government to include yoga in school curriculum

January 14, 2020

The Nepal government is set to make yoga education compulsory for school children by including it in their curriculum, it was reported. Krishna Prasad Kapri, Joint secretary at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, said: “The ministry has completed designing courses on yoga for grades 9, 10, 11 and 12,”

Through integrated approach, certain topics about yoga will be included as part of the compulsory subjects such as English and Nepali. However the students can make choice between yoga, Ayurveda and natural medicine as optional subjects. Ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said that yoga was being integrated in the curriculum “to promote a healthy lifestyle”.

Another curriculum for a three-year vocational course on Technical School Leaving Certificate in Yoga, Ayurveda and Naturopathy has also been designed which will be taught under three-year diploma programme. The curriculum will be timely revised as per the need.

Sri Lanka economic to grow 3.3 percent in 2020: World Bank

January 14, 2020

The World Bank has forecast Sri Lanka’s economic growth for 2020 at 3.3 percent. In its latest report of “World Bank’s January 2020 Global Economic Prospects,” the World Bank said for 2021 and 2022, it maintains the same forecast of 3.7 percent of economic growth in Sri Lanka.

The report further said growth in the region is expected to rise to 5.5 percent in 2020, assuming a modest rebound in domestic demand and economic activity benefiting from policy accommodation in India and Sri Lanka, as well as improved business confidence and support from infrastructure investments in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Sri Lanka’s new government headed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said recently that one of its targets include achieving a 6.5-percent economic growth per annum from 2020 and a GDP growth of 6,500 U.S. dollars per capita.

India – Bangladesh Information and Broadcasting Ministers’ Meet 2020

January 14, 2020

The India-Bangladesh Information and Broadcasting Ministers’ Meet 2020 was held in New Delhi on 14th January. India’s Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar and Bangladeshi counterpart Muhammad H Mahmud were representing their respective countries in the meet. The meeting was concluded with the signing of some MoU’s between the two countries. During the meeting, the two ministers signed MoU for content exchange programme between Prasar Bharati and Bangladesh Radio Betar. According to the MoU, Indian content will be aired on Bangladesh Radio Betar and reciprocally All India Radio will air content of Bangladesh Radio Betar.

India’s National Film Development Corporation and Bangladesh’s Film Development Corporation has also signed MoU to jointly produce a film as the biopic of Bangladesh’s first president Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and will be directed by the noted Indian Director Shyam Benegal. The biopic is planned to be released in March 2021 on the occasion of centenary celebrations of Banga Bandhu. Bangladesh will also celebrate “Mujib Year” from March 17, 2020 to March 17, 2021 to commemorate the centenary year of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. During the Meet, India also announced to extend its support for the establishment and development of ‘Bongobondhu Film City’.

Centre to set up panel to examine issues on revision of royalty rates

January 14, 2020

The Mines Ministry has decided to set up an 11-member panel including mines secretaries from various states like Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha to examine issues pertaining to the revision of rates of royalty for minerals and dead rent for minerals (other than coal, lignite, sand for stowing and minor minerals) .

The 11-member committee under the Chairmanship of Mines Additional Secretary will submit the report to the Ministry of Mines after examining the issues raised by stakeholders within a period of one month from the date of holding its first meeting.

Kento Momoto beats Axelsen to lift Malaysia Masters 2020 title

January 14, 2020

World number one Kento Momota won the Malaysia Masters after easily defeating Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen 24-22, 21-11. The victory in Malaysia lends credence to Momota’s drive to win the gold in July’s Tokyo Olympics.

The reigning world champion told reporters that he eyes more success in 2020. Japanese badminton player, Momota currently the best player on the planet, won a record 11 titles last year.

Amit Shah chairs 6th meeting of the Island Development Agency

January 14, 2020

Union home minister Amit Shah, chaired the sixth meeting of the Island Development Agency (IDA) on Monday. In the meeting chaired by Shah, the progress made under the “Holistic development of islands” program was reviewed. In the meeting, a detailed presentation was made by the CEO of NITI Aayog highlighting the current status of the planned projects being implemented for the benefit of the islanders.

The status of the implementation of decisions taken in the last meeting were also highlighted in the presentation. The meeting was attended by Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Admiral D. K. Joshi (retd), administrator of Lakshadweep Dineshwar Sharma, Rajiv Gauba, Cabinet Secretary, Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog among other officials.