PUNJAB

Cabinet nod to six proposals of state Finance Commission

A meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday approved several key recommendations of the 6th Punjab Finance Commission, including compensation for revenue losses on certain counts.

The commission, headed by former Chief Secretary KR Lakhanpal, had submitted seven recommendations to the Governor on January 29, 2021.

While six of the recommendations were approved, one relating to continuation of devolution of 4 per cent share of state taxes to local bodies for the year 2021-22 will be examined by a group of ministers. The group will comprise Finance Minister, Local Government Minister, Rural Development and Panchayats Minister and Water Supply and Sanitation Minister.

Among the key recommendations accepted by the Cabinet are continuation of compensatory payments in case of loss of revenue from the abolition of octroi on power and liquor to local bodies for the year 2021-22; continuation of 16 per cent share of excise duty on IMFL and 10 per cent share on auction money from liquor vends to be devolved to the panchayati raj institutions and urban local bodies.

The Finance Commission, was constituted by the state under Section 3(1) of the Punjab Finance Commission for Panchayats and Municipalities Act, 1994 vide a notification on July 3, 2018.

INTERNATIONAL

China celebrates traditional ‘Lantern Festival’

China is celebrating its traditional Lantern festival.

Celebrated on the 15th day of the first Chinese lunar month, the Lantern Festival traditionally marks the end of the Chinese New Year also known as ‘Spring Festival’ period.

In 2021, China ushered into Lunar New Year – the ‘Year of the Ox’ on 12th February.

The Lantern Festival is also the first full moon night in the Chinese calendar, marking the return of spring and symbolizing the reunion of family.

Zero Discrimination Day: 01 March

Zero Discrimination Day is observed every year on 01 March.

The day aims at highlighting the urgent need to take action to end the inequalities surrounding income, sex, age, health status, occupation, disability, sexual orientation, drug use, gender identity, race, class, ethnicity and religion that are prevalent around the world.

It was first observed on March 1, 2014. Zero Discrimination Day is significant to organizations such as UNAIDS that work in combating discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS.

Global Bio India 2021 2nd Edition

Union Minister unveiled the three-day “Global Bio India 2021”.

The 2nd edition of the “Global Bio India-2021” has been unveiled.

The 3-day online event will showcase India’s strengths and opportunities in the field of biotechnology to the country and the global community.

The theme for2021 is “Transforming lives” and the slogan is “Biosciences to Bio-economy”.

As one of the largest biotechnology stakeholder groups, the event was jointly organized by the Department of Biotechnology, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Government of India and its Public Sector Undertakings and the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE) and Invest in India.

NATIONAL

DGCA allows flight operators to give concessions in ticket prices to travellers who carry no baggage

Directorate General of Civil Aviation, DGCA has allowed domestic flight operators to give concessions in ticket prices to travellers who carry no baggage or only cabin baggage.

At present, a traveller can carry up to 7 kilograms of cabin baggage and 15 kilograms of check-in baggage without having to pay any additional cost.

The new rule will allow airline operators to provide tickets at lesser prices to those who opt to travel with no baggage or only with cabin baggage within the permissible weight limit.

The airlines will however have to prominently display the additional charges applicable in case the passenger turns up with extra baggage.

Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme

The Government plans to replace the Technical Education Quality Improvement Program (TEQIP) with the new program MERITE project. About the Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme:

It was launched by the Ministry of Human Resources and Development in 2002 with the assistance of the World Bank and is currently being implemented in phases.

It aims to improve the quality of technical education and strengthen the capacity of institutions.

Technical Education Quality Improvement Programe III (TEQIP-III) was launched in 2017 and will be completed in 2021.

It aims to develop technical education as a key component of improving the quality of engineering education.

The objective is to improve the quality and fairness of engineering institutions in key states (such as low-income states).

Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav 2021 in West Bengal

The third and final stop of the 11th edition of Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav 2021 was held in Murshidabad, West Bengal. Local artists performed a variety of colorful performances, including ‘Baul Gaan’, ‘Alkup Gaan’, ‘Leto gaan’, ‘Jhumuriya’ and Ranpa folk dances.

Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav is a flagship festival of Ministry of Culture. Since 2015, the event has been organized with the active participation of Seven Zonal Culture Centres.

The original purpose was to showcase the country’s rich and diverse cultural heritage in one place, namely Handicrafts, Cuisine, Painting, Sculpture and Performing Arts- Folk, Tribal, Classical and Contemporary Art. Significance

ISRO successfully launches Brazil’s Amazonia 1 satellite, along with 18 other passenger satellites

India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C51 (PSLV-C51) rocket loaded with 19 satellites from Brazil, USA and India lifted off from the rocket port at Sriharikota.

After four stages of separation, the rocket launched Brazil’s 637 kilogram Amazonia 1 satellite, its primary passenger.

Amazonia-1 is the optical earth observation satellite of National Institute for Space Research (INPE).

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