PUNJAB
No auction of liquor vends this fiscal in Punjab
For the first time in a decade, Punjab has not auctioned its liquor vends for the coming financial year. All vends have been allotted to the same vendors who had won the bids for allotment during the current fiscal.
Though this is in accordance with the state government’s Excise Policy for 2021-22, aimed at renewal of the licences of existing vends, it seems that considering the huge profits netted by the liquor licencees during this financial year, the contractors have agreed to increase liquor sales in order to retain the vends.
The policy of licence renewal was there in the previous excise policies too, but licencees would seek renewal of licence for only profitable vends. There would be no takers for the non-profitable vends and the department would have to auction these vends by lowering the licence fee. For the current financial year, too, there were no takers for renewal of licences.
INTERNATIONAL
World Consumer Rights Day is on 15th March
On March 15, 2020, World Consumer Rights Day was celebrated globally to protect the rights of consumers. The purpose of this day is to raise people’s awareness of consumer needs and rights, and to ensure that they will not suffer from social injustice or market abuse that may undermine their rights. Highlights:
Countries around the world commemorate World Consumer Rights Day by holding human rights conferences and discussing various ways to protect consumer rights.
World Consumer Rights Day was commemorated for the first time on March 15, 1983. Since then, this day of the year has been called World Consumer Rights Day.
The theme of World Consumer Rights Day (2019) is “Trusted Smart Products”. This theme emphasizes consumer demand for IoT products such as smart phones and wearable devices. The theme of World Consumer Rights Day 2020 is “Sustainable Consumers”.
Parliament passed the Consumer Protection Act 2019 in the month of August 2019 which replaces the 1986 Consumer Protection Act. India celebrates December 24th every year as National Consumer Day.
The inspiration for World Consumer Rights Day came from US President John F Kennedy. He sent a special message to the US Congress on March 15, 1962, in which he formally talked about consumer rights.
The consumer movement originally set this date in 1983 and at present uses this day every year to mobilize action on important issues and activities.
Theme for 2021 is: Tackle Plastic Pollution.
NATIONAL
Schemes of WCD Ministry- Umbrella Schemes
All major schemes of the Ministry of Women and Child Development are classified as “3 Umbrella Schemes”, ie. Mission Poshan 2.0, Mission Vatsalya and Mission Shakti.
Mission Poshan 2.0: The Government is merging the Supplementary Nutrition Program with Poshan Abhiyan to launch the Mission POSHAN 2.0.
This will include Umbrella ICDS – Anganwadi Service, Poshan Abhiyan, Scheme for Adolescent Girls, National Creche Scheme.
Mission Shakti: This will include schemes and policies to empower and protect women.
It will include a One-Stop Centre, Mahila Police Volunteer, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Women’s service helpline and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.
Mission Vatsalya: Will study national child welfare services and child protection services.
First Indian Woman Cricketer To Score 10K International Runs – Mithali Raj
The veteran Indian female cricket player Mithali Raj became the first Indian female cricket player to complete 10,000 international cricket matches. She also became the second female cricket player to complete 10,000 runs at the international level. Highlights:
Mithali Raj led the Indian One Day International (ODI) team to join the elite club of Charlotte Edwards in England.
Biggest Floating Solar Power Plant in India Telangana
:India’s largest national power company (NTPC) is developing India’s largest floating solar power plant in terms of power generation (100MW) in Ramagundam in the Peddapalli district of Telangana. Highlights:
The project is in line with India’s commitment to achieve the goal of achieving 175 GW of installed renewable energy capacity by 2022, including 100 GW of installed solar capacity.
Floating solar power plants refer to the deployment of photovoltaic panels on the surface of water bodies. They are a viable alternative to terrestrial solar arrays used in India.
There are a large number of large reservoirs in the southern region, which provides a huge opportunity for using floating solar energy to obtain renewable energy.
The thermal power plant in Ramakundan will be one of the renewable (solar) power plants developed by NTPC, with an installed capacity of 447MW in its southern region, and its full capacity will be put into use in March 2023.
Mathematics and Physics Not Mandatory For Engineering – AICTE
The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has issued an approval process manual for the 2021-22 academic year. Highlights:
The “AICTE Handbook” emphasizes this point; Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics will continue to be important subjects in core engineering streams such as mechanical engineering.
However, for courses such as Textile engineering, Agriculture or Biotechnology, students may choose not to study these three subjects in class 12.
Those who do not choose these courses will have to make up for it through university bridge courses.
This rule will be implemented from the 2021-22 academic year.
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