PUNJAB
- State slips to 20th rank in ease of doing business
- Punjab’s overall ranking in the ease of doing business has dropped from number one position in 2015 rankings and number two in 2016, to number 20 (in Reform Evidence) in the 2017 rankings
- The announcement comes among concerns allayed by the industry over the state government’s inability to implement its industrial policy. It has also shocked the state government, which is desperately looking at attracting new investments needed to uplift the sagging economy of the state.
- In 2015, Punjab was adjudged among the best states for ease of doing business, in the category of setting up a new business. In 2016, the state was adjudged among the top states in India for implementing a single window clearance facility.
- Officials say the reason for the state’s ranking slipping to number 20 was that the parameters for gauging ease of doing business have changed. They claim that investor interest in Punjab proves that the state is still an attractive investment destination.
- In 2017, World Bank changed the parameters for ranking different states. The rankings were done essentially on the basis of how many services by various state governments to the industry are provided online. The Punjab government recently started online services in various departments. This will help us improve our overall ratings for 2018. However, on the parameter of industry feedback, the state has been ranked at number 9.
INTERNATIONAL
· Google introduced Launchpad Accelerator for AI, ML Startups in India
- Launchpad Accelerator India” is a new comprehensive mentorship programme tailored exclusively for Indian startups that are using
Machine Learning (ML)and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to build solutions for the pressing problems in the country. - The selected 8-10 startups will get Google’s mentorship and $100K Google Credits.
NATIONAL
- Madras HC ruled that the name of the father in birth certificate is optional
- The Madras High Court has ruled that there is no legal obligationon the part of a mother to disclose the name of the father at the time of registering her child’s birth.
- The court said it will be sufficient for women, who go for intrauterine insemination, to file a sworn affidavit that the child was born from her womb. Justice M.S. pointed out that neither the Births and Deaths Act of 1969, a Central enactment, nor the Tamil Nadu Registration of Births and Deaths Rules of 2000, framed by the State government by exercising powers conferred on it under the Act, requires the father’s name to be recorded in the birth register maintained by local bodies.
· Aadhaar enabled DBT savings estimated over Rs 90,000 crore
- After inception of Aadhaar-based Direct Benefit Transfer(DBT), over Rs 90,000 crore has been saved and gained as on March 31 this year.
- 121 crore residents have so far enrolled for Aadhaar card and on an average over 30 million(3 crore) e-transactions are done using the identification system.
- Aadhaar data is completely safe and secure and is kept in about 7,000 servers in Bengaluru and Manesar.
· Indian Army signed MoU with SBI on the Defence Salary Package
- Defence Salary Package will include free personal accident death, free permanent total disability cover and other accidental benefits to the deceased soldier and family.
- The first MoU between SBI and the Indian Army was signed in 2011 and was renewed in February 2015.
- The renewed MoU will be valid till January 3, 2019.
· ₹1,100 crore to be spent on border villages
- The Centre has released ₹1,100 crore in 2017-18 for the all-round development of villages located along the international border in 17 states.
- According to the home ministry, 61 model villages, with amenities like health centre, school, drinking water, will be developed along the border and ₹126 crore has been released for this purpose.
- The issues related to the implementation of the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) were discussed. Each model village will provide all basic facilities like primary health centre, primary education, community centre, connectivity, drainage, drinking water, etc. to enable sustainable living in border areas.
- BADP covers 111 border districts in 17 states to meet special development needs of border population with focus on people living within 50 kilometers of the International Border.
- A total of ₹13,400 crore has been released since the programme was initiated in 1986-87.
· Centre may cap school fee hikes at 10% per year
- Bringing relief to parents beset by frequent and arbitrary increases in school fees, a government commission is likely to suggest a 10% yearly cap on the fee hike permissible by private, unaided schools, with provisions for penalties in case of violations.
- Although fixing school fees is the domain of state governments, in the absence of a standard fee policy for unaided schools, there has been a growing clamour for central regulations.
- India has 350,000 private, unaided schools — 24% of all schools — where 75 million children, or 38% of all students, study. Such schools do not receive any grant from the government and have to generate their own revenue for sustenance.
- According to the draft regulations, if a school violates the norms provided in the uniform fee framework, it will be fined 1% of the revenue it generates in the first instance, which will increase to 2 % and 5% for a second and third violation.
· Ayushman Bharat: Use of Aadhaar only ‘desirable, not must
- The use of Aadhaar Card is desirable but not a must to avail benefits under the Ayushman Bharat —National Health Protection Mission, the Union Health Ministry said.
- It said that the notification of the Ayushman Bharat – National Health Protection Mission being issued under Section 7 of the Aadhaar Act merely enabled the implementation agencies to ask for authentication of identity.
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