1-2 August 2015
Indo-UK Bilateral Air Exercise Indradhanush concluded
Indo-UK bilateral Air Exercise Indradhanush between Indian Air Force (IAF) and British Royal Air Forces (RAF) concluded on 30 July 2015. The EX-Indradhanush started in Britain on 21 July 2015.
During the 10-day exercise different elements of the IAF contingent operated from separate RAF bases. The Sukhois operated from Corningsby, combat support elements from Brize Norton and the Garud special forces from Hunnington.
The two air forces also operate common combat support platforms, namely the Globemaster and the Super Hercules.
For the first time Ex-Indradhanush was conducted in 2007 at Waddington, UK.
Union Government formulated Draft Rules for Mass Emission Standards for Bio-diesel fuelled vehicles
The Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways on 31 July 2015 formulated a Draft Notification forMass Emission Standards for Bio-diesel (B100)fuelled vehicles also called flex-fuel bio-diesel vehicle.
The Draft rules further seek to amend the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 and these Rules may be called Central Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Rules, 2015.
These standards have been long awaited by the industry especially those manufacturing bio-diesel and will provide alternate source of income to the farmers and the forest dwellers.
The notification provides for the standards for test requirements for type approval and extension for four-wheeled and three-wheeled vehicles using both B100 and diesel as fuel, or either of the two.
The compatibility of vehicle to level of bio-diesel blend or B100 shall be defined by the vehicle manufacturer and the same shall be displayed on vehicle by putting a clearly visible sticker.
The standards also include the conformity of the production tests and the deterioration factor.
Further, the technical specification of the reference fuel B100 has also been included in the draft notification.
This Draft is for wider consultation with all the stakeholders so that vehicles fuelled on bio-diesel (B100) or in all similar blends of bio-diesel with diesel can be manufactured and used in the country.
Maharashtra government announced construction of 800-km Nagpur-Mumbai expressway
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on 31 July 2015 announced construction of 800 kilometers of Nagpur-Mumbai expressway.
The Nagpur-Amravati-Aurangabad-Ghoti-Mumbai expressway, also called Communication Super-expressway, would be build at the cost of 30000 crore rupees.
The expressway would be a six-lane road and in the first phase a four lane road would be constructed. This road will be equipped with CCTV cameras, wi-fi facility and optical fibre network.
Besides, the state government also plans to develop IT parks, smart cities, and education hubs along the road.
The project would be completed in coming five years and the travel time between the state capital and second capital would be brought down from 14 hours to 10 hours.
The announcement is a major move in the surface transportation in Maharashtra. This super-expressway will become a road to development for the backwards regions of northern Maharashtra, Marathwada and Vidarbha in the state.
14-year-old Lucknow boy Prabhroop Sekhon won 2 Gold at Special Olympics World Games
Fourteen year old Master Prabhroop Sekhon on 31 July 2015 won two gold medals in 300 metre and 500 metre Roller Skating at the Special Olympics World Summer Games. The event is being held at Los Angeles, USA.
Sekhon is a student of ASHA School in Lucknow Cantt where he was coached and selected for various camps at State and National level as one amongst the 241 participants representing India. He has been a student of ASHA School since Sep 2013.
An Autistic student, Prabhroop Sekhon is the son of a serving Air Force Officer, Group Captain BS Sekhon.
About Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015 (LA2015)
With 6500 athletes and 2000 coaches representing 165 countries, along with 30000 volunteers and an anticipated 500000 spectators, the 2015 Special Olympics World Games – being staged in Los Angeles between 25 July 25 and 2 August 2015 – will be the largest sports and humanitarian event anywhere in the world in 2015. It is also the single biggest event in Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympic Games.
Honorary Chairs of the Games are President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and California Governor Jerry Brown serving as Honorary Hosts.
1974 Land Border Agreement between India and Bangladesh came into effect
162 enclaves of India and Bangladesh were integrated with the main land with the execution of Land Border Agreement, 1974between the two countries at midnight on 31 July 2015.
According to the agreement, 51 Bangladeshi enclaves situated at Indian soil in Coochbehar District of West Bengal amalgamated with India, while 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladeshi territory integrated with that country when the clock struck 12 at night.
Also, as the clock struck midnight, the boundary pillars known asBritish Pillars which demarcated enclave lands was dismantled.
National Flags were hoisted in all the enclaves in both sides of the border at midnight Friday night. With this, a history of enclave exchange at midnight was created, in which dreams of thousands of enclave dwellers came into reality after 68 years of struggle.
Those who have decided to move have been promised safe and secure passage with personal belongings & movable property till 30 November 2015. Ban on property sale imposed since 6 July 2015 will be lifted to allow those moving, to sell their land.
The transfer helped about 50000 people to get citizenship of either country, bringing them access to all legal rights and civic amenities.
This enclave exchange under the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement was effected during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bangladesh in June 2015 visit and it helped in redrawing the maps of the two countries.
Sri Lankan government decided to renovate temples destroyed in Nepal quake
Sri Lanka government on 31 July 2015 announced its decision to repair and renovate one Hindu and one Buddhist temple in Nepal that was destroyed in the recent earthquake.
According to government spokesman, Sri Lankan cabinet in fifth week of July 2015 decided to undertake the repair of Buddhist temple in Swayambhunath and Hindu temple of Rato Machindranath in Lalitpur at a cost of 34 crore Sri Lankan rupees.
Sri Lankan Army will handle the repair work which will be coordinated by Ministry of Buddha Sasana. Accordingly, a group of officers and technical craftsmen will be sent to Nepal to plan the above task shortly.
Union Government released the Census data on Highest Educational Level Attained
Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India on 31 July 2015 released the Census 2011 data on Highest Education Level Attained.
The data relates to population of 7 years and above by age and sex for total, Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) up to district levels.
Main Highlights
- Primary occupies the top position in terms of percentage share to total literates in 2011 for both total and SCs. The respective shares are 24.1percent for total and 27.7 percent for SCs.
- The percentage share of literates at the higher educational levels, i.e. Middle, Higher Secondary and above have gone up at national level for total, SCs and STs during census 2011 as compared to census 2001.
- In case of Matric/Secondary, there is negligible decline for total while for SCs & STs, there is improvement.
- The percentage share of Graduate and above population of 15 years and above has shown improvement from 5.7 percent to 8.2 percent for total, 2.2 percent to 4.1 percent for SCs and 1.5 percent to 2.6 percent for STs during 2001-11.
- The percentage share of Graduate degree other than technical degree to total Graduate and above has declined by 7.2 percent for total, 7.7 percent for SCs and 7.5 percent for STs during the decade 2001-2011.
- The share of Post Graduate Degree other than technical degree has shown improvement of 2.9 percent for total, 2.4 percent for SCs and 2.4 percent for STs during 2001-11.
- Technical Degrees or diplomas equal to degree or post graduate degree has shown improvement of 4.4 percent for total, 5.3 percent for SCs and 5.1 percent for STs during 2001-11.
The improvements at higher educational levels along with decline in percentage share at below-Primary and Primary level are indication of educational advancement in the country during the decade 2001-11.
Tamil Nadu government instituted youth award in name of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam
The state government of Tamil Nadu on 31 July 2015 instituted a youth award in the name of former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
In a statement issued in Chennai, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa said that the annual Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Award consisting 8 gram gold, 5 laks rupees in cash and a citation.
The award would be given from 2015 onwards on every Independence Day (15 August) to a person from the state who works with exceptional merit in science, humanities and students welfare.
She also announced that Dr Kalam’s birthday on October 15th would be celebrated as the Youth Revival Day.
Former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam widely called People’s President died on 27 July 2015. He was the 11th President of India and was awarded with India’s highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna in 1997.
First National Handloom Day to be observed on 7 August 2015
Union Government on 31 July 2015 decided declared 7th August as National Handloom Day every year beginning from year 2015 throughout the country.
The first National Handloom Day will be launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai on 7 August 2015.
On this occasion, Sant Kabir Awards and National Awards for the years 2012, 2013 and 2014 will be awarded and a new India Handloombrand for better market positioning of quality handloom products would be launched.
The day will be observed to generate awareness about the importance of handloom industry as a part of our rich heritage and culture, promote handloom products and lead to increase in income of weavers as well as enhance their confidence and pride.
As per Handloom Census of 2009-10, over 43 lakh persons are engaged in handloom weaving and allied activities in India.