15-16 April

15 April

Union Government constituted Task Force on Interlinking of Rivers

Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation on 14 April 2015 constituted a Task Force on Interlinking of Rivers (ILR). It will look into the issues relating to Interlinking of Rivers in the country.

The task force will be chaired by ex-UPSC member and advisor to the Gujarat Chief Minister BN Navalawala and constitutes of experts and senior officials.

Function of the Task Force
• It will take up all issues for expediting the work on interlinking of rivers in the Country.
• Apart from examining the existing links that are laid out as per the National Perspective Plan under both Himalayan and Peninsular components, the task force would also consider alternative plans in place of infeasible links in the present plan.
• It would facilitate interlinking of intra-state and intra-basin Rivers also along with that of inter-state and inter-basin links.
• It would recommend the time schedules for completion of feasibility studies and DPR’s of all the links, implementation schedule of all the links and also suggest on various means of funding mechanisms for the Interlinking of Rivers.
• It would also provide guidance on norms of appraisal of individual projects in respect of economic viability, socio-economic, environmental impacts and preparation of resettlement plans.
• It would also device suitable mechanisms for bringing about speedy consensus amongst the states and will also propose suitable organizational structure for implementing the Interlinking of Rivers.
• It would also try to forge a consensus amongst the states in order to take forward the speedy implementation of the Interlinking of Rivers Program.

Other members of the Task Force are
• Sriram Vedire, Adviser in the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation,
• Prodipto Ghosh, Former Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests,
• AD Mohile, Former Chairman, Central Water Commission (CWC)
• M Gopalakrishnan, Former Member, Central Water Commission
• Virag Gupta, Advocate

Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources, Chairman, Central water Commission, Director General, National Water Development Agency and Joint Secretary (Finance), in the Ministry of Water Resources will be the other members of the Task Force.

Delhi Declaration on Public Health Challenges adopted at 5th SAARC Health Ministers meet

The 5th meeting of SAARC Health Ministers was held on 8 April 2015 in New Delhi. The meet ended with the adoption of Delhi Declaration on Public Health Challenges.

The declaration focuses on issues common to member nations of South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). These issues include universal health coverage, improving health regulatory systems, preparedness for emerging and re-emerging diseases and the challenges posed by antimicrobial resistance and non-communicable diseases.

Main highlights of the Delhi Declaration

Agreed to strengthen cooperation on mutually agreed agreements for prevention and control of infectious diseases and for sharing of information in accordance with international health regulations
Agreed to strengthen capacities for surveillance and monitoring of disease, rapid response and expanding diagnostic facilities
Resolved to strengthen cooperation to promote availability and effective coverage of affordable vaccines including pentavalent vaccine and to also strengthen our response to make SAARC region polio free
Agreed to take appropriate coordinated action which may be required to be adopted by the Member States for prevention and control of Hepatitis which is a major public health issue in the region;
Called upon the Member States to maintain the momentum of actions under the Regional Strategy on HIV/AIDS, to achieve the 90-90-90 HIV treatment target 2020 and to rapidly reduce new HIV infection and AIDS related deaths including from tuberculosis, with a view to ending AIDS by 2030
Welcomed the proposed SAARC Supra-national Reference laboratory for TB and HIV/AIDs, being established in Kathmandu
Agreed to cooperate for combating mental disorders, including autism and neuro-development disorders, through a multi-pronged approach encompassing a Mental Health Policy and a life cycle approach
Agreed to extend cooperation amongst the Member States for capacity development of human resources in public health and clinical medicine
Agreed to attach high priority to combat anti-microbial resistance and impact of antibiotic use in agricultural and animal husbandry sectors
Decided to enhance regional collaboration and partnership in health research among SAARC countries
Agreed to cooperate in improving the standards, certification and regulatory mechanisms for drugs and pharmaceuticals with a view to promoting availability of quality, safe, efficacious and affordable medicines in all SAARC Member States
Agreed to cooperate in the field of traditional systems of medicines
Agreed to holding of annual meetings of the Technical Committee on Health and Population Activities to facilitate intra-regional cooperation and implementation of decisions taken in the earlier meetings of SAARC Health Ministers

Earlier SAARC Health Ministers were held in Maldives in 2012, Dhaka in April 2006, Islamabad in 2005 and New Delhi in 2003.

Allan Donald resigned as South Africa Bowling Coach

Former South African cricketer Allan Donald on 14 April 2015 resigned as the bowling coach of South Africa Cricket team. The resignation coincided with the end of his four year tenure.

He was appointed to the position in 2011 as a member of the team’s chief coach Gary Kirsten’s support staff, which he continued to fulfill under the current coach Russell Domingo since August 2013.

He retired from the first class cricket in 2004 and in his career as a right-arm fast bowler, took 330 wickets from 70 Tests at an average of 22.25 and 272 wickets from 164 ODIs.

TRAI received over three lakh e-mails in support of Net Neutrality

Net Neutrality: Principle of Equal Treatment of All Data on the Internet

The term Net Neutrality was in the news in April 2015. Net neutrality also known as Internet neutrality is the principle that Internet service providers and governments should treat all data on the Internet equally, not discriminating or charging differentially by user, content, site, platform, application, type of attached equipment, or mode of communication.

The term was coined by Columbia University media law professor Tim Wu in 2003 as an extension of the longstanding concept of a common carrier.

Why the term was in news?
• Till 14 April 2015, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) received over three lakh e-mails which were sent in response to a consultation paper released on 27 March 2015 on revamped regulatory framework for the Over-the-top (OTT) services.The paper proposed that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can impose differential charges on applications like Whatsapp and Skype which are providing voice, text services, etc by using the Internet infrastructure provided by them.
• On 14 April 2015, Indian e-commerce major Flipkart pulled out of discussions with Airtel for joining the Airtel Zero programmewhich allows users to access those internet based applications which are registered with Airtel without paying any data charges.

45-day long annual fishing ban on Eastern Coast of India started

The 45-day long annual fishing ban in the territorial waters of Eastern Coastal Zone of the country including Andaman & Nicobar Islands was enforced on 15 April 2015. The ban will help to safeguard fish in their breeding season and increase the fish catch.

During this period of ban, the fishermen with mechanized boats are barred from venturing out into the sea for fishing till mid-night of 31 May 2015. With imposition of this ban, the fisheries authorities have stopped issuing tokens for fishing.

During this period, the fishermen will get time to repair their fishing boats and mend their fishing nets.

On the West Coast including Lakshadweep, the ban on fishing by all fishing vessels in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) beyond the territorial waters is imposed from 15 June – 31 July every year.

Union Ministry of Home Affairs renamed Tourist Visa on Arrival scheme as e-Tourist Visa

Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on 14 April 2015 decided to rename Tourist Visa on Arrival-Electronic Travel Authorization(TVoA-ETA)schemeas e-Tourist Visa (eTV) scheme. The renamed scheme will come into effect from 15 April 2105.

MHA decided to change the name of the scheme after it observed that the name of the scheme (TVoA-ETA) created confusion among tourists and also it had received requests of name change from some Indian embassies.

In the present scheme of things, tourists presumed that the Visa was granted on their arrival; however, the pre-authorization of Visa to foreigners was given prior to travel.

The new name eTV scheme was chosen after the committee constituted for the purpose conducted a contest on mygov.in and selected e-Tourist Visa (eTV) as the appropriate new name. The committee comprised of officers from Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs and Bureau of Immigration (BoI).

Electronic Travel Authorization (TVoA-ETA)
The Union Government launched Tourist Visa on Arrival enabled by Electronic Travel Authorization (TVoA-ETA) on 27 November 2014. The scheme was launched for 44 countries at nine airports to facilitate short duration international travellers.

Under the scheme, pre-authorisation of Visa to foreigners was given prior to travel, under which a foreign tourist was required to apply for a visa online. The visa authorities were supposed to process the application and send an electronic travel authorization, or simply e-visa, via e-mail to the applicant within 72-hours.

Assamese film director, actor Bidyut Chakraborty died

Renowned film director and actor of Assam Bidyut Chakraborty died on 15 April 2015 in a private nursing home in Guwahati after brief illness. He was 55.

He directed several Assamese films like Rag- Biraag, Goon Goon Gaane Gaane and Dwaar. In 1996 for Rag Biraag, he won Indira Gandhi national award for Best First Film of a Director. Rag-Birag was based on a novel written by Jnanpith award-winner Mamoni Raisom Goswami.

Dwaar made in 2012, a film based on a short story Bahiroloi Jowa Baatwritten by Swarnakamal winning film critic Apurba Sharma, was his last film. Swarnakamal awards are one of the National Film Awards given for Best Feature Film, Best Direction among others.

As an actor, he acted in several Assamese films and serials. He made his debut through a small role in Bhabendra Nath Saikia’s Anirban in 1981.

Fifth Normandy Group Foreign Ministers meet held in Berlin

Normandy Four: Germany, France, Ukraine and Russia

The term Normandy Group was in news because the fifth meeting of the foreign ministers of the group members was held on 13 April 2015 in Berlin, the capital of Germany.

Normandy Group or Normandy Quartet is a group of four countries including Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine.

The group was formed to facilitate a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing conflict between the Ukraine Army and pro-Russia forces in the Donbass region of Ukraine.

It was formed on 6 June 2014 after an informal meeting of the four heads of state on the sidelines of commemoration of the seventieth anniversary ofD Dayin Normandy, France.

From time to time, the groupreviews the progress in implementing the truce pact, which came into force on 15 February 2015. The pact was reached in the Belarusian city of Minsk between pro-Russia forces and Ukraine to end the conflict.

Justice AR Dave recused from Constitutional Bench hearing petitions challenging NJAC Act, 2014

Justice AR Dave of the Supreme Court of India (SC) on 15 April 2015 recused himself from five-judge Constitutional bench that was to hear a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act, 2014.

The act replaces the two-decade-old collegium system of judicial appointments with the NJAC.

Justice Dave, head of the Constitution Bench, took the decision following an objection from the Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association (SCAORA) and other petitioners.

SCAORA and other petitioners objected on the grounds of conflict of interestbecause of appointment of Justice AR Dave to the NJAC by virtue of being one of the two senior most judges of SC.

The NJAC Act, 2014, notified on 13 April 2015, provides for constitution of NJAC comprising of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) as the chairperson, two senior most judges of the SC, Union Law Minister and two eminent personalities as members.

The present Constitutional Bench was formed by the CJI HL Dattu on the recommendation made on 7 April 2015 by a three member SC bench headed by Justice AR Dave to litigate the petitions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Germany

Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi visited Germany between 12 April and 14 April 2015 as part of his three-nation tour to France, Germany and Canada.

During the visit, Modi met Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, business leaders and Indian Diaspora.

At the end of his talks with the Chancellor, both the leadersissued a joint statement in Hannover by agreeing to take proactive steps to advance collaboration in the areas of manufacturing, skill development, urban development, environment, railways, cleaning of rivers, language and science and technology.

During the talks, the two leaders also agreed to strengthen their efforts towards carrying on negotiations for an ambitious European Union (EU)-India Free Trade Agreement with a view to its early conclusion.

Other events attended by Modi during the German visit
• He held a round table meeting with the top Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of German Industries in order to urge them to invest in India.
• He jointly inaugurated Hannover Messe 2015 industrial fair along with Angela Merkel. It is a world leading trade fair industrial technology.
• He jointly inaugurated the Indo-German Business Summit in Hannover along with Angela Merkel.
• He addressed the community reception organised by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in his honour in Berlin.
• He unveiled the bust of Mahatma Gandhi at Culemannstrasse in Hannover.
• He met Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's grandnephew Surya Kumar Bose in Berlin.
• He gifted the German Chancellor some reproductions of Sir C V Raman’s manuscripts and papers who had strong connection with Germany.

Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai sworn in as first lady judge of Sikkim HC

Meenakshi Madan Rai on 15 April 2015 was sworn in as the first lady judge of the Sikkim High Court. Her oath of the office was administered by the Governor Srinivas Patil at Ashirwad Hall at Raj Bhavan in Gangtok.

Rai is also the third High Court judge who hails from the small border state.

This appointment of Rai as the judge of the Sikkim High Court has helped the state to get its full strength of three judges after a gap of about one year.

Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai sworn in as first lady judge of Sikkim HC

This appointment of Rai as the judge of the Sikkim High Court has helped the state to get its full strength of three judges after a gap of about one year.

India-Germany released Joint Statement to strengthen Strategic Partnership

India-Germany Joint Statement was released on 14 April 2015 with an aim to upgrade and further strengthen the Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

The Joint Statement was released after the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Hannover and Berlin. PM Narendra Modi is on a three-day visit to Germany.

As part of the statement, the two nations agreed to take proactive steps to advance collaboration in the areas of manufacturing, skill development, urban development, environment, railways, cleaning of rivers, language and science & technology.

Details of Joint Statement
Manufacturing: Utilize the momentum generated by India’s participation in the Hannover Messe 2015 to foster stronger ties between business and industry on both sides in order to support India’s Make in India initiative.

Skill Development:Expansion of existing Indo-German cooperation through new initiatives, including a road-map for enhancing employability of trainees and apprentices by strengthening industry involvement in Skills Development, as in the German dual system.

Science and Technology (S&T): Both sides declared their intent to promote closer R&D cooperation in science, technology and innovation, in particular through extending the tenure of the bi-national Indo-German Science & Technology Center in India.

Urban Development: Strengthen the bilateral cooperation through the establishment of a working group on urban development. Support development of urban planning and infrastructure in India,including
a) Cooperation in the development of new areas of collaboration and mutual benefit in the development of smart cities in India
b) Setting up peer-to-peer network of Municipalities for direct collaboration
c) Assistance in the area of affordable housing

Railways: Support for the modernization of the railway infrastructure including setting up of semi high-speed and high-speed railways and training and skill development of personnel in the rail sector starting with signalling and telecommunications and a high-speed rail system.

Education: To promote closer educational exchanges, including through setting up of an International Center for Advanced Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences, strengthening collaboration between universities in India and Germany through the Indo German Strategic Partnerships in Higher Education program, and enhancing the exchange of scientists between both countries within the framework of India’s GIAN initiative.

Language:To support the respective programs and efforts in India and Germany to broaden knowledge of each other’s languages among the youth in accordance with the national policy of each country.

Environment: Strengthen the bilateral cooperation through the establishment of two working groups in the areas of water and waste management.

Cleaning of Rivers: Following the completion of the Ganga Scoping Mission in October 2014 by Germany, develop cooperation on Ganga River rejuvenation strategies, capacity support for urban sanitation, setting up of standards, approaches to industrial pollution and innovative financial models.

Renewable Energy: Support India’s proposed objective of 175GW of renewable energy by 2022 through technical and financial support for developing comprehensive solar rooftop and green energy corridor projects in India.

Besides, the two nations also agreed to strengthen their efforts towards carrying on negotiations for an ambitious EU India Free Trade Agreement with a view to its early conclusion.

Both sides also explored ways of expanding dialogue on security issues and foreign policy. Towards this, they welcomed the proposed visits of India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Germany and visit of Defence Minister of Germany to India before the Inter-Governmental Consultations.

WEF released a report titled Urban Development Recommendations for India under FUDS initiative

World Economic Forum (WEF) on 13 April 2015 released a report titledUrban Development Recommendations for India under the Future of Urban Development and Services (FUDS) Initiative. The report has been written in collaboration with Accenture.

The report highlights the importance of wider private-sector participation to bridge the urban infrastructure and services funding gap of 110 billion US dollars, which is widening due to India’s rapid urban population growth.

The WEF in its report has made three recommendations on urban development which the Government of India can take so as to foster inclusive growth in urban India. These recommendations are:

Integrate spatial planning at all governmental levels:The primary goal of spatial planning is to integrate housing, strategic infrastructure and urban infrastructure, and improve national and local governance in the context of urban development.

Create a stable policy framework for private investment in urban infrastructure: This emphasizes on creating right conditions for the investors and foster public-private partnerships to enable investments in strategic infrastructure and urban development.

Create institutions to stimulate capacity building and attract talent to grow businesses:Private sector participation requires creation of institutions that will help the private sector in increasing the quality of white collar service jobs and attracting investment in manufacturing capacity. It also emphasizes on need for interdisciplinary collaboration in the area of urban development.

Status of urban development in India

India with an urban population of 410 million is the world’s second largest urban population and its urban population is forecasted to almost double to 814 million between 2014 and 2050.

However, the urbanization rate of India is relatively low at 32 percent. As a result, India is witnessing accelerated migration from rural areas to cities. This in turn is leading to inadequate access to basic urban infrastructure and services facilities to urban population.

Towards this, Government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making some efforts. These include among others introduction of 100 Smart Cities initiative, launch of Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission).

For all this, India needs an investment of more than 640 billion US dollars between 2012 and 2031 to deliver basic urban infrastructure to this growing urban population.

About FUDS Initiative

The WEF Future of Urban Development and Services (FUDS) Initiative serves as a partner in transformation to cities around the world as they seek to address major urban challenges and transition towards smarter, more sustainable cities in this rapidly urbanizing world. The FUDS Initiative works collaboration with local partners.

The report on India is the third in the FUDS Initiative. The first two presented the results of the initiative’s engagement with three Chinese cities: Tianjin, Dalian and Zhangjiakou.

Union Government planned to push for Green Bonds to meets its target of renewable energy

Green Bonds: Fixed-income financial instruments linked to climate change solutions

Green Bonds were in news recently as Union Government plans to push for it to meet its target to install 100 gigawatts (GW) of solar power and 60000MW of wind power by 2022 for which it needs 200 billion US dollars.

Green Bonds or Climate Bonds are fixed-income financial instruments (bonds) linked to climate change solutions. These bonds are either dollar or rupee denominated and are relatively a new asset class.

Like normal bonds, these bonds can be issued by governments, multi-national banks or corporations. The issuing entity guarantees to repay the bond over a certain period of time, plus either a fixed or variable rate of return.

These bonds were created to fund projects that have positive environmental and/or climate benefits. The majority of the green bonds issued are green use of proceeds or asset-linked bonds. Proceeds from these bonds are earmarked for green projects but are backed by the issuer’s entire balance sheet.

Green bonds will potentially help cut the cost of clean power and make it easier for developers to sell power to distribution utilities.

Towards this, the government has approached eight lenders to raise low-cost and long-term funds. These lenders are Infrastructure Finance Co. Ltd (IIFCL), Power Finance Corp. Ltd (PFC), REC, IDBI Bank Ltd, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd (IREDA), ICICI Bank Ltd and Yes Bank Ltd, among others.

IMF released World Economic Outlook April 2015 Update

International Monetary Fund (IMF) on 14 April 2015 released World Economic Outlook (WEO) April 2015 Report. The report is titled Uneven Growth: Short-term and Long-term Factors.

Global growth is forecasted at 3.5 percent in 2015 and 3.8 percent in 2016 which is in line with forecasts made in the January 2015 WEO Update. Also the global growth rate in 2015 is broadly same as it was in 2014.

Growth in advance economies will rebound

•Global growth in 2015 will be driven by a rebound in advanced economies supported by the decline in oil prices.
•In advanced economies, growth is projected to strengthen in 2015 relative to 2014, but in emerging market and developing economies it is expected to be weaker.
•Growth in the United States is projected to exceed 3 percent in 2015–16. Domestic demand will be supported by lower oil prices, more moderate fiscal adjustment, and continued support from an accommodative monetary policy stance.

•Report projected that after a disappointing 2014, a weaker Chinese Yen and lower oil prices are expected to lead to a pickup of growth in Japan.

Emerging and developing economies will slow

•Growth forecasts for most emerging and developing economies (with the important exception of India) are slightly worse. Growth is projected to slow from 4.6 percent in 2014 to 4.3 percent in 2015. This reflects a variety of factors.
•Oil price declines will sharply slow growth for oil exporters, especially those that also face difficult initial conditions —for example, geopolitical tensions in the case of Russia.
•The Chinese authorities’ emphasis on reducing vulnerabilities from recent rapid credit and investment growth will likely cause a further slowdown in investment, particularly in real estate.
•Latin America’s outlook will continue to weaken due to lower commodity prices. Brazil’s outlook is also affected by a drought, tighter macroeconomic policies, and weak private sector sentiment.
•Growth in low-income countries as a group, however, has stayed high. Growth is expected to slow only slightly to 5.5 percent in 2015, from 6 percent in 2014, and then to rebound in 2016, partly thanks to increased external demand from advanced economy trading partners.

Raising growth still a priority

•In many advanced economies, accommodative monetary policy remains essential to support economic activity and lift inflation expectations.
•In many emerging market and developing economies, there is only limited macroeconomic policy space to support growth.
•In oil importing countries lower oil prices will reduce inflation pressure and external vulnerabilities, and in economies with oil subsidies, the lower prices may provide room to strengthen fiscal positions.
•Oil exporting countries, on the other hand, have to absorb the terms-of-trade shock and face greater fiscal and external vulnerabilities.
•Emerging market and developing economies also have an important structural reform agenda. These economies can reap productivity gains by easing limits on trade and investment, removing infrastructure bottlenecks and improving business conditions.

Projection about India

•India’s growth is projected to strengthen from 7.2% in 2014 to 7.5 % in 2015 and 2016.
•For the first time since 1999, India’s growth rate may eclipse China’s and there is increasing divergence in the growth paths of the two countries.
•India is trying to shift from consumption to investment led growth at a time when China is going opposite way.

Temasek acquired InnoVen Capital India for 300 crore rupees

Singapore-based investment firm Temasek on 14 April 2015 acquired InnoVen Capital India, formerly known as SVB India Finance, for 300 crore rupees.

With this acquisition, Temasek announced its entry into the venture debt segment.

InnoVen Capital India will be independently managed with a reconstituted board of 5 members, comprising Madhabi Puri Buch, former chief executive officer of ICICI Securities, as chairperson.

Temasek has assets under management to the tune of 177 billion US dollar as on 31 March 2014, and has actively invested across sectors like financial services, telecom, media, technology, life sciences, consumer and real estate.

InnoVen Capital India provides debt financing to venture capital-backed companies like Snapdeal, Myntra, Freecharge and Practo. It has provided over 75 loans to more than 50 companies in India, aggregating an outlay of over 110 million US dollar of venture debt in India.

Stanford Researchers created a Smartphone Battery that charges in only one minute

Researchers at Stanford University created a smartphone battery that charges in only one minute. The project was published on 6 April 2015. Stanford University chemistry professor Hongjie Dai is the lead researcher of the project.

The battery invented is the first high-performance aluminum battery which is fast-charging, long-lasting and inexpensive.

The researchers placed the aluminum anode, a graphite cathode and an ionic liquid electrolyte inside of a polymer-coated pouch. The electrolyte is essentially a salt that is liquid at room temperature so it is safe.

An aluminum-ion battery generally consists of two electrodes, one negatively charged anode made of aluminum and a positively charged cathode. The aluminum-ion battery could eventually replace many of the lithium-ion and alkaline batteries used in many Smartphones today.

Application of the Aluminum batteries

•Aluminum batteries could be used to store renewable energy on the electrical grid.

•An aluminum battery can be recharged tens of thousands of times. It's hard to imagine building a huge lithium-ion battery for grid storage.

•Aluminum-ion technology also offers an environmentally friendly alternative to disposable alkaline batteries.

Aluminum has long been an attractive material for batteries, mainly because of its low cost, low flammability and high-charge storage capacity. For decades, researchers have tried unsuccessfully to develop a commercially viable aluminum-ion battery.

Fourth Lighthouse Museum of India to be opened at Kannur, Kerala

The fourth Lighthouse Museum of India will be opened at Kannur, Kerala to promote lighthouse tourism. The Directorate General of Lighthouse and Lightships (DGLL) announced on 14 April 2015 to open the museum by the end of April 2015.

The other three lighthouses museums have been set up at Alappuzha in Kerala and Chennai and Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu.

DGLL has set up the Kannur lighthouse museum adjacent to the historic Kannur lighthouse in Payyalmbalam beach, a few kilometres away from Kannur town. The museum will depict the story of its evolution and history.

A gigantic optic, used in Lakshadweep Lighthouse during the 1885-1962 period, a 19th century double-wick lamp of Kannur Lighthouse, a huge fog-bell used to alert shipmen and a deep-sea buoy are some of the exhibits to be displayed at the Kannur lighthouse museum.

A number of drawings of the structure and form of Kannur lighthouse in different periods will also be an added attraction.

16 April

Former Nepalese Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa died

Former Prime Minister of Nepal, Surya Bahadur Thapa died on 15 April 2015 in Gurgaon, Haryana. He was 87.

Thapa, who was suffering from cancer for some time, was undergoing treatment at Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon.

The former Chairman of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RRP) is survived by three daughters and a son. His son Sunil Bahadur Thapa is serving as the Minister of Commerce and Supplies in the Sushil Koirala-led coalition government.

Surya Bahadur Thapa
• In a political career of more than 50 years, he served as Prime Minister of Nepal for five times. He worked under three different kings and his terms were in 1963-64, 1965–69, 1979–83, 1997–98 and 2003-04.
• He had been the first Prime Minister of the Panchayat System.
• He started his political career by executing underground student movement in 1950.
• In 1958, he was elected to the assembly and became Chairman of the Advisory Council.
• In 1959, he was elected to the Upper House.
• Born in Muga village of Dhankuta district on 21 March 1928, Thapa completed his higher studies from Allahabad University.

Chemical scientists Susanta Lahiri and Kattesh V Katti received Hevesy Medal Award 2015

Professors Susanta Lahiri and Kattesh V. Katti received Hevesy Medal Award 2015 for their outstanding contributions in the fields of radio and nuclear chemistry.

The awards were presented to them on 12 April 2015 at the Tenth International Conference on Methods and Applications of Radio-analytical Chemistry held in USA.

Susanta Lahiri is a Professor at Chemical Sciences Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics in Kolkata. He won the award for his contributions to heavy ion induced radioisotope production, converter targets, green chemistry and tracer packet technique. He is also credited with co-creating Ununseptium chemical element (atomic number 117) in collaboration with other national and international scientists.

Kattesh V. Katti is a professor at the Cedntre for Radiological Research, University of Missouri in Columbia, the US. His research interests in the domain of Nano Science and Technology include exploring chemical, biophysical, magnetic and photo physical properties, which are unique to specific nanoparticulates, toward the design and development of sophisticated diagnostic and therapeutic agents.

The Hevesy Medal Award 2014 was presented toHeino Nitsche of University of California in recognition of his international contributions to heavy element chemistry and actinide environmental chemistry.

About Hevesy Medal Award
• The award is the premier international award of excellence honouring outstanding achievements in radio and nuclear chemistry.
• It is named after chemical scientist George de Hevesy (1885-1966), who received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1943 for his work on the use of isotopes as tracers in the study of chemical processes.
• The award was established in 1968 by the Editor-in-Chief and the (then) publishers of the Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry (JRNC).
• It comprises an engraved bronze medal (in a presentation case) and an ornamental scroll, which are presented at a major international radiochemical conference occurring in the year of the award. The Hevesy Medal Award has no monetary value.
• The Hevesy Medal was awarded to nineteen eminent scientists between 1968 and 1986. After an interval of 14 years, the Award was reactivated in 2000.
• The International Committee on Activation Analysis of the Modern Trends in Activation Analysis Conferences (ICAA-MTAA) is currently responsible for administration of the award.

India successfully test-fired Agni III ballistic missile from Wheelar Island

The Surface-to-Surface Agni III ballistic missile was successfully test-fired on 16 April 2015 from the Wheelar Isalnd off the Odisha coast in the Bay of Bengal.

Although the missile has a strike range of more than 3000 km, in the present test-fire, it was tested for a lesser range.

The test-fire was conducted from a mobile launcher by the Strategic Force Command (SFC) with the logistic support from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

SFC is a part of India's Nuclear Command Authority (NCA) which is responsible for the management and administration of the country's tactical and strategic nuclear weapons stockpile.

About Agni III missile
• The Surface-to-Surfacenuclear capable intermediate-range ballistic missile can hit targets in the range of 3000 km.
• The two-stage solid-propelled missile has a length of 17 metres, 2 metres diameter and its launch weight is around 50 tonnes.
• It can carry a warhead of 1.5 tonne, which is protected by carbon all composite heat shield.
• It is equipped with the hybrid navigation, guidance and control systems along with advanced on-board computer.
• It was developed by the DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
• It was inducted into the armed forces in June 2011.

India, Belarus agreed to enhance bilateral ties

India and Belarus on 15 April 2015 agreed to enhance their bilateral ties especially in the field of trade and economy.

The agreement was reached during the meeting of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Vladimir Makei with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi. He also met with President Pranab Mukherjee.

Makei was on a three-day official visit to India from 14 April to 16 April 2015 on the invitation of Swaraj.

Issues discussed during the meet include
• The two nations discussed regional and international issues of mutual interests
• Discussion on bilateral issues including high level political engagement, trade and investment, science and technology, defence, energy and culture were held
• The two Ministers agreed to work together to further enhance these relations
• Swaraj also thanked the visiting Foreign Minister for his Government’s support at the United Nations (UN) to adopt 21 June as the International Yoga Day and for the celebration of the first International Yoga Day this year in Minsk.

During the visit Makei was accompanied by a 3-member business delegation representing prominent Belarusian state enterprises dealing in potash, fertilizers, dumper trucks and tractors. He and the delegation also met representatives of Indian business and industry.

Dr. Mohan Kumar appointed as Ambassador of India to France

Dr. Mohan Kumar on 15 April 2015 was appointed as the next Ambassador of India to France. He is a 1981-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer.

Prior to this assignment, he was serving as Ambassador of India to Bahrain and he will succeed Arun Kumar who was appointed Ambassador to the United States.

In his over 30 years IFS career, he had served at various posts and had handled variety of interesting and challenging assignments.

He had served as Deputy High Commissioner at the Indian Diplomatic Mission in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 2001. He also served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Paris for 3 years.

Sachin Tendulkar elected as member of Laureus Sports Academy

Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar on 15 April 2015 was elected as member of prestigious Laureus Sports Academy. He was named as member at the 16th Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony in Shanghai, China.

He was elected along with retired Chinese professional basketball player Yao Ming. With this, the total number of members of Laureus Sports Academy reached 52.

Kapil Dev and Rahul Dravid are the other Indian cricketers to have received this recognition.

Besides, former FC Barcelona and Spain star Carles Puyol was named as the Laureus Ambassador.

The Laureus World Sports Academy is a unique association of 52 of the greatest living sporting legends, under the chairmanship of Edwin Moses. The Academy Members act as global ambassadors for Laureus, volunteering their time to support the work of the Foundation.

Laureus , established in 2000, is a non-political international charity that works to improve the lives of young people around the world through the use of sport. The first Patron of Laureus was Nelson Mandela.

Laureus World Sports Awards for the year 2015 conferred

The Laureus World Sports Awards for the year 2015 were given in seven categories on 15 April 2015 at Shanghai in China. Ace tennis star Novak Djokovic of Serbia and sprinter Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia were named as the Laureus World Sportsman and Sportswoman of the 2015 respectively.

List of Laureus World Sports Awards 2015
• Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: Novak Djokovic, the Serbian tennis star
• Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year: Genzebe Dibaba, the Ethiopian sprinter
• Laureus World Team of the Year: Germany Men’s Football Team
• Laureus World Comeback of the Year: Schalk Burger of South Africa, who fought through life-threatening meningitis to win back his place in the Springboks rugby team
• Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability: Tatyana McFadden, the wheelchair racer
•Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year: Alan Eustace, he holds the world record for the highest-altitude free fall jump

Three additional awards were announced and they include
•Laureus Exceptional Achievement Award: Two-time Grand Slam winner Li Na of China, who won the Australian Open in 2014, before retiring from the sport due to chronic and worsening left knee injury
• Laureus Sport for Good Award: Australian Oliver Percovich, who changed the lives of young girls in war-ravaged Afghanistan with his worldwide skateboard programme Skateistan.
• Laureus Spirit of Sports Award: Retired Chinese basketball player Yao Ming, who had a stunning career with Houston Rockets until he retired in 2011

About Laureus World Sports Awards
The Laureus World Sports Awards are the premier honours on the international sporting calendar. The winners are chosen by the Laureus World Sports Academy, the ultimate sports jury, made up of 52 of the greatest living sportsmen and sportswomen. Proceeds from the Laureus World Sports Awards directly benefit and underpin the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Since its inception, Laureus has raised 60 million Euro for projects which have improved the lives of millions of young people.

BHEL and Russian firm INTMA inked MoU to set power plant in Kazakhstan

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and Russian company INTMA on 15 April 2015 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to set up a gas-based power project in Kazakhstan.

According to the MoU, the two parties will endeavour to assist each other in the implementation of the deal.

The MoU aims to set forth a path to combine the BHEL's competence in design and manufacturing of power plants and INTMA's strength in handling EPC contracts so as to bid and execute projects of mutual interest in Russia and Kazakhstan.

This MoU will have BHEL to further its presence in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries.

About Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL)
BHEL is an integrated power plant equipment manufacturer and one of the largest engineering and manufacturing company of its kind in India. BHEL that in 2013 attained Maharatna status manufactures power plant equipment like gas turbines, steam turbines, hydro turbines and boilers. It also has robust experience in construction of power plants in India and overseas.

At present it is executing 23 major projects in 16 countries and has presence in 76 countries.

Indiana Chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association (INTMA)
INTMA is one of the leading general Engineering Procurement and Construction contractors (EPC) in Russia and Kazakhstan. It carries a wide experience in industrial construction, renovation of facilities, automation and other energy related sectors.

Delhi Government launched the third phase of Mass Deworming Programme for school children

The Delhi Government on 16 April 2015 launched the third phase of the Mass Deworming Programme. The third phase aims to cover over 3.7 million children from 3032 schools and 11500 anganwadis as part of this statewide campaign.

The third phase of the programme, in vogue since 2012, was launched by the Directorate of Health Services of Delhi in collaboration with the Department of Family Welfare and with technical assistance from Evidence Action’s Deworm the World Initiative.

As part of the campaign, a chewable Albendazole tablet will be administered to the students from Class 3rd to class 12th and suspension Albendazole for class Nursery students. Albendazole is a benzimidazole medication used for the treatment of a variety of parasitic worm infestations.

The third phase of the programme was launched as part of the state level campaign of the National Deworming Day.

Union Government had declared 10 February 2015 as National Deworming Day which provides for a fixed one-day school-based programme to leverage intensive deworming coverage and targeted outreach.

Mass Deworming Programme

The Mass Deworming Programme is a part of the school health scheme called Chacha Nehru Sehat Yojna which was launched by Delhi Government under the then Chief Minister Sheila Dixit in 2012. The Yojana is supported by Deworm the World (DtW).

Status of soil-transmitted parasitic worms in India

World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics show that parasitic worms are a significant public health concern for India, with 241 million children aged between one and 14 at risk.

India has the highest burden of soil-transmitted parasitic worms, helminths in the world. Parasitic worms in children interfere with nutrient uptake, and can contribute to anaemia, malnourishment and impaired mental and physical development.

School-based deworming is universally recognized as a safe, simple and cost-effective solution. The benefits of school-based deworming are both immediate and enduring. Regular treatment can reduce school absenteeism by 25% and increase adult earnings by over 20%.

Ancient Indian sculpture Parrot Lady presented to PM Narendra Modi by Canadian PM

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on 16 April 2015 presented ancient Indian sculpture Parrot Lady to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was presented with the sculpture during his official visit to Canada.

Parrot Lady is a life-sized, sandstone sculpture and is said to be around 900 year old. The sculpture of a Naayika or Heroine has a parrot on her back. It was carved for placement in one of the Khajuraho temples that form a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Madhya Pradesh.

The sculpture of Parrot Lady was found in Canada in 2011 when it was seized under the Cultural Property Export and Import law from a person who did not have proper documentation. It was then turned over to the department of Canadian Heritage in Edmonton.

Jamal Benomar, United Nations peace envoy to Yemen, resigned

United Nations (UN) peace envoy to Yemen Jamal Benomar resigned on 16 April 2015. He was serving as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's special envoy for Yemen since 2012.

He joined UN in 1994, serving various UN entities, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the UN Department of Political Affairs (DPA).

His resignation comes at a time when the fighting in the region has escalated after a Saudi-led coalition launched an air war on 26 March 2015 to stop the advance by the Shiite Houthis.

Earlier on 14 April 2015, UN Security Council (UNSC) adopted a resolution calling for the swift resumption of peace talks and an end to violence in Yemen. The resolution, put forward by Jordan and Gulf Arab countries, also requires the Houthis to withdraw from places they control, including the capital Sanaa.

India and Canada signed nuclear agreement on supply of Uranium

India and Canada on 15 April 2015 signed a nuclear agreement on supply of uranium to India. The agreement was signed between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

PM Modi is on a three-day official visit to Canada, which is the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 42 years.

What is the agreement?

As part of the agreement, Canadian Cameco Corporation will supply 7.1 million pounds of uranium concentrate to India till 2020. The deal is worth 350 million US dollars. The uranium will be sourced from Cameco’s operations in northern Saskatchewan.

Cameco Corporation, the World's largest uranium producer, will make first deliveries in late 2015 and the pricing will be based on the market price for uranium, which is published price at the time of delivery.

Why it is of importance to India?

The uranium agreement is part of deal that took effect in 2013 and it is of great importance to India strategically and economically.

At present, India is the fourth largest consumer of energy in the world and it uses nuclear power for three percent of its electricity. However, under the planned Energy Revolution, India hopes to increase that number to 25 percent by 2050.

Besides, the uranium agreement signifies a new era of bilateral co-operation between India and Canada which turned frosty after India first conducted the test of nuclear bomb in 1970s leading to Canada banning exports of uranium and nuclear hardware to India.

Further, it reflects a new level of mutual trust and confidence between the two countries.