19-20 MAY 2016

Odisha to launch Green Passage Scheme for orphan students

The Odisha Government on 17 May 2016 decided to launch Green Passage Scheme for orphan students.

The scheme will ensure that the orphan students get free of cost higher education in the state.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also gave his green signal for the scheme, which would function under the department of higher education.

Key highlights of the scheme

•Orphan students pursuing higher education from Plus-II level to post-graduation level will no longer have to bear the education expenses.

•As many as 16382 orphan students lodged in 272 institutions across the state, will be exempted of admission fee, tuition fees and laboratory fees for higher studies.

•They will be provided free hostel facilities and food.

•The state government has also directed all government, private, government aided colleges and universities to ensure that the orphan students are not charged in any form.

•The state government will bear all cost of the orphan students.

World’s largest Single Rooftop Solar Power Plant inaugurated in Amritsar

World’s largest Single Rooftop Solar Power Plant with capacity of 11.5 MegaWatt (MW) was inaugurated at Dera Baba Jaimal Singh at Beas, in Amritsar, Punjab. It was inaugurated by Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal on 18 May 2016.

About the Rooftop Solar Power Plant

• This is the largest Solar Power Plant spread over 82 acres of rooftop in single campus on multiple roofs with installed capacity of 19.5 MW.

• The plant has been set up with the cost of 139 crore rupees.

• This state-of-the-art project was installed by the Radha Soami Satsang Beas Educational and Environmental Society with technical collaboration of Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA).

• The project will generate clean and green energy sufficient to power approximately 8000 homes.

This solar power project at Dera Beas will help in abating about 4 lakh tonnes of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in next 25 years. This is equivalent to plant nearly 2 lakh trees.

Solar Power Plan in India
• Union Government in December 2015 revised the target of 20000 MW of solar power to be achieved by 2022 to one lakh MW of solar power in the same time.

• The government in its submission to the United Nations Frame Work Convention on Climate Change on Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) has stated that India will achieve 40% cumulative Electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030 with the help of transfer of technology and low cost International Finance including from Green Climate Fund.

Indian Women's 4 x 100m Relay Team breaks national record at IAAF World Challenge

The Indian 4x100m women's relay team on 18 May 2016 broke the 18-year-old national record to finish in 4th position at the IAAF World Challenge held in Beijing, China.

The 4x100m women relay team, which included Dutee Chand, Srabani Nanda, HM Jyoti and Merlin Joseph, clocked 44.03 seconds to finish the race.

The clocked time broke the 18-year-old record of 44.43s created by the quartet of Saraswati Dey, Rachita Mistry, EB Shyla and PT Usha on 22 July 1998 in Fukuoka, Japan.

The Indian team ran with Joseph starting the race with Jyoti running the second. They were followed by Nanda with Chand running the anchor leg.

The China A and the China B team grabbed the first and third position respectively while Japan finished second.

The China A team clocked 42.65s for the gold medal. Japan finished the race in 43.81s for the silver medal. The China B team finished third for the bronze medal by clocking 43.89s.

About 4 × 100 Metres Relay

•The 4 × 100 metres relay or sprint relay is an athletics track event run in lanes over one lap of the track with four runners completing 100 metres each.

•The first runners must begin in the same stagger as for the individual 400 m race.

•A relay baton is carried by each runner and must be passed within a 20 m changeover box, which extends 10 m on either side of each 100 m mark of the race.

•Another line is marked 10 m further back, marking the earliest point at which the outgoing runner may begin.

About IAAF World Challenge

•The IAAF World Challenge is an annual global circuit of fourteen one day athletics competitions organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

•Started in 2010, it comprised the second level (after the IAAF Diamond League) of athletics meetings over the season and replaced the IAAF Grand Prix.

Union Government urged CMs of drought effected states to prepare weekly action plans on drought

Prime Minster Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Radha Mohan Singh held meetings with the Chief Ministers of 10 drought affected states in May 2016.

States suffering from drought and water scarcity situations are Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Telangana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.

Highlights of the meet

• The Chief Ministers were asked to take immediate steps to fight drought and review it on week to week basis. This will help them to fight with challenges like shortage and scarcity of drinking water, conservation efforts and usage of existing water resource optimally and prudently.

• They were asked to periodically review water shortage.

• They were asked to come up with the long term mitigation along with drought proofing measures specific to individual States.

• States were asked to undertake a major drive for construction of farm ponds, adopt micro irrigation and diversify into crops requiring less water.

• The States would promote water storage and water conservation practices and rejuvenate water bodies.

• While promoting dug wells and farm ponds, the State will incentivise solar pumps for irrigation.

• Integrated action plan will be developed for water conservation, desiltation of irrigation tanks, rain water harvesting, ground water recharge, watershed development etc.

• Maintenance of check dams, percolation tanks, lining of canals, prevention of water leakage and pilferage in distribution network will be prioritised

• The chief ministers were asked to prioritize water use and promote recycling waste water & use it for agriculture purpose in periurban areas.

• Special emphasis will be laid down on reviving defunct traditional/historical step wells in different parts of the country.

• All water bodies will be numbered by assigning a unique identity.

• Underground pipelines will be constructed to complete the missing links of canals in command area. This will reduce evaporation losses besides dispensing with the requirement of land acquisition.

• The Union and State governments involving Local Self Government will take short and long term measures to tackle water scarcity. It was decided that preparatory steps for water conservation would be completed before the onset of monsoon.

• District wise Contingency Plans, information on weather, crop advisories will be made available to farmers on ‘mobile app’ in their language.

• Remote sensing, satellite technology will be used extensively for decentralised contour and ridge mapping and for locating ground water resource.

• The culture of seaweed, pearl and prawn culture will be encouraged in coastal areas.

• Beekeeping will be encouraged along the milk route.

• Rain water harvesting on building in urban areas will be made compulsory.

• Apart from crop diversification, the States will consider value addition and promotion of alternate livelihood- dairy, poultry, fishery, bee-keeping, floriculture, timber farming etc.

Apple announces iOS App Design and Development Accelerator in Bengaluru

Apple Inc. on 18 May 2016 announced establishment of a new iOS App Design and Development Accelerator in Bengaluru.

The new initiative is aimed at supporting engineering talent and accelerating growth in India’s iOS developer community.

This facility is in addition to the Development Office that was formally opened by Apple’s CEO Tim Cook in Hyderabad on 19 May 2016.

Features of the new facility

• Apple’s team will work to inspire and instruct developers on best practices, help them hone their skills and transform the design, quality and performance of their apps on the iOS platform.

• The developers will be given access to tools which will help them create innovative apps for customers around the world.

• The facility will also provide support and guidance on Swift, Apple’s powerful and intuitive programming language created to build apps for iOS, Mac, Apple TV and Apple Watch.

• Swift enables developers to write safer, more reliable code, save time and create richer app experiences.

• The facility is expected to open in early 2017.

Why the Apple choose Bengaluru?

• Tens of thousands of developers in India make apps for iOS, the world’s most powerful mobile operating system and the foundation for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

• Bengaluru is now home to more technology startups than any other part of India.

• Over one million people in the city work in the tech sector, and over 40 percent of graduates from local universities specialize in engineering or information technology.

UN Secretary-General appoints Patricia Espinosa Cantellano Executive Secretary of UNFCCC

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 18 May 2016 appointed Patricia Espinosa Cantellano of Mexico as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The appointment was made after consultation with the Conference of Parties through its Bureau.

Espinosa Cantellano will succeed Christiana Figueres of Costa Rica.

Who is Patricia Espinosa Cantellano?

•At present, Espinosa Cantellano is serving as Ambassador of Mexico to Germany.

•She joined the Foreign Service on 16 September 1981. She then served at the Mexican delegation to the United Nations in Geneva.

•From 1992 to 1997, she worked at the Mexican delegation to the United Nations at New York City and served as general director of the Ibero-American Summit and the Summit of the Americas.

•She was Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mexico from 2006 to 2012.

•She holds more than 30 years of experience at the highest levels in international relations, with a specialization in climate change, global governance, sustainable development, gender equality and protection of human rights.

•Born in 1958, she holds postgraduate degree in International Law from the Institut Universitaire de Hautes Études Internationales in Geneva. She also obtained a degree in international relations from El Colegio de Mexico.

About United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

•The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an international environmental treaty negotiated at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992.

•The UNFCCC was adopted on 9 May 1992, and opened for signature on 4 June 1992.

•It entered into force on 21 March 1994.

•The UNFCCC objective is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.

•The framework set no binding limits on greenhouse gas emissions for individual countries and contains no enforcement mechanisms.

•Instead, the framework outlines how specific international treaties may be negotiated to set binding limits on greenhouse gases.

Apple opens Development Office in Hyderabad

Apple Inc. on 19 May 2016 opened a new Development Office in Hyderabad, Telangana. The office was formally opened by Apple’s CEO Tim Cook.

The facility will focus on development of Maps for Apple products, including iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch. This investment will accelerate Maps development and create up to 4000 jobs.

Apple has been continually updating and adding new features to Maps, including 3D views, the Flyover feature and tools to help customers find convenient places to shop, eat and explore nearby areas.

With iOS 9 Apple added Transit, offering a combination of trains, subways, buses and walking, which is already available for more than 300 cities around the world.

The new facility, located on the Waverock campus, will provide a world-class, LEED-certified home for the expanding Maps team.

This facility is in addition to a new iOS App Design and Development Accelerator that would come up in Bengaluru in early 2017.

About Apple Inc.

• Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984.

• At present, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV.

• Apple’s four software platforms — iOS, OS X, watchOS and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and provide various services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud.

• Across India, Apple supports over 640000 iOS app developer jobs and other positions related to the iOS ecosystem.

DMRC conducts trial run of India's first ever Driverless Metro train

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on 18 May 2016 conducted the trial run of India's first ever Metro train equipped to run in the driverless mode. The train was ceremonially flagged off by Union Minister for Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. 

The six-coach train was ferried to India from South Korea by sea and was brought by road to Delhi on special trailers. DMRC has already assembled 14 such trains and will add 3-4 trains every month to take the total count to 86.

Highlights of the Driverless Metro train
• The driverless trains will run on the over 58 km-long Majlish Park-Shiv Vihar (Line 7) and the over 38 km-long Janakpuri (West)- Botanical Garden (Line 8) corridors of the Phase-III. 
• This new-generation driverless metro train is equipped to travel on Unattended Train Operations (UTO) mode with advanced features. 
• It is suitable to eventually run on UTO mode as the train has extremely high levels of automation. Thus, train operators will not be required to operate these trains. 
• The Operations Control Centres (OCC) of the Delhi Metro system will directly regulate the movement of these trains. 
• The On-board CCTV cameras will provide the inside and outside view of the train. 
• The images from CCTV will be directly accessed by the control centre in driverless mode. 
• This high-tech train will increase the Delhi metro’s frequency to 90 seconds instead of the current average of two minutes. 
• The train boasts Wi-Fi, USB ports, charging points, LED and LCD screens and backrest near the wheel-chair area.

Other Launches
• In addition, a green Receiving Sub Station (RSS) was also inaugurated at Mukundpur. It will help to meet the power requirements of the Majlis Park–Shiv Vihar corridor.  
• The RSS was designed as a green structure with features such as solar power plant, rain water harvesting and sewage water treatment facilities.

Delhi Statehood Bill, 2016 draft released

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on 18 May 2016 released the draft of State of Delhi Bill, 2016. The bill seeks to establish the State of Delhi as the 30th State in the country.

The proposed State will comprise the territories of the existing National Capital Territory of Delhi. At present, NCT Delhi is one of the seven Union Territories of the country.

Highlights of Delhi Statehood Bill, 2016 draft

• It seeks to repeal the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 that formed the National Capital Territory of Delhi by replacing Union Territory of Delhi.

• Areas demarcated under the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and the Delhi Cantonment Board would remain beyond the legislative and administrative control of the proposed Delhi State.

• Delhi Development Authority and Municipal Corporations of Delhi will be accountable to the State administration.

• The bill seeks to replace the term Lieutenant Governor with Governor. He would act on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers as provided in Article 163 of the Constitution.

• Delhi Police will be made accountable to the elected Government of Delhi.

• The New Delhi area which is under the control of the NDMC will be under the Union Government for matters of law, order and land while the remaining areas will be under the Delhi State.

Related Constitutional Provisions

Article 2: Admission or establishment of new States: Parliament may by law admit into the Union, or establish, new States on such terms and conditions, as it thinks fit

Articles 239AA and 239BB

• These two articles were inserted through the Constitution (69th Amendment) Act, 1991.

• The Article 239AA confers special status to the NCT Delhi. Unlike a normal Union Territory, it is provided with a Legislative Assembly and a council of ministers responsible to such Assembly. Apart from Delhi, Puducherry is the only other union territory that has a legislative assembly and council of ministers.

• It provides for National Capital a special status among the Union territories. Except law and order and land, the Assembly has the powers to legislate on all the major subjects.

• The Chief Minister shall be appointed by the President and the other ministers shall be appointed by the President on the advice of the Chief Minister.

• The ministers shall hold office during   the pleasure of the President.

IT department launches e-nivaran platform to fast track taxpayer grievances

The Income Tax (IT) department on 17 May 2016 launched an electronic grievance redressal system e-nivaran to fast track taxpayer grievances and ensure early resolution of their complaints. 

In this regard, a separate and dedicated window for grievance redressal was also launched in the Income Tax Business Application (ITBA).

Highlights of the e-nivaran system
• The e-nivaran system, also named as Unified Grievance Management System, seeks to integrate all online and physical complaints gathered by the department. 
• The complaints at this platform will be monitored by the Assessing Officer up to the supervisory officers in a paperless environment. 
• The system not only records the origin of the grievance on the electronic platform it works on, but it also keeps tracking it till it reaches its logical conclusion for final resolution.
• It will also ensure that grievances related to any section or domain of the IT department is transferred quickly to the concerned department.

Background
The decision to launch e-nivaran was taken in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi few months back with the aims of ensuring that taxpayers grievances are resolved in the shortest possible time. 

It was also suggested that all the departments which have a public interface will endeavor to reduce this time to one month from the existing two months time.

UN-Habitat releases World Cities Report 2016, Urbanization and Development: Emerging Futures

The UN-Habitat on 18 May 2016 released the new global flagship report on sustainable urban development titledWorld Cities Report 2016, Urbanization and Development: Emerging Futures.

The report states that a New Urban Agenda is needed to unlock the transformative power of cities.

Highlights of the World Cities Report 2016
• The top 600 cities, with 1/5th of the world’s population, produce 60 percent of global GDP. 
• Since the last UN conference on cities Habitat II in Istanbul in 1996, the center of gravity for megacities has shifted to developing regions.
• In 1995, there were 22 large cities, and 14 megacities globally; by 2015, both categories of cities had doubled with 79 percent of the megacities, that are located in Latin America, Asia and Africa. 
• Large South-Asian countries like Bangladesh, India and Pakistan feature massive, expanding urban populations in mega- cities such as Dhaka, Mumbai, Delhi, Karachi and Lahore.
• The fastest growing urban centres are the medium and small cities with less than one million inhabitants, which account for 59 percent of the world’s urban population.
• Over the last 20 years, housing has not been central to national and international development agendas.
• The slum challenge continues to be one of the faces of poverty in cities in developing countries.
• Today the world is more unequal that it was twenty years ago: 75 percent of the world’s cities have higher levels of income inequalities than two decades ago.
• Planning as an ongoing, sustainable, inclusive process has been central to the reinvention of urban planning, yet many countries still rely on outdated conceptions of planning.
• Mega cities and metropolitan regions have benefited more from globalization than secondary cities with more than 80 percent of global GDP being generated in cities.
• Less dense cities brought higher infrastructure costs, worsen mobility and destroyed agricultural land.

Persistent and emerging challenges
• Urban areas around the world are facing greater challenges than they did 20 years ago. 
• The persistent urban issues include the growing number of urban residents living in informal settlements and the challenge of providing urban services. 
• The emerging urban issues include climate change; exclusion and rising inequality; rising insecurity; and upsurge in international migration. 
• Between 1950 and 2005, the level of urbanisation increased from 29 percent to 49 percent, while global carbon emissions from fossil-fuel burning increased by almost 500 percent.
• Cities account for between 60 and 80 percent of energy consumption, and generate as much as 70 percent of the human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. 
• The war in Syria has given rise to the largest humanitarian crisis since World War II. In 2015, more than 1.5 million forced migrants and refugees arrived in Europe compared to 280000 in 2014.
• The fear of crime and violence continues to be pervasive in cities. New and pervasive risks affecting cities include terrorism, urban warfare, heightened securitization and pandemics.

The New Urban Agenda
• When well-managed, urbanization fosters social and economic advancement and improved quality of life for all.
• A new agenda is required to effectively address the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities offered by urbanization.
• The new urban agenda should promote cities and human settlements that are environmentally sustainable, resilient, socially inclusive, safe and violence-free, economically productive.
• This New Urban Agenda shall be adopted at the upcoming UN conference Habitat III to be held in Quito, Ecuador in October 2016.

India in World Cities Report 2016
• India is projected to add 300 million new urban residents by 2050 and it will need to build climate-friendly cities to address the challenge of accommodating the needs of the growing population.
• India should plan to build 100 smart cities in response to the country's growing population and pressure on urban infrastructure.

Emergency Zika Funding worth $1.1 billion approved by US Senate

The United States (US) Senate on 18 May 2016 approved a bipartisan 1.1 billion US dollar emergency funding to combat the Zika virus in 2016 and 2017.

The measure presented by Sens Roy Blunt (Republican from Missouri) and Patty Murray (Democrat from Washington) was supported with 68-29 votes. The fund would be designated for both international and domestic Zika control and prevention efforts.

Highlights of the Bill

• The fund will be used to control mosquito populations, public education and the development of a vaccine

• It would be used to increase laboratory capacity for research into the virus connected with birth defects.

• Of the 1.1 billion dollar Senate package about 361 million US dollars will be directed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for programs, and 200 million US dollars will be directed to the National Institutes of Health to aid in vaccine research.

• The fund will also be used for new diagnostic tests for the Zika virus,

• More than 50 million US dollars will be directed for Puerto Rico, which has been especially hard hit.

However, the funding sanction for fighting Zika virus is less than what White House has demanded. It had asked the Senate to provide a package of 1.9 billion US dollar for a broad initiative that would include mosquito-control programs and birth-defect surveillance.

Prior to this proposal, two Zika funding proposals were blocked on procedural votes in the Senate. One stalled with 50-47 vote demanded administration’s 1.9 billion US dollars. The second demanding 1.1 billion US dollars was halted with 52-45 votes.  Both measures needed 60 votes to advance.

Barco appoints Rajiv Bhalla as Managing Director for India

Barco on 18 May 2016 announced the appointment of Rajiv Bhalla as Managing Director for India.

Rajiv will also be the legal representative of Barco India, fulfilling all legal, regulatory and statutory obligations. He will also ensure that all the obligations are complaint with local legal, safety, environmental regulations as well as company directives and guidelines.

Who is Rajiv Bhalla?

•Rajiv holds a BE (Electronics) degree and MBA.

•He holds more than 22 years of senior leadership experience in technology organizations like Thomson Consumer Electronics, Microsoft, NEC and Intel.

About Barco

•Barco is a display hardware and software manufacturer specializing in laser projectors, digital cinema projection, video projectors, and more.

•Barco is an acronym that originally stood for Belgian American Radio Corporation.

•It is headquartered in Kortrijk, Belgium.

•It is active in more than 90 countries and employs 3300 employees worldwide.

•It posted sales of 1.029 billion euro in 2015.

Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourer Scheme – 2016 to be Made Central Sector Scheme

Union Government on 17 May 2016 announced that it is working to revise the rehabilitation of bonded labour scheme and make it a Central Sector Scheme.

The revised scheme was announced by Bandaru Dattatreya, the Minister of State (IC) labour and Employment.

Implementation of the new rules will replace Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976.

Highlights of the revision

• Quantum of Assistance: It increases the quantum of financial assistance from 20 thousand rupees to one lakh rupees.

• Cash Assistance may extend to two lakh rupees in Special Cases and to three lakh rupees in cases of extreme deprivation.

• It proposes to increase the budget provision from 5 crore rupees to 47 crore rupees per annum.

• It proposes a fund of 3 lakh rupees for the most deprived and marginalised like the disabled, female and children who are rescued from trafficking, sexual exploitation and transgender

• The special category that comprises of females and the minors will get 2 lakh rupees

• A normal adult male bonded labour will get 1 lakh rupees

• New Form of Bondages: It aims to address new forms of bondage such as

a) Organised begging rings

b) Forced prostitution

c) Child labour for which females, disabled and transgenders are mercilessly used by the powerful elements.

• Role of District Magistrate: This new package and the money will remain in an annuity account, controlled by the District Magistrate (DM).\

• The monthly earning will flow to the accounts of the beneficiary.

• The corpus will remain untouched till it is decided by the DM.

• The rehabilitation work has been made simple for the DM/Collectors.

• A permanent and renewable district level rehabilitation fund of at least 10 lakh rupees will be available with the DM/Collector which will be used as a stop-gap arrangement before reimbursement by Central Government through the DBT system.

• The DM/Collector is also empowered to provide several non-cash benefits such as land, house, ration and occupational support through State Programmes.

• The DMs/Collectors will also have the freedom to extend state care where bondage is not proved but the person is in distress.

• Other Provisions: Minor children and women will remain in State care and educated & skilled as per their needs. Marriage of orphan girls will also be the responsibility of State Government.

• It seeks to ensure that bonded labour cases are tried and judgment is pronounced on the same day like other summary trial cases as per Cr.PC.

• It will also be ensured that such cases are monitored by the Sessions Courts and the State High Courts by way of regular review as per their respective criminal manual apart from the State Home and Revenue Departments.

• Suitable provisions will be made in the Rules to facilitate institutional involvement of other stakeholders.

Comment

The Bonded Labour System is a social evil which though has declined over a period, however still exists in India despite constitutional provisions for its total eradication. The BLS(angel) Act, 1976 for the last 40 years has not been able to eradicate Bonded Labour System completely.

Even the Rehabilitation Scheme of 1978 have been able to free 2.82 lakh Bonded Labourers in 18 States across 172 districts in the country during the past 38 years. There is no correct estimation of the extent of bondage which has also transformed its form under the compulsions of transitional economy.

Nokia, HMD signs 10-year licensing deal to market Nokia-branded phones and tablets

Finland-based companies Nokia Technologies and HMD global Oy (HMD) on 18 May 2016 signed a 10-year licensing agreement to market Nokia-branded phones and tablets.

As part of this brand-licensing deal, Nokia will receive royalty payments from HMD for sales of Nokia-branded mobile products, covering both brand and intellectual property rights.

In 2014, Nokia sold its entire handset business to Microsoft under a 7.2 billion US dollars deal. While the deal majorly covered manufacturing, sales and distribution, Nokia held on to its phone patents.

Other related agreements signed on 18 May 2016

1. FIH Mobile Limited (FIH), a subsidiary of Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group), agreed to acquire the remainder of Microsoft's feature phone business assets, including manufacturing, sales and distribution.

2. HMD and Nokia Technologies signed an agreement with FIH Mobile Limited (FIH) to establish a collaboration framework to support the building of a global business for Nokia-branded mobile phones and tablets.

The above three agreements together will give HMD full operational control of sales, marketing and distribution of Nokia-branded mobile phones and tablets across the world.

Five Indian car models fail crash tests conducted by NCAP

Five Indian car models got zero star ratings after failing in the crash tests conducted by the Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP) on 17 May 2016. The cars that failed the crash tests are the Renault Kwid, Maruti Suzuki’s Celerio and Eeco, Mahindra Scorpio and Hyundai Eon.

Global NCAP participated in a two-day conference on road safety hosted by the Institute of Road Traffic Education in Faridabad.

Highlights of the crash tests conducted by NCAP
• The results showed low levels of adult occupant protection in the five models. 
• The Renault Kwid was tested in three versions including one with airbags, but none got a star for adult safety. 
• As for the Scorpio, it scored zero stars in adult occupant protection and two in child occupant protection. The collapse of the structure combined with the lack of airbags indicated high probability of life threatening injuries for adult passengers.
• Hyundai Eon, which is offered in the standard version without airbags, scored zero stars in adult occupant protection with two in child occupant protection. Global NCAP cited unstable structure in the passenger compartment and lack of airbags as the cause.
• The non-airbag Maruti Suzuki Celerio and Eeco scored zero stars in adult occupant protection and one star in child occupant protection.

Comment
The results of the crash test show how important it is for cars to have a body shell that can remain stable in a crash. This is an absolutely crucial prerequisite for occupant safety together with fitment at least of front airbags.

These results will certainly link up to Centre’s decision to mandate front and side impact crash tests from October 2017.

Assembly Election 2016: Jayalalitha, Mamta retain power; BJP in Assam and Kerala goes Left

The counting of State Assembly Elections 2016 in four states Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam and Union Territory Puducherry started in early morning today on 19 May 2016.

Tamil Nadu & West Bengal

The early trends suggest that women power continues to holds sway in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal with Jayalaitha-led AIADMK party leading in 136 out of 234 assembly seats, while Mamta Banerjee-led TMC leading in 219 out of 294 total assembly seats.

In West Bengal the voting were casted in six phases

• 1st phase - on 4 April and 11 April 2016

• 2nd phase - 17 April 2016

• 3rd phase - 21 April 2016

• 4th Phase – 25 April 2016

• 5th Phase - 30 April 2016

• 6th Phase - 5 May 2016

Party

Seats Won/Leading

TMC

211

Left+

71

BJP

3

Others & Independent

9

Tamil Nadu underwent the elections for 234 Assembly seats. The voting were casted in single phase on 16 May 2016.

Party

Seats Won/Leading

AIADMK+

134

DMK+

98

BJP+

0

Others

1

Kerala & Assam

In Kerala, Left has raced ahead 88 seats out of 140 total assembly seats while in Assam BJP’s strong entry narrates the success of Modi-Shah strategy with BJP leading in 72 seats out of 126 total assembly seats.

Party

Seats Won/Leading

LDF

91

UDF

47

BJP+

1

Others

1

Assam underwent the elections for 126 Assembly seats. The voting were casted in two phases

• 1st Phase - 4 April 2016

• 2nd Phase - 11 April 2016

Party

Seats Won/Leading

Congress+

25

BJP+

86

AIUDF+

13

Others

2

Puducherry

The grand old party of India, Congress party seems to have lost its hold over the entire country and the assembly elections 2016 may prove to be the last nail in the coffin of Congress demise. It only has to console with Puducherry as early trends suggest it leading on 11 seats out of total 30 assembly seats. However, here also it will be only able to form the government in alliance with DMK.

The voting were casted in single phase on 16 May 2016.

Party

Seats Won/Leading

Congress

17

AINRC

8

AIADMK

4

Independent & Others

1

Major takeaways:

• BJP has emerged as one of the player in states where it drew zero earlier. It has made noteworthy inroads in West Bengal with it leading on 10 seats.

• In Tamil Nadu history is in making with Jayalalithaa beating anti-incumbency factor is all set to become the first leader in the state to be chief minister for two consecutive times since 1989.

• At present BJP rules in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Puducherry,

• Congress is in power in 8 states, namely Assam, Kerala, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Manipur.

Ola signs MoU with Union Government to benefit Safai Karamcharis

Mobile app for transportation Ola on 18 May 2016 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) of the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to benefit Safai Karamcharis.

Highlights of the MoU
• The MoU aims to focus on building a sustainable framework by supporting entrepreneurship, skill development training and self-defence courses for Safai Karamcharis and Scavengers.
• The Ola-NSKFDC partnership will generate synergies that will result in a better future for driver entrepreneurs by creating sustainable careers and livelihoods for them.
• Ola will help create opportunities for these trained drivers by giving them access to infrastructure, financing and continuous revenue. 
• Aimed at socio-economic development of Scavengers, the MoU will aim at benefitting these people by enabling livelihood opportunities, especially for women beneficiaries identified by NSKFDC.
• Ola will facilitate driver-partner micro-entrepreneurship opportunities on its platform for those who are identified and trained by NSKFDC. 
• Ola will also help the trained women drivers with opportunities like assistance in buying a car directly from manufacturers with the support of financial institutions.

Background
This initiative is in line with Ola's mission to up-skill drivers and create an ecosystem that is conducive for them to grow as entrepreneurs.

Ola has also forged a number of partnerships with State Governments and other Government agencies to accomplish a shared vision of creating entrepreneurship opportunities for hundreds of thousands of men and women across the country.

Kerala Assembly Election 2016 Results: Left Democratic Party returns to Power

The counting are completed and the results have become clear. 91-year old VS Achutanandan may return to the helm of chief minister for the second time as Left Democratic Front (LDF) won 84 seats out 140 assembly seats.

Compared to 2011 assembly elections when it had won 68 seats, LDF increased its tally by 12 seats in 2016 assembly elections.

On the other hand, Congress Party led United Democratic Front (UDF), like in other states, is in for a huge setback. It won only in 47 seats, a big 23 seats drop compared to 2011 assembly elections.

Party

Won

Bharatiya Janata Party

1

Communist Party of India

19

Communist Party of India (Marxist)

58

Indian National Congress

22

Nationalist Congress Party

2

Indian Union Muslim League

18

Janata Dal (Secular)

3

Kerala Congress (M)

6

Communist Marxist Party Kerala State Committee

1

Congress (Secular)

1

Kerala Congress (Jacob)

1

Kerala Congress (B)

1

National Secular Conference

1

Independent

6

Total

140

BJP opens account in Kerala

Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has something to rejoice as it manages to open an account in Kerala by winning the Nemom seat, a suburb of state capital Thiruvananthapuram.

The account for BJP was opened by 86-year-old former Union minister O Rajagopal, who won by over 8000 votes. He will go down in history as the first BJP MLA in Kerala’s 140-member assembly.

It was the image of Rajagopal, popularly known as ‘Rajettan’, apart from the BJP’s organisational strength that helped the party to create history. He is considered a noble and well meaning person.

Anti-incumbency factor

Anti-incumbency factor against the Congress chief Minister Oommen Chandy is responsible for such a massive setback to the grand old party in the state. The government had been hit by a series of corruption scandals involving some of his top aides and ministers.

There also has been a barrage of criticism following a spate of crime against women, especially the horrific rape, torture and murder of a Dalit student.

India, China home to one-third of mentally ill people: Lancet study

India and China are home to more than a third of the global burden of mental illnesses. It was revealed by the Lancet journal on 18 May 2016 to mark the launch of China-India Mental Health Alliance Series.

Key findings of the study

• Nearly one-third of the global burden of mental illness and substance abuse disorders is borne by India and China combined.

• This is higher than such cases in all developed countries put together.

• While India accounted for 15 percent of the global mental, neurological and substance use disorder burden, China accounted for 17 percent.

• Developing countries as a whole accounted for three-fourths of the global burden of mental illnesses.

• That burden will become much heavier in coming decades, especially in India, where it is projected to increase by a quarter by 2025.

• In India, only 10 percent with mental disorders are estimated to receive evidence-based interventions. In China, the treatment-seeking rate is less than 6 percent.

• Less than one percent of national healthcare budgets in China and India are allocated to mental health care.

• In the USA the figure is nearly 6 percent, while in Germany and France it is pegged around 10 percent.

About China-India Mental Health Alliance Series

• The China-India Mental Health Alliance comprises experts from both countries and elsewhere.

• The experts have worked to produce a collection of systematic reviews based on extensive literature searches of both international and national databases.

• The series is aimed at encouraging further collaboration between Chinese and Indian mental health research communities to address shared concerns.

• Vikram Patel (India) and Michael R Phillips are the Series leaders.

Consolidation in Indian Banking sector: Pros & Cons

India’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) formally started merger of 5 associative banks and Bharatiya Mahila Bank with itself. The merged entity will have India’s one-fourth of the deposit and loan market.

Post-consolidation, SBI’s market share will increase from 17 per cent to 22.5-23 per cent, while the total business of the merged entity will be over 35 lakh crore rupees.
Against this backdrop, it is pertinent to analyse pros and cons of consolidation in the Indian banking sector.

Arguments in favour of consolidation

• India is the fastest growing major economy in the world. To sustain this growth, there is a need for mega banks that only will ensure investments into the large scale infrastructure projects.

• At present, there are a total of 27 public sector banks (PSBs) in the country. Apart from the SBI, all the remaining banks are regional banks. Hence, consolidation helps in leveraging the benefits of economies of scale.

• Banking sector is suffering from non performing assets (NPAs) problem. To overcome this, the government is resorting to capital infusion. Consolidation will increase capital efficiency, apart from improving the ability of banks to recover bad loans.

• Consolidation will help in leveraging the synergies among the banks that have diverse portfolios, focus areas and coverage areas.

• As the government is the only common owner of all the PSBs, the process of consolidation is much easier and effortless.

• Indian companies are going global. Now we are home to many multinational companies that have presence in various sectors of the economy. Again this context, big-ticket Indian banks are the most proper platforms to deliver financial services to them.

• At present, there is not a single Indian bank in the top 50 global banks list. The consolidation is expected to fill this gap, and, consequently, help build the ‘Brand India’ among international investors.

• International experience is also favourable towards consolidation. Banks in Japan gained a lot as a result of large scale merger and acquisition process between 1990 and 2004.

Arguments against consolidation

• Experts argue that consolidation should take place in a positive environment. The present process of consolidation is not driven by the inherent strength of the banking system. It is resorted to escape from the problem of NPAs.

• There are apprehensions among the labour unions that the consolidation will lead to job losses.

20 may

Assam Assembly Election 2016 Results: BJP creates history by winning absolute majority with its allies

Election Commission on 19 May 2016 announced results of 2016 Legislative Assembly Election of Assam. The elections were held in two phases on 4 April 2016 and 11 April 2016 for 126 assembly seats.

In the election, BJP and its alliance partners have won an absolute majority in Assam state assembly election. It has won 60 seats on its own in the 126 member House. Its ally AGP has won 14 seats while another ally BPF has bagged 12 seats.

BJP has thus made history by winning an assembly election in the state. Ruling Congress has bagged 26 seats, AIUDF 13 and one seat has gone to an independent.

Results as declared

Party

Won

Bharatiya Janata Party

60

Indian National Congress

26

All India United Democratic Front

13

Asom Gana Parishad

14

Bodoland Peoples Front

12

Independent

1

Total

126

BJP Chief Ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal has won from Majuli seat, defeating his nearest rival by more than 18000 votes. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has won in Titabar, with a margin of over 17000 votes.

Comment

This thumping win of BJP in north-east India can be seen as its entry in the north-eastern part of India or expanding political influence beyond its traditional heartland. The interesting fact of the results is that the party managed to break into Congress stronghold.

Indian-American Rupa Iyer awarded with Highest Teaching Award in US

An Indian-American biotechnologist Rupa Iyer was on 19 May 2016 awarded with the University of Houston’sDistinguished Leadership in Teaching Excellence Award, the highest teaching award of United States.

Iyer was awarded for her sustained and significant contributions to education. She is an Associate Dean at Research and Graduate Studies at the University of Houston’s College of Technology.

About Rupa Iyer
• As the founding director of the biotechnology programme in the College of Technology, Iyer is well regarded for her strong commitment towards impacting students.
• Iyer has been part of the college since 2005 as a credentialed associate professor.
• She was named as Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies of the college in 2014.
• Her research is in the area of environmental biotechnology with applications in bioremediation for which she has also received many recognitions, awards and grants for her outstanding contributions.
• Iyer was recommended for the Fulbright Specialist Roster in 2015 after receiving the endorsement from the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

About Distinguished Leadership in Teaching Excellence Award
• It is the highest award given in teaching and the only one is given in this category by the varsity. 
• The award is presented to a person who has ten or more years of teaching experience and has made sustained and significant contributions to education.

West Bengal Assembly Election 2016 Results: TMC garnered two-third majority

Election Commission on 19 May 2016 announced results of 2016 Legislative Assembly Election of West Bengal. The elections were held in six phases between 4 April 2016 and 5 May 2016 for 294 assembly seats.

In the elections, ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) of Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee crossed the two-third mark by winning 211 seats. Congress-Left combine has taken 76 seats while BJP has bagged three seats. Independents and others have won four seats.

Results as declared

Party

Won

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

3

Communist Party of India (CPI)

1

Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M)

26

Indian National Congress (INC)

44

All India Forward Bloc (AIFB)

2

All India Trinamool Congress (TMC)

211

Revolutionary Socialist Party

3

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha

3

Independent

1

Total

294

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC Supremo, Mamta Banerjee won from Bhabanipur Assembly Constituency. She defeated her nearest Congress rival Deepa Dasmunshi by over 25 thousand votes. West Bengal Speaker Biman Banerjee has won from Baruipur Paschim Constituency.

Comment
The huge victory in the assembly elections 2016 compared to 2011 elections by Mamta-led TMC can be attributed to her campaign “Maa, Maati, Maanush.” In 2011 elections her party was able to secure just 184 seats.

The huge margin of victory signifies that Mamta is heading on the way in which she will break the record of late Communist leader Jyoti Basu, who remained chief minister of West Bengal for 23 consecutive years -- from 21 June 1977 to 5 November 2000.

Tamil Nadu Assembly Election 2016 Results: Jayalalithaa back to power for second consecutive time

Election Commission on 19 May 2016 announced results of 2016 Legislative Assembly Election in the state of Tamil Nadu.

In the election, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa emerged triumphant and swept the polls.

After the 1984 Assembly Election, Jayalalithaa became the second chief minister of the state who was able to retain the power. The first was Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s M.G. Ramachandran who was elected to power in 1980 and then again in 1984.

Results as declared

Party

Won

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam

134

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)

89

Indian National Congress

8

Indian Union Muslim League

1

Total

232

Comment

The thumping win of AIADMK’s Jayalalithaa in the state of Tamil Nadu can be attributed to the following reasons:

• The introduction of various social welfare schemes under the Amma brand like Amma canteens, Amma water and more largely helped the party to win over the trust of masses.

• Jayalalithaa also made sure that freebies such as fans, laptops and mixers were given to all Below Poverty Line families in the rural settlements of the state.

• AIADMK, which has a majority of the BPL voters, lured the masses by speaking about the welfare schemes during the campaign trail.

President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurates Intelligent Operations Centre and launches Mobile App Monitor

President Pranab Mukherjee on 19 May 2016 inaugurated an Intelligent Operations Centre (IOC) in Rashtrapati Bhavan.

President Mukherjee also launched a Mobile App Monitor for transformation of President’s Estate into a smart township. The Smart President’s Estate will work around the 4H theme of a Humane,Hi-tech, Heritage and Happy Township.

About Intelligent Operations Centre

  • The IOC is a software solution designed by IBM.
  • It helps collect and make sense of the rich data streaming in from several sources within the Estate to provide intelligent insights.
  • It offers integrated data visualization, near real-time collaboration and deep analytics that will help agencies prepare for problems, coordinate and manage response efforts and enhance efficiency of services.

About Monitor

  • The Monitor mobile application is a Residents collaboration tool of the Intelligent Operation Center.
  • The application will help residents and domain (Energy, Water, Horticulture, Waste and Security) supervisors to collaborate in a smarter way for their observations.
  • It will enable residents to report issues such as broken street lights, electricity failure, water wastage etc. and check resolution status using their mobile devices.
  • It will allow residents to report these issues using their mobile devices in the Estate on a real time basis.
  • These reported observations can be used to provide enough details such as location coordinates, address to concerned departments.
  • This will help the residents of the Estate become more socially responsible, aware and collaborative.

JP Nadda launches Centre for Environmental Health to assess environmental impact on health

The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda on 19 May 2016 launched the Centre for Environmental Health in New Delhi.

The centre was launched to assess the impact of environment-related problems like air pollution, climate change, pesticide use and sanitation on health.

Key highlights related to Centre for Environmental Health

•It is a joint initiative of the Public Health Foundation of India and the Tata Institute of Social Science.

•The centre will conduct research across a range of environmental health issues, including chemical exposure, water and hygiene.

•Its mandate also includes capacity-building, advocacy, outreach and remedial issues.

•The research component of the centre is going to be an important aspect for the government to follow.

•Besides, the centre will also establish a policy engagement platform with regular meetings with the government, civil society, academia and the private sector to develop pathways for better implementation of the eco-friendly policies.

About Public Health Foundation of India

•The Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) is an autonomous foundation located in New Delhi, India.

•The foundation was created as a public-private initiative and launched by the then Prime minister Manmohan Singh in 2006.

•It was created with the aim of enhancing the capacity of public health professionals in the country over five to seven years.

•The PHFI initiative was collaboratively developed over two years under the leadership of former Sr. Partner Worldwide, McKinsey & Company Rajat Gupta, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and President, PHFI and former Head of the Department of Cardiology, AIIMS, K. Srinath Reddy.

Indian journalist Philip Abraham elected as Deputy Mayor in United Kingdom

Indian journalist and Councillor Philip Abraham was on 19 May 2016 elected unanimously as the Deputy Mayor of Loughton town in the United Kingdom. Councillor Abraham was presented with the Deputy Mayor’s Badge by Carol Davis, the newly-elected mayor.

V K Krishna Menon was the first person from Kerala to become a Councillor in Britain. He was a Labour Councillor for the Borough of St Pancras from 1934 to 1939.

About Philip Abraham
• Abraham is a journalist from Kerala and is editor of Kerala Link. 
• He had won the election to the Loughton Town Council in 2012. 
• He was the first person of Asian origin to be elected to Loughton Town Council. Loughton is a vibrant town within the Epping Forest District Council in Essex.

Background
India’s former defence minister VK Krishna Menon was the first person from Kerala to become a Councillor in Britain. He was a Labour councillor for the Borough of St Pancras from 1934 to 1939. 

The current Malayalee Councillors in Britain are Dr Omana Gangadharan (Newham), Roy Abraham (Chesham), Raj Rajendran (Croydon), Manju Shahul-Hameed (Croydon) and Tom Aditya(Bradley Stoke).

Election Commission declares By-Election 2016 results

Election Commission of India on 19 May 2016 announced results of 2016 by-election held for four states, namely Gujarat, Jharkhand, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh.

Jharkhand:The elections were held for two seats, Godda and Panki. The Godda seat was won by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while the Panki seat went to Indian National Congress (INC). The by-polls were necessitated following deaths of Raghunandan Mandal and Bidesh Singh earlier in 2016.

Uttar Pradesh: The elections were held for two seats, Bilari and Jangipur. Both the seats, which fell vacant after death of two MLAs, namely Kailash Yadav and Haji Mohammad Irfan, were won by incumbent Samajwadi Party.

Gujarat:BJP won the Talala assembly constituency in Gir Somnath district on which the election was held. The party was able to win the seat from Talala for the first time in 10 years. The by-polls were necessitated due to death of the Congress sitting MLA Jashubhai Barad in January 2016 after brief illness.

Telangana: Telangana Rashtra Samithi won the Palair assembly constituency. The by-poll was necessitated due to death of Ramreddy Venkat Reddy, a leader of Congress.

Meghalaya:National People's Party (NPP) candidate Conrad K Sangma won the Tura Lok Sabha seat. Conard is a former state finance minister and the youngest son of Purno Agitok Sangma, whose death in March 2016 necessitated the byelection.

By-Election
Article 324 (1)vests in the Election Commission the powers of superintendence, direction and control of the elections to both Houses of the State Legislature. Detailed provisions are made under the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and the rules made thereunder.

By-elections are the elections, which is used to fill elected offices that become vacant between two general elections/assembly elections. These elections are brought in practice after the incumbent either resigns or dies, but also occur when he/she becomes ineligible to continue in the office.

World Health Statistics 2016: Monitoring Health for the SDGs released

The World Health Organisation on 19 May 2016 released the World Health Statistics 2016: Monitoring Health for the SDGs.

As per the statistics, life expectancy increased by 5 years since 2000, but major inequalities persist within and among countries.

Global life expectancy for children born in 2015 was 71.4 years (73.8 years for females and 69.1 years for males), while in India it was 68.3 (66.9 for males and 69.9 for females).

Highlights of World Health Statistics 2016

• With an average lifespan of 86.8 years, women in Japan can expect to live the longest.

• Switzerland enjoys the longest average survival for men, at 81.3 years. People in Sierra Leone have the world’s lowest life-expectancy for both sexes: 50.8 years for women and 49.3 years for men.

• Globally, life expectancy increased by 5 years between 2000 and 2015, the fastest increase since the 1960s.

• Those gains reverse declines during the 1990s, when life expectancy fell in Africa because of the AIDS epidemic and in Eastern Europe following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

• The increase was greatest in the African Region of WHO where life expectancy increased by 9.4 years to 60 years.

• The increase was driven mainly by improvements in child survival, progress in malaria control and expanded access to antiretrovirals for treatment of HIV.

• The report shows that newborns in 29 countries – all of them high-income -- have an average life expectancy of 80 years or more, while newborns in 22 others – all of them in sub-Saharan Africa -- have life expectancy of less than 60 years.

• Healthy life expectancy, a measure of the number of years of good health that a newborn in 2015 can expect, stands at 63.1 years globally (64.6 years for females and 61.5 years for males).

Important statistics at a glance

Every year,

• 303000 women die due to complications of pregnancy and childbirth;

• 5.9 million children die before their fifth birthday

• 2 million people are newly infected with HIV, and there are 9.6 million new TB cases and 214 million malaria cases

• 1.7 billion people need treatment for neglected tropical diseases

• More than 10 million people die before the age of 70 due to cardiovascular diseases and cancer

• 800 000 people commit suicide

• 1.25 million people die from road traffic injuries

• 4.3 million people die due to air pollution caused by cooking fuels

• 3 million people die due to outdoor pollution

• 475 000 people are murdered, 80 percent of them men

About World Health Statistics

• The World Health Statistics series is WHO’s annual compilation of health statistics for its 194 Member States.

• The 2016 Statistics focuses on the proposed health and health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and associated targets.

• They provide a comprehensive overview of the latest annual data in relation to the health-related targets in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), illustrating the scale of the challenge.

Cyclonic storm ROANU to strike Andhra Pradesh coast: IMD

The cyclonic storm ROANU that emerged in the west central Bay of Bengal was in news. It came into news after India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its prediction said that the Cyclone is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by 20 May 2016 night and will hit Andhra coast.

At present, ROANU is moving northeastwards and lay centred at south-southeast of Machilipatnam, about 290 km south-southwest of Visakhapatnam & 160 km south-southwest of Kakinada.

IMD prediction and warning

• It issued an orange warning message to Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

• It issued yellow message for West Bengal as the system would turn into severe cyclonic storm.

• Moving northeastwards, the system is likely to cross south Bangladesh coast between Khepupara and Cox’s Bazar on 22 May 2016.

• It issued heavy to very heavy rainfall warning to coastal Andhra Pradesh, coastal Odisha and coastal Gangetic West Bengal under the influence of the cyclonic storm coupled with gusty winds speeds reaching 90-100 kmph.

• Fishermen have been advised not to venture into sea as the condition along and off Andhra Pradesh, South Odisha and West Bengal coasts are very likely to be high to very high.

• In Andhra Pradesh the district administrations have been asked to see that people staying in low-lying areas are shifted to safer places.

• It says that power and communication service will suffer minor damage, while major damage will be cause to kutcha roads. Minor damage will be caused to pucca roads over coastal Andhra Pradesh during next 48 hours and over south coastal Odisha from tonight onwards.

NDRF and SDRF teams have been kept in readiness and essential items like food, water, medicines and other material has been kept ready to meet any eventuality.

Tsai Ing-wen sworn-in as first women President of Taiwan

Tsai Ing-wen was sworn-in as the President of Taiwan on 20 May 2016. With this, she became the first woman to hold the post in Taiwan.

Before being presented the official seal, 59-year-old, Tsai swore the presidential oath in front of national flag. She succeeded outgoing President Ma Ying-jeou.

Tsai has said she will preserve the status quo in relations with China, but that Beijing must respect Taiwan's democracy.

ALSO READ:Taiwan elected Tsai Ing-wen as first female President

Earlier in January 2016, Tsai led the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to a landslide win in parliamentary and presidential elections.

This is the only second time that DPP has won an election in Taiwan. The Kuomintang (KMT) has been in power for most of the past 70 years.

The DPP has traditionally leaned towards independence from China, and its victory has led to a cooling of cross-straits relations. China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province, which it has threatened to take back by force if necessary.

Kayakalp Fortnight initiative launched at AIIMS New Delhi by JP Nadda

Union Health Minister on 20 May 2016 launched the ‘Kayakalp Fortnight’ at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. It has to be observed from the date of launch to 3 June 2016 throughout the country in various Central Government hospitals.

The aim of the Kayakalp Fortnight is to intensify Kayakalp initiative under the Swachch Bharat Abhiyaan.

Under the initiative, various activities towards cleanliness will be undertaken during the fortnight.

As part of it senior officers of the Ministry will be inspecting various Central Hospitals in the country to take stock of the existing status and to intensify the Swachhta drive.

States also have been requested to take up similar campaigns in their respective States.

Kayakalp initiative

•    Kayakalp initiative was launched in 2015 to set protocols for hygiene and sanitation at government health facilities.

•    It is an initiative towards total “Swacchta” in public health facilities

•    It is aimed towards building confidence of the users in public health facilities, provide quality service and encourage team work.

•    It seeks to encourage every public health facility in the country to work towards standards of excellence to help the facilities stay clean and hygienic.

India lauded for Medicines with the Red Line campaign on antibiotics

Medicines with the Red Line: A public awareness campaign launched by the Union Government to curb irrational use of antibiotics.

The term Medicines with the Red Line was in news on 19 May 2016 as the campaign was appreciated by the Global Review on Antimicrobial Resistance.

The review was commissioned by the UK Prime Minister David Cameron in 2014 and chaired by economist Jim O’Neil.

As per the review, India led the way so far with its idea of a ‘Red Line Campaign’ for antibiotics packaging.

What is Medicines with the Red Line campaign?

• It has several key messages - learn how to identify prescription drugs; curb self medication; and become more aware of the dangers of misusing antibiotics.

• The campaign was named so as it was mandated that all prescription only drugs should be marked with a vertical red line on the pack.

• The packs with red lines should be consumed only on doctor’s advice and the patients need to full course as prescribed by the doctor.

• The campaign was launched by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in February 2016.

• The launch of the campaign became inevitable due to growing misuse of antibiotics across the country.

• As per a report published in the Lancet journal in August 2014, India consumed 13 billion units of antibiotics in 2010, the highest in the world. Between 2005 and 2009, consumption shot up by 40 per cent.

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