National Consumer Day

In India, 24th December is being observed as National Consumer Day. On this day the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 had received the assent of the President. The enactment of this Act was considered as a historic milestone in the consumer movement in the country. This Act aims to provide consumers with effective safeguards against different types of exploitation such as defective goods, unsatisfactory services and unfair trade practices. This day provides an opportunity for individuals to highlight the importance of the consumer movement and the need to make every consumer more aware of their rights and responsibilities. It should be also noted that World Consumer Rights Day is observed on 15th March every year. Some facts about Consumer Protection Act, 1986 It provides consumers with speedy and inexpensive redressal grievances mechanism and specific relief or award of compensation. It recognizes six of the eight rights of the consumer as provided in the UN charter. It envisages following rights of consumers (i) Right to Protection. (ii) Right of Information. (iii) Right of Choice. (iv) Right of Hearing. (v) Right of Redressal. (vi) Right of Education.

Delhi Pollution Control Committee

Air pollution in the national capital is of an “emergency nature,” the Delhi High Court on Monday observed and said this situation would not have arisen if the authorities had implemented laws and rules in place to prevent environmental degradation. A bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva was of the view that while legislations were in place for ensuring maintenance of air quality levels, individuals and departments tasked to enforce the rules, “have not done their work”. It directed officers of all concerned authorities, including Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), that “all the rules have to be followed to the ‘t’ as the situation today is of an emergency nature”. The court, referred to particulate matter-PM 2.5 and PM 10-and said as per the statutory norms their levels are not to exceed 60 microgram per cubic meter per day and 100 microgram per cubic meter per day, respectively. However, as per DPCC monitoring stations, their levels are always far in excess of 400/500. It directed DPCC, represented by advocate Sanjeev Ralli, to “analyse data from 2011 onwards and to provide us a monthly average chart of each pollutant.” Another exercise the panel has been directed to carry out is to give a weekly chart of the pollutants during the months from October to February for all the years from 2011 to 2015. DPCC has also been asked to provide the court with details of action taken by it, against any violations, in the last five years. Meanwhile, on the issue of traffic management to reduce the timings of idling vehicles, the court observed that despite its direction for zero tolerance towards violation of rules, especially by people who jump onto other carriageways to get ahead during traffic snarls, police was doing nothing. “People in Delhi need to be disciplined. Send anyone who changes carriageways to turnaround and go in the opposite direction from which they came, as they do in Mumbai,” the bench said while hearing a PIL initiated by it on the issue of increasing air pollution in Delhi. Delhi Traffic Police, in an affidavit, told the court that it had identified 14 areas in the city which were heavily congested and that, in those places, it had observed zero tolerance for violation of rules.

Ruling conservative People’s Party won general election 2015

Ruling conservative People’s Party (PP) of Spain led Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy by has won the 2015 general election of the country. In the general election, PP won the 123 seats by securing in the lower house of the 350-member Parliament and securing 28.7 percent vote share. However, it has fallen short of absolute majority which can be achieved by any party that wins minimum 176 seats.  Now the People’s Party has to form a coalition government with support of other political parties to govern for another four-year term. Results of other parties The Socialists which won 90 seats with 22 percent vote share. Anti-austerity Podemos Party along with its allies won 69 seats with 20.6 percent vote share. Liberal Ciudadanos party (LCP) won 40 seats with 13.8 percent vote share. In the earlier outgoing parliament People’s Party was having 186 seats in the lower house of the Parliament.

Liquefied natural gas ship

India has joined select club nations to build Liquefied natural gas (LNG) ships after state owned Cochin Shipyard has received certification in this regard. Cochin Shipyard also became first shipyard in India to get the nod to build LNG-transporting ships for any client world-wide. Key facts In this regard, Cochin Shipyard has signed a license agreement with French technology company Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT). GTT holds patented technology for LNG ships and provides the certification in design engineering and membrane-type containment systems for the transportation and storage of LNG. GTT would provide technology for the cryogenic containment and handling system which is most critical part of an LNG ship as the LNG is carried at a temperature of -163 degrees. This license agreement authorises Cochin Shipyard to use the membrane type technologies of GTT for any liquid gas carriers, more particularly the LNG carriers. With this India joins the league other nations including South Korea, Japan and China building LNG transportation ships. It also opens a new chapter in ship-building technology in India and marks a big step for Make in India.

Chandrayaan II will land on moon in 2017

India’s second lunar probe Chandrayaan II will land on moon in 2017 and the country’s first solar mission Aditya L1 is likely to be launched in 2019, Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Chandrayaan II will land on the surface of moon in 2017 and this second lunar mission will help explore the possibilities of signs of extra-terrestrial life, Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh said during Question Hour responding to supplementaries. The Aditya L1 mission “is aimed at studying the sun from an orbit around the sun-earth lagrangian point (L-1) which is about 1.5 million km from earth. It will carry seven payloads including a coronagraph to observe the outermost layers of the sun, the corona. Aditya L1 will be launched during2019-20 timeframe,” he said in his written response. The “approved cost” of the solar mission is Rs. 378.53 crore. Responding to another question, Mr. Singh said India has entered the era of “space marketing” and the launch of six Singapore satellites on Wednesday will earn India €26 million. So far, India has earned $15 million and €80 million by launching satellites of other countries, he said, adding that $ 5 million and €65 million are in the “pipeline”, while apparently referring to the launches proposed in the future. The minister said a budget of Rs. 1420 crore has been approved by the government for realisation of Indian Regional Navigation Satellite (IRNSS) programme, including satellites and associated ground segment.

Hubble Space Telescope captured the image

The Hubble Space Telescope has captured the image of the first-ever predicted supernova explosion that offers a unique opportunity for astronomers to test how mass — especially that of mysterious dark matter — is distributed within a galaxy cluster.Many stars end their lives with a bang, but only a few of these stellar explosions have been caught in the act. When they are, spotting them successfully has been down to pure luck — until now. On December 11, astronomers not only imaged a supernova in action, but saw it when and where they had predicted it would be. The supernova, nicknamed Refsdal, has been spotted in the galaxy cluster MACS J1149.5+2223. While the light from the cluster has taken about five billion years to reach us, the supernova itself exploded much earlier, nearly 10 billion years ago. “While studying the supernova, we realised that the galaxy in which it exploded is already known to be a galaxy that is being lensed by the cluster,” explained Steve Rodney, study co-author from University of South Carolina in a NASA statement.

“The supernova’s host galaxy appears to us in at least three distinct images caused by the warping mass of the galaxy cluster,” he noted. These multiple images of the galaxy presented a rare opportunity. As the matter in the cluster — both dark and visible — is distributed unevenly, the light creating each of these images takes a different path with a different length. Therefore, the images of the host galaxy of the supernova are visible at different times. “We used seven different models of the cluster to calculate when and where the supernova was going to appear in the future,” added Tommaso Treu, lead author from University of California-Los Angeles. Astronomers are now eager to see what other surprises the ongoing Hubble Frontier Fields programme will bring to light.

वन रैंक वन पेंशन

पटना उच्च न्यायालय के पूर्व मुख्य न्यायाधीश न्यायमूर्ति एल. नरसिम्हा राव (Justice L Narasimha Reddy) को उस समिति का अध्यक्ष बनाया गया है जो पूर्व-सैनिकों के लिए केन्द्र सरकार द्वारा स्वीकृत वन रैंक वन पेंशन (OROP) योजना के क्रियान्वयन पर सिफारिश देने के लिए 14 दिसम्बर 2015 को गठित की गई। यह समिति मुख्यत: इस योजना के क्रियान्वयन के दौरान पेश आने वाली दिक्कतों के बारे में अपनी सिफारिशें प्रस्तुत करेगी। उल्लेखनीय है कि केन्द्र सरकार ने इस योजना को 7 नवम्बर 2015 को अपनी स्वीकृति प्रदान कर दी थी। इस समिति छह माह के भीतर अपनी सिफारिशें प्रस्तुत कर देगी। समिति अपनी सिफारिशों में इस योजना के क्रियान्वयन से पड़ने वाले आर्थिक बोझ के बारे में भी अपने विचार रखेगी।

TAPI gas pipeline project

Ground breaking ceremony of 1800-kilometre-long Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project was held at the ancient city of Mary of Turkmenistan. The ground breaking function was attended by Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, Pakistan Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif and Indian Vice President Mohd Hamid Ansari. Turkmenistan is believed to have the world’s fourth-largest gas reserves and presently exporting it mainly to China. About TAPI Project TAPI gas pipeline project is a proposed trans-country natural gas pipeline from Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan to India through Afghanistan and Pakistan. Countries involved: The abbreviation TAPI itself indicate its member countries- Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Distance: The pipe line connects central Asia with south Asia covering 1,800 km. Reserves: The pipeline begins from Turkmenistan’s Galkynysh field (formally known as South Yoiotan Osman) that has gas reserves are 16 trillion cubic feet. Project Cost: The estimated construction cost of the project is 10 billion US dollars and is being funded by Asian Development Bank (ADB). Capacity: It has capacity to carry 90 million standard cubic metres a day (mmscmd). Supply Share: Both India and Pakistan will get supply of about 38 mmscmd whereas Afghanistan will get 14 mmscmd supply of natural gas. Supply Life: The life of supply is expected to last for period of 30 years and shall be operational from 2019. Runs through: Galkynysh field (Turkmenistan) – Herat and Kandahar province (Afghanistan) – Multan via Quetta (Pakistan) and ends at Fazilka in Punjab (India). Security: Establishment of an inter-government joint security task force (JSTF) has been recommended to serve as the nucleus of the safety of the pipeline by a security consultant has recommended.

Poonam Mahajan is moving a private member’s Bill in the Lok Sabha

The Indian diaspora in various countries abroad plays a large role in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomatic outreach, and now, BJP MP Poonam Mahajan is moving a private member’s Bill in the Lok Sabha seeking nomination of at least eight overseas Indians to the Lower House. “It is the centenary year of Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India from South Africa, I feel, there would be no better opportunity to mark the contributions of our overseas community than to allow representation to them in the Lok Sabha.” She cites the Constitutional provision for providing representation for the Anglo-Indiancommunity through a nomination by the President of India as a means to do this. “Just as two members of the Anglo-Indian community are nominated and needn’t fight elections, to address issues regarding their representation, NRIs too can be nominated through a Constitutional amendment,” she says. The move may require a recurring expenditure of Rs. 45 crore per year. Private member’s Bills reflect individual interests of the members and are rarely cleared by the House. In the tenure of the 16th Lok Sabha however, the Rajya Sabha managed to clear the transgender Bill sponsored by DMK MP Tiruchi Shiva, and it is pending in the Lok Sabha.

Ahmad Javed as India’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has appointed senior IPS officer Ahmad Javed as India’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. His appointment will fill the vacancy of the post of Ambassador in Indian Embassy in Riyadh since April 2015 after retirement of Hamid Ali Rao. He is IPS officer of 1980 batch from Maharashtra Cadre. Prior to this appointment Mr. Ahmad Javed was serving as Mumbai Police commissioner. India-Saudi Arabia Relations From trading point of view, oil rich Saudi Arabia is a crucial and important country for energy starved India from energy security (especially petroleum) perspective. Saudi Arabia is India’s largest supplier of crude oil and accounts for 80 per cent of India’s crude oil import that forms a major component of bilateral trade with the Gulf nation. It should be noted that Saudi Arabia is followed by Iraq, Nigeria, Venezuela and Iran as India’s top four oil suppliers.

Pakistan has successfully test-fired nuclear-capable Shaheen-III ballistic missile

Pakistan has successfully test-fired nuclear-capable Shaheen-III ballistic missile. The missile was test fired in the Arabian Sea and validated all the desired parameters including various design and technical parameters of the weapon system. About Shaheen-III ballistic missile The Shaheen-III (in English means White Falcon-III) is a land-based surface-to-surface medium range ballistic missile. It is capable of carrying nuclear as well as conventional warheads up to 2,750 kilometres. It has been designed in response to India’s Agni-III missile. It is multi-stage solid-propellant missile that can hit targets anywhere in India including Northeast India and Tri-service command of India located in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Shaheen-III is going to replace Pakistan’s less advanced liquid-fueled mid-range nuclear capable Ghauri-III ballistic missile. In 2014, Pakistan already had test-fired the Shaheen-I (900 km) and Shaheen-II (2000 km) missiles.

Lifetime achievement award

Veteran Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah has been honoured with the lifetime achievement award at the 12th edition of Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF). Along with him French actress Catherine Deneuve, Egyptian actor Ezzat Al Alayli and French-Tunisian actor Sami Bouajila also won the lifetime achievement award. About Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) DIFF is an annual film festival held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was started in year 2004. Each year DIFF provides platform and presents new and exciting cinema from the Arab world, Asia, Africa and beyond. It is a not-for-profit cultural event, presented and organised by Dubai Entertainment & Media Organization.

Opposition stalling pro-poor laws

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a frontal attack on the Opposition on Thursday, stressing that by disrupting the functioning of Parliament, the Opposition was not just blocking the passage of the long-pending Goods and Services Tax Bill that, he stressed, would be decided “in consultation with everybody”, but also pro-poor laws. Mr. Modi’s speech comes in the wake of the controversy over the National Herald case and accusations that the Congress that was coming round to backing the GST Bill after the government’s overtures would now block it. The Prime Minister, who was  pointed out that since Parliament was not functioning, another law intended for the poor — to enhance the bonus amount of the poor in jobs from Rs. 3,500 to Rs. 7,000 — was hanging fire as well. “This also seeks to increase the salary ceiling for giving bonuses from the existing Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 21,000. Is this not directly a work for the poor?” he asked. Taking a swipe at the Congress, which has disrupted both Houses of Parliament over the National Herald case this week, Mr. Modi said democracy could not be restricted to elections and governments alone and that one of the two main dangers before it was Mantantra (functioning as per one’s whims and fancies) with the other being “Dhantantra” (money power). “The country does not run on this basis. Whatever you may think, but the system does not run like this.”

डूपोंट (DuPont) और डो कैमिकल (Dow Chemical) कम्पनियों का विलय

अमेरिका की दो दिग्गज कृषि-रसायन कम्पनियों डूपोंट (DuPont) और डो कैमिकल (Dow Chemical) के संभावित विलय के बारे में सबसे पहले खुलासा वॉल स्ट्रीट जर्नल (Wall Street Journal) ने 8 दिसम्बर 2015 को किया। इसके बाद अमेरिकी वित्तीय बाजारों में इन दोनों कम्पनियों के शेयरों में भारी सक्रियता आ गयी तथा दोनों के मूल्यों ने 7 साल का सर्वोच्च स्तर भी हासिल कर लिया। जानकारी के अनुसार इन दोनों कम्पनियों के व्यवसायों को डूपोंट के बीज व्यवसाय (DuPont’s seeds business) का हिस्सा बना दिया जायेगा। अमेरिका में बोये जाने वाले मक्का (corn) और सोयाबीन (soyabean) के बीजों में लगभग एक-तिहाई हिस्सेदारी है जबकि डो कैमिकल की हिस्सेदारी लगभग 5 प्रतिशत है। वहीं कृषि क्षेत्र में प्रयुक्त रसायनों में दोनों की बड़ी हिस्सेदारी है। जहाँ तक भारत में इन दोनों कम्पनियों के व्यवसाय की बात है तो इनका संयुक्त व्यवसाय लगभग 11,600 करोड़ रुपए का है। यदि इनका विलय हो जाता है तो ये नया व्यवसाय रसायन क्षेत्र में BASF तथा एग्रोकैमिकल क्षेत्र में सिनजेण्टा (Syngenta) और मोनेसेण्टो (Monsanto) जैसी कम्पनियों को तगड़ी चुनौती प्रदान कर सकता है।

Maharashtra legislature launch an online mechanism

The Maharashtra legislature has become the first in the country to launch an online mechanism for its members to send questions and move different motions in the House. In this regard state government has launched a website mls.org.in as part of Digital MLAs initiative in the winter session of state legislature in Nagpur. Key facts This system has been launched in an effort of state government to move towards complete digitization of the legislative process that aims at bringing the paper work to minimum. All MLAs and MLCs have been given unique user names and passwords to access to website so that they can send their questions and requests online. Facilitates them to move different motions like calling attention and half-an-hour discussion questions for legislature sessions. The system has been designed by the Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited (MKCL).

Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill, 2015

Union Government has introduced Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill, 2015 to facilitate and fast track setting up of new nuclear projects in the country. It was introduced by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Atomic Energy and Space Dr Jitendra Singh. The Bill seeks to amend the Atomic Energy Act, 1962. Key provisions of the Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill, 2015 Under the Act, a government company is one in which at least 51% of the paid-up share capital is held by the central government.  Paid-up share capital is the capital received by a company from the issue of shares. Redefines paid-up share capital: Expands the definition of paid-up share capital in parent Act to include joint ventures (JV) of public sector undertakings (PSUs). The whole of the paid up share capital would be held by one or more PSUs and empowers the Union government to constitute its Board of Directors for such JV. Licenses: Henceforth it will only be granted to entities such as a government company or a department of Union Government. Under the parent Act, license is required for acquisition, production, use, export and import of any plant designed for the production and development of atomic energy or research. License granted will be cancelled if it ceases to be a government company for (i) acquiring and using substances or minerals from which atomic energy can be obtained (ii) producing atomic energy etc.

“सेन जोस” (“San Jose”) नामक स्पेनी जहाज

कोलम्बिया (Colombia) के राष्ट्रपति जुआन मैन्युअल सैन्टॉस (Juan Manuel Santos) ने कार्टागेना (Cartagena) नामक देश के उत्तरी बंदरगाह शहर में यह घोषणा की कि उनके देश के खोजी दल ने 300 वर्ष से अधिक पुराने उस समुद्री खजाने को खोज निकालने में सफलता पाई गई है जिसे मानव इतिहास के सबसे बड़े डूबे खजाने के रूप में प्रचारित किया जाता रहा है। उल्लेखनीय है कि “सेन जोस” (“San Jose”) नामक स्पेनी जहाज जून 1708 के दौरान कोलम्बिया के कैरीबियाई तट के पास तब डूब गया था जब स्पेनी उत्तराधिकार युद्ध (Spanish Succession War) में ब्रिटिश जहाजों से स्पेन का युद्ध चल रहा था। यह स्पेनी खजाने को ले जा रहे बेड़े का प्रमुख जहाज था तथा स्पेन के अमेरिकी उपनिवेशों से भारी मात्रा में सोना, चाँदी, बहुमूल्य रत्न तथा अन्य महंगे पदार्थ प्राप्त कर उन्हें तत्कालीन सम्राट फिलिप पंचम (Philip V) को प्रदान करने के लिए अपनी यात्रा पर था। लगभग 600 लोगों से भरे इस जहाज के डूबते समय कुछ मुट्ठी-भर नाविक ही अपनी जान बचा पाए थे।
कोलम्बिया के एक दल ने इस डूबे जहाज को 27 नवम्बर 2015 को खोज निकाला। उल्लेखनीय है कि इस दल में कोलम्बिया के अलावा कई अन्य देशों के नौ-विज्ञान विशेषज्ञ भी शामिल थे तथा ऐसे लोग भी थे जिन्होंने एक और मशहूर जहाज “टाइटेनिक” (‘Titanic’) को 1985 में खोज निकाला था। इस खोज ने 300 वर्ष से अधिक पुराने इस समुद्री राज को अंतत: सुलझा लिया है।

Rotavirus vaccination project under the Universal Immunisation Programme

Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country to start Rotavirus vaccination project under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP). The project was launched by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh from Dharamsala in district Kangra by administering the Rotavirus vaccine drops to the children aged less than 5 years. Rotavirus vaccination project is based on the analogy of the polio vaccine. Under it Rotavirus drops would be administered to the children at 6, 10 and 14 weeks after birth. The vaccination project will help in controlling the deaths amongst small children due to Diarrhoea. About Rotavirus The Rotavirus is a genus of double-stranded RNA virus in the family Reoviridae. It most common causative agent of moderate-to-severe diarrhoea (MSD) among infants below 11 months age group in India. Transmission: The virus spreads from person to person due to bacterial and parasiting agents that are primarily transmitted through contaminated food or water. Impact on Health: It causes gastroenteritis after it damages the cells that line the small intestine and causes gastroenteritis.

Masked attackers destroy security checkpoint in China

About 100 masked attackers destroyed a security checkpoint in China's northern region of Inner Mongolia, injuring 13 people and wrecking 11 vehicles, state media said late on Sunday.

The large mob pepper-sprayed staff, tied them up and threatened to beat them to death, the China News Service said.

The report did not provide a motive for the Sunday attack on the security post in Ejin county and Reuters was unable to reach officials for comment.

Inner Mongolia has seen sporadic unrest over the past few years by ethnic Mongol herders complaining about mining and desertification destroying traditional grazing land, and security is generally tight in the region.

Those demonstrations, though, have been generally peaceful.

Every year, China experiences tens of thousands of "mass incidents", the usual euphemism for protests, triggered by grievances over corruption, pollution and illegal land grabs.

The events are unnerving to the ruling Communist Party, whichis obsessed with the need to maintain stability.

Egypt keen to buy Pak’s JF-17 Thunder fighter jet

Egypt has expressed interest in acquiring Pakistan’s multi-role JF—17 Thunder fighter jets, which the country has manufactured in collaboration with China.

Pakistan’s Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain during a meeting with Egyptian Ambassador Sherif Shaheen offered the sale of JF—17 Thunder aircraft and Super Mashak to Egypt.

In the meeting, the Egyptian Ambassador told the minister that Egypt is looking for collaboration with Pakistan in the defence industry and is interested in purchasing the JF—17 Thunder aircraft from Pakistan, the Dawn reported.

A defence delegation from Egypt would visit defence production facilities in Pakistan to look into the possibility of buying defence-related products, he added.

The Minister informed the ambassador that Pakistan was at present selling its traditional weapons to U.S., UK, Germany and some Far Eastern countries.

He said Iraq had already signed an agreement with Pakistan for the purchase of 20 Super Mashak while a deal with Turkey for the sale of 52 Super Mashak had almost been finalised.

Foreign investor may get 5,000 acres on lease in Sri Lanka

The Sri Lankan government is willing to allow leasing of land to a foreign investor up to a maximum of 5,000 acres and relax the criteria in respect of projects which are “labour intensive with the focus on job creation," according to Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake.

In an exclusive interview with THE HINDU at his office on Friday, Mr Karunanayake said any “investment-oriented” foreign investor could come to the country and do business without paying 100 per cent tax on leasing of land. “Earlier, the lease tax was very stiff.”

Answering questions on the issue, the Minister made it clear that foreign investors would not be able to buy lands. The only stipulation for the investors getting 99-year-long lease would be that they should not try to “indulge in buying lands” and remain inactive in doing investments.

For the purpose of foreign investments, the government had identified many thrust areas, each having a potential of investment for $ two billion.

Asked whether foreigners would be allowed for projects proposed under the public-private partnership (PPP) mode in respect of the dairy sector and the construction of 100,000 houses in five years, Mr Karunanayake replied in the affirmative and said the term “private” would mean a local or a foreign investor while the term “public” would refer only to the local.

On the plan for establishing an international financial centre in Colombo, he said the idea was to bring in a number of banks, “which have not been here,” to have offshore activities. He described as “doable” the deadline of April 1, 2016 for the establishment of the centre.

Referring to the move to liberalise tea import for value addition through blending, the Minister dismissed the criticism that this would adversely affect the domestic tea industry as one coming from “people with vested interests.” He argued that the opening up of the sector would make the industry “much bigger” than what it was as a close industry. “At present, we have lost markets all over,” he observed.

To a question whether the government would carry out the merger of the Mihin Lanka, a low-cost airline, with the Sri Lankan Airlines, as announced early this year, the Minister said the government had later found “core competence” of the former. So, the Mihin Lanka would confine itself to domestic operations while the other would be a regional player with long-distance flight services.

Jharkhand government has declared the entire state as drought

Jharkhand government has declared the entire state as drought hit in view of less rainfall in 2015 monsoon season and loss of crops. Decision in this regard was taken at the state Cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister Raghuvar Das in Ranchi following Agriculture department’s report on drought. In its report state Agriculture department has reported that 64 blocks of the state have suffered 50 per cent loss in crops and another 62 blocks have suffered 40 per cent loss due to poor monsoon. It also estimated that drought has resulted loss of rice (dhan) crops by 37.7 per cent, dalhan crops by 16.85 per cent and Makka crops by 27.06 per cent in 2015. State Cabinet also has decided to send the report on drought status in state to the Union Government and request it to send a team for assessment of drought in the state. Earlier in November 2015, in view of drought conditions state government had announced a package of 1,398 crore rupees to drought-hit farmers for distribution of seeds, subsidised diesel, construction of small check dams and other facilities.