ASSAM

An institution that’s given Assam 7 of its 15 CMs

When Himanta Biswa Sarma is sworn-in as Assam’s 15th CM, he will be the seventh ex-student of northeast’s premier education institute, Cotton University (formerly Cotton College) to occupy the post of chief minister of the state.

Assam’s first premier in pre-Independence period, Saiyid Muhammad Saadulla, also studied at Cotton College, which was set up in 1901 by Sir Henry John Stedman Cotton, then chief commissioner of Assam. The college was upgraded to a university in 2017 by then education minister, who happens to be Himanta Biswa Sarma himself.

Like many other political figures of the state, erstwhile Cotton College was the nursery of the best political minds in the state and Sarma studied here from 1985 till his postgraduation in 1992.

NORTH-EASTERN STATES

Door-to-door survey in Agartala to trace patients

The Tripura government has started house-to-house survey in Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) areas to find out Covid patients.

The health department has been asked to set up an adequate number of testing centres in each ward and devise the mechanism to bring all symptomatic and suspected cases under Covid testing to contain further spread of the disease.

The survey team comprises community-level health workers, anganwadi workers, representatives of civil administration and AMC. They have been asked to finish the survey work within three days and accordingly the testing of the suspected persons will be carried out in the specific locations.

INTERNATIONAL

International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories

The United Nations is celebrating the “International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories” from May 25 to 31, 2021.

A Non-Self-Governing Territory is one where “people have not attained a full measure of self-government,” according to the UN Charter.

In 1946, UN Member States identified a number of non-self-governing territories under their administration and placed them on the UN list.

The country that administers Non-Self-Governing Territories is called the administering powers.

However, due to the decolonization process, some territories were removed from the list.

India and Israel – Cooperation Work Program

India and Israel signed a three-year agricultural cooperation work program.

Highlights:

The “Indo-Israel Agricultural Project Centres of Excellence” and “Indo-Israel Villages of Excellence” are being implemented by Isreal and India.

Indo-Israel Agricultural Project Centres of Excellence:

The Agriculture Ministry, the Government of India, and Mashav (Israel’s International Development Cooperation Agency) are leading Israel’s largest G2G cooperation, with 29 operational Centres of Excellence (COEs) across India in 12 states.

They are establishing Advanced-Intensive Agriculture farms using Israeli Agro-Technology tailored to local conditions.

The Centres of Excellence generate knowledge, demonstrate best practices, and provide farmer training.

NATIONAL

Mekedatu Multi-Purpose Project – NGT

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has formed a joint committee to investigate allegations of illegal construction activity in Mekedatu. The Karnataka government had proposed building a dam across the Cauvery River in the same location.

Highlights:

The Mekedatu multi-purpose project entails the construction of a balancing reservoir across the Cauvery River near Kanakapura in Ramanagaram district.

It intends to supply drinking water to the districts of Bengaluru and Ramanagaram, as well as generate electricity.

However, Tamil Nadu has objected on the grounds that the project violates the award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.

Government Clarification Regarding Issues with Whatsapp

The Indian government has stated that it recognises the right to privacy as a fundamental right and is committed to providing it to Indian citizens and at the same time it is also committed to maintaining law and order as well as national security.
Highlights:

The Information and Technology (IT) Minister stated that “none of the measures proposed by India will have any impact on the normal functioning of WhatsApp in any way whatsoever, and there will be no impact on ordinary users.”

According to the clarification, the right to privacy, like all fundamental rights, is not absolute and is subject to reasonable limitations.

It stated that the requirements in the Intermediary Guidelines pertaining to the first source of information are an example of a reasonable restriction.

Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery in India

Gold jewellery hallmarking will start on June 15th. Due to the Covid pandemic, this date has been pushed back even further to January 15, 2021.

Mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery/artefacts was scheduled to begin on January 15, 2020, but was pushed back to June 1, 2021, in order to clear out old stock of unhallmarked jewellery.

Jewellers who sell gold jewellery and artefacts will be required to register with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and sell only hallmarked gold jewellery and artefacts.

The goal of making hallmarking mandatory is to ensure that consumers are not cheated when purchasing gold ornaments and receive the purity indicated on the ornaments.

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