ASSAM

More than a year after the note ban and the planned shift to complete digitalization of monetary transactions initiated by the Centre, about 25 % of the state’s 10 lakh tea garden workers are still waiting for their bank accounts to be created.

The account holders have to travel miles before reaching the nearest ATM or bank to withdraw the wages they draw, as more than half of the 850 tea gardens of the state do not have any money dispensing setup. In addition, poor internet connectivity in the remote corners where most of the gardens are located makes digitalization a non-starter here.

In these 10 Lakhs, around 4 lakh are engaged in temporary work while the rest are on permanent rolls.

INTERNATIONAL

· UN E-Government Index: India ranked 96th Denmark tops the list

India jumped 22 places to 96th rank in the top 100 of the United Nations E-Government Development Index (EGDI) 2018. Denmark, with an index value of 0.9150, topped the 2018 E-Government Development Survey.
The E-Government survey is released by the United Nations in every two years.
The 2018 edition was titled as ‘Gearing E-Government to Support Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies’.
India, which was ranked 118 in 2014, jumped 11 places to be ranked 96 in 2018.
The EGDI is a composite index based on the weighted average of three normalized indices:Telecommunications Infrastructure Index (TII),
2. Human Capital Index (HCI),

3. Online Service Index (OSI).

· North Korea builds intercontinental ballistic missiles

Washington Post reported that North Koreaseems to be building one or two new liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles at a factory at Sanumdong. It also said that the advancement of the missiles is unknown. North Korea has produced the country’s first missiles which are capable of reaching the United States.
This is the latest evidence that suggests the ongoing activity at North Korea’s nuclear and missile facilities despite of theSingapore Summit in June between the US President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

NATIONAL

Health Ministry signs MoU with Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology

National Health Agency (NHA) under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the apex body for the implementation of Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM), and Common Service Centres (CSC) scheme under the Digital India Programme, have signed an MoU to provide information and eligibility validation services to beneficiaries, especially in remote areas.

Shri J P Nadda, Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister for Law and Justice & Information Technology presided over the MoU signing ceremony.

As the benefits under AB-NHPM are based on entitlement and not on enrolment, over 3 lakh CSCs spread across the rural India can become the key point of information for potential beneficiaries and help in validating their entitlement.

Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports are celebrating Swachhta Pakhwada from 1st to 15th August, 2018 under the Swachh Bharat Mission Programme of Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation. On this occasion, Department of Sports has taken two major initiatives.

First initiative will be for making all five SAI Stadia namely Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, Indira Gandhi Stadium Complex, Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range and Dr. SPM Swimming Pool Complex as “Plastic Free Zone”.

This initiative will start on the 1st August, 2018 and by the 2nd October, 2018, these five Stadia will strengthen its internal organizational set up like availability of drinking water facilities at appropriate place, alternative to disposable plastic materials, suitable arrangements of waste disposal, proper sensitization of user and staff of the Stadia, etc. towards implementation of plastic free zone.

Former West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi has been selected for this year’s Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award.

It was decided in the meeting held on July 28 that the 24th Rajiv Gandhi National Goodwill Award will be given to Gopalakrishna Gandhi for the contributions made to promote communal unity, peace and harmony.

Rajiv Gandhi National Goodwill Award is given on the occasion of birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra won a gold medal in the Savo Games in Lapinlahti, Finland.
Neeraj Chopra made a throw of 85.69 meters and won the gold medal.
Chao-Tsun Cheng of Chinese Taipei made a throw of 82.52m and won a silver medal. He
He is the only Asian to have thrown the javelin to a distance of more than 90m.

The Niti Aayog confirms the digital payments market in India is set to become a trillion-dollar industry in the next five years.
It will be led by growth in mobile payments which are slated to rise to 190 billion dollars by 2023 from 10 billion dollars in 2017-18.
The growth in digital payment gained momentum in both volume and value terms after demonetization.
The proposed changes in the regulatory framework, entry of global giants and the advancement of technology will drive the future growth of digital payments in the country.
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, rolled out in July last year, will have a huge impact on digital payments as it matures.

The union government soon to propose information was shared by Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir when a delegation of the Nathjogi community called on him in Yavatmal, Maharashtra.

The proposed bill is expected to be on the lines of a legislation seeking capital punishment to those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years.