ASSAM

New scheme to make ASTC more efficient

Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a new scheme that will not only increase the availability of public transport services, but will also encourage local entrepreneurs to enter this service industry.

At present, there are less than three buses per 1,00,000 persons in the State as compared to the national average of 40 per 1,00,000.

Under this scheme, the government will encourage young entrepreneurs, small businesses and self-help groups to enter the industry. Initially to generate enthusiasm and momentum, the government will provide seed money to the extent of 25 per cent for purchasing buses, out of which 10 per cent will be given in the form of subsidy, while the rest 15 per cent will be given in the form of an interest-free loan to be repaid over a period of 5 years.

Through this scheme, the government has intended to put 1,000 new buses on the roads of Assam over the next three years, thereby almost trebling the availability of buses in the public transport system in the State.

INTERNATIONAL

· India jumps 8 place to 36th on international IP index 2019

US Chambers of Commercereleased the annual International IP Index of top 50 economies in the world, in the index, India climbed 8 positions up to the 36th rank and USA, as the lead.
2018, India’s rank was 44th of 50 countries, the increase in the rank is dedicated to the various reforms made to the better alignment of India’s IP environment and one of the reforms, was the agreement with Japan to initiate a Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH).

· UNESCO organised Second Edition of the India Heritage Walk in partnership with Sahapedia

Sahapedia in partnership with UNESCO organized the second edition of India Heritage Walk Festival (IHWF) 2019.
It is also supported by the National Mineral Development Corporation.
The first edition of the festival, went on to receive the PATA Gold Awards 2018 in Heritage and Culture.
This festival offers the opportunity to discover the hidden gems linked to history.
Heritage Walks of 2019 edition.
In the list of heritage walks, Delhi has a new attraction.
The heritage walk plans to introduce Sanjhi- a paper-cutting art by a stencil of Vrindavan and the lanes of Bandra in Mumbai.

NATIONAL

· India becomes Worlds Second Largest Consumer and importer of LPG

As per Oil Ministery, India become the second largest importer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) after China due to rising demands of cleaner alternatives to the traditional cooking fuels like firewood and cow dung.
India surpassed Japan as the imports of LPG grew 12.5% over the last 5 years to 12 million metric tons.
The demand of LPG is expected to rise 34% from 2014 to 2025.

· Centre on data science, AI has been established at IIT M

Robert Bosch Center for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence(RBC-DSAI), a Centre for research on data science and artificial intelligence, has been established at the Indian Institute of Technology- Madras.
RBC-DSAI will receive an estimated investment of 20 crore over a period of five years. India is one of the four locations of the Bosch Center for AI. The Centre’s mission was to create societal impact through multidisciplinary interactions with government, academic, research, and industrial collaborators by working on core challenges in data science and artificial intelligence.

· Indian Coast Guard and AAI signed MoU for maritime search and rescue Operations in Port Blair

Indian Coast Guard(ICG)and Airport Authority of India (AAI)signed a MoU with an objective to coordinate the aeronautical and maritime Search And Rescue(SAR) operations in congruence with the International Aeronautical Maritime Search And Rescue(IAMSAR) standards.
The MoU enhances Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC),Kolkata and Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Port Blair and AAI’s mutual interactions, interoperability and validating procedures on the occasion of SAR operations.

· India Army chooses the Go Green option; inaugurates 2MW solar power plant in military station

The Go Green initiative, Lieutenant General Surinder Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command inaugurated a2 MW solar power plant at Chandimandir.
This is the largest Solar power project within Western Command of the Indian Army, set up at Chandimandir.
Considered as one of the largest, the solar power plant in Panchkula (Haryana) was established with an investment of Rs 10 crore.

Vidharbha lift Ranji Trophy for second time in a row
Vidarbha lifted their second successive Ranji Trophy title with a comfortable 78-run win over Saurashtra.

Vidarbha is only the sixth team in the tournament’s long history to have defended the title.

The Ranji Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between teams representing regional and state cricket associations.

The team that has gained maximum number of Ranji titles is Mumbai (41 titles).

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