ASSAM

A four-day session on making drinking water in India arsenic and fluoride free called for steps to formulate a systematic approach to water quality-related problems in the country and a national water quality mission.

The idea of a national mission under the nomenclature– Rashtriya Jal Swasthya Mission–was articulated and widely discussed among a range of organisations like the UNICEF, the European Union, Union Ministry of Drinking Water, SATTVA, Water Aid, India Water Portal, PSI, Arghyam, Safe Billion, INREM Foundation, among others, during the session.

The initiative to set up the Assam Fluorosis Mitigation Support Centre (AFMSC), a facility conceived under an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the WSSO /PHED with the INREM, and the role of the Assam Government were highly appreciated by the participants of the session. So far AFMSCs have been set up in four districts of the State.

The participants of the session were told that three other states – Rajasthan, Telangana and Odisha – are now carrying out fluorosis mitigation activities in line with Assam.

Fluoride and arsenic are the two major drinking water-related problems in the country and they are affecting nearly 100 million people in over 20 states, including Assam. A people-centric district water quality platform for addressing fluorosis-related issues is an emerging approach, being tested out in six states of the country by Fluoride Knowledge and Action Network (FKAN). These states include– Assam, Rajasthan, Telangana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.

The Arsenic Knowledge and Action Network (AKAN) similarly tested out the above idea in four districts of the two states of Bihar and Assam. The primary goal of each of these water quality platforms is to make the districts fluorosis and arsenicosis free in specified time duration. In Assam, Nalbari and Jorhat districts are targeted for the purpose

INTERNATIONAL

The index has been prepared by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) for Facebook.

The index was expanded to include 100 countries which will represent 94% of the world’s population and 96% of global GDP.

NATIONAL

National Science Day is celebrated on February 28 every year to remember Nobel laureate Sir C V Raman’s contribution to the field of science.

The objective of observation of National Science Day is to spread the message of importance of science and its applications among the people.

The theme for this year’s Science Day is ‘Science for the People and the People for Science’.

For his discovery, Sir C.V. Raman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930.

Union HRD Minister launches the Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS)

The Minister for Human Resources Development, Shri Prakash Javadekar has launched the Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS) in New Delhi.
The scheme will provide industry apprenticeship opportunities to the general graduates exiting in April 2019 through the National Apprenticeship Promotional Scheme (NAPS).

The program aims to enhance the employability of Indian youth by providing on the job work exposure’ and earning of stipend.

SHREYAS portal will enable educational institutions and industry to log in and provide their respective demand and supply of apprenticeship.

· First Indian made Centaur rocket was successfully launched at Thumb, Kerala

The first Indian-made Centaur rocket was successfully launched from the Thumba equatorial rocket station, Kerala on 26th February 2019 to the great jubilation of a large number of scientists.
Vikram Sarabhai, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Indian National Committee for Space Research, described that the flight of the two-stage sounding rocket as very satisfactory. It was a hailed as a momentous event. India is now on the path to long-range development of superior rockets, which will take us to the goal of satellite launching in five years.

· ISRO to launch defence satellite ‘Emisat’ in March for DRDO

In the special mission, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will also launch 28 third-party satellitesand will demonstrate its new technologies like three different orbits with a new variant of ‘Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle’ (PSLV) rocket in March, 2019.
Electronic intelligencesatellite ‘Emisat’ of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) weighs about 420 kg.
After launching Emisat at an altitude of 763 km, the PSLV rocket will be brought down to put the remaining 28 satellites into orbit at an altitude of 504 km.

The government detected Goods and Services Tax (GST) evasion of around Rs 20,000 crore between April 2018 and February 2019.
Out of this, ₹10,000 crore has been recovered.
Currently, GST has 4-tier slab of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent, while essential items are zero rated.

GST is a consumption based tax levied on sale, manufacture and consumption on goods & services at a national level.

Over 1,300 goods and 500 services fitted under four tax slabs of 5%, 12%, 18% and 28% under GST.

Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) granted approval for procurement of three cadet training shipsfor the Indian Navy, which would be utilised to provide basic sea training for officer cadets including women officer under trainees.
DAC meeting was chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
DAC is the highest decision-making body for defence purchases.