ASSAM

Staff plan agitation over pension scheme

Nearly 1.5 lakh Assam government employees recruited after 2006 would launch an agitation soon for reverting to the old pension scheme instead of the National Pension Scheme (NPS) stating it was less beneficial.

All Assam NPS Government Employees’ Association – which would join the nationwide campaign against the NPS.

“Under the old pension system, the employees did not have to contribute for the pension and used to get half the salary after retirement. But the NPS introduced in 2006 the old scheme was replaced and made it mandatory for employees to equally contribute for the same

The NPS is applicable to both central and state government employees recruited since 2006.

INTERNATIONAL

· Scotland 1st country in the World to give students free sanitary products

Scotland has become the world’s first country to provide freesanitary products to all students in a bid to tackle “period poverty”.
Scottish government approved a £5.2 million ($6.7 million) initiative that will make sanitary products free at all schools, colleges and universities. Nearly 4 lakh pupils and students are expected to benefit from the Scottish government’s scheme.
One UNESCO report estimates that one in 10 girls in sub-Saharan Africa miss 20 percent of the school year because of their period.

· Trump announces U.S.-Mexico new trade deal, replacing NAFTA

S. President Donald Trumpannounced a new trade agreement with Mexico, which will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement(NAFTA).
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto said his country wanted to incorporate NAFTA partner Canada into the new deal.

The North American Free Trade Agreement is an agreement signed by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America.

The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994.

NATIONAL

· Experts plan ‘highways’ for movement of butterflies

A team of experts from Delhi University and the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) is exploring if butterfly corridors could be developed crisscrossing the busy national capital by connecting the city’s green patches.

These corridors or ‘butterfly highways’ would provide a safe passage for them to travel from one park or garden to another within the city. It would, in turn, help maintain a healthy gene pool, necessary for the survival of any species.

Each butterfly species need a specific kind of nectar-producing flowering plant for food and host plant on which they could lay eggs and the caterpillars could grow.

Neeraj Chopra wins India’s first javelin gold medal in Asian Games history

Neeraj Chopra continued his impressive run in 2018 as he bagged gold in men’s javelin throw at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang.

Chopra managed a personal best throw of 88.06 to win the top prize in javelin throw.

This was also India’s first-ever gold medal in javelin throw at the Asian Games and the first medal in the sport since 1982, where India bagged bronze.

· Supreme Court clarified Second marriage is valid even if plea against divorce is pending

Interpreting section 15 of Hindu Marriage Act, SC bench observed that restriction placed on the second marriage in Section 15 of the Act till the dismissal of an appeal would not apply to a case where parties have settled and decided not to pursue the matter.
Section5(1) of the Hindu Marriage Act places a bar on marriage by a person who has a spouse living at the time of the marriage.
Section 11makes such a marriage null and void.
Section 15tells when a divorcee can marry again.

· Government approves commercial flying of drones in India from Dec 1

The government announced that industries including real estate, power and agriculture will be able to legally fly remotely piloted aircraft or dronesin the country for commercial purposes from December 1, when the ‘Digital Sky‘ platform will become operative.
The Digital Sky platform will be a first national unmanned traffic management platform that implements ‘no permission, no takeoff‘ for remotely piloted aircraft.
Initially, drones will be allowed only along visual line-of-sight during day-time with a maximum altitude of 400 feet.
The usage of drones for delivering goods and food items has been restricted.

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