ASSAM
- Centre working with states to improve water situation
- The government aims to reduce the time frame fixed by United Nations for providing tap water to all households in the country from 2030 to 2024.
- The minister said emphasis is being laid on improving water level in water-stressed districts of the country and steps are being taken to recharge water by treating waste water.
- “The government aims to provide tap water to all households by 2024, reducing the time frame from 2030 as per the United Nations Resolution in this regard.
- According to the NITI Aayog’s ‘Strategy for New India @75′, the per-capita water availability has decreased from 1,816 cubic metre in 2001 to 1,544 cubic metre in 2011.
- In rural areas, under Centrally sponsored National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), the central government provides technical and financial assistance to state for improving the coverage of safe drinking water in rural habitations.
- Out of total rural population of 9182.58 lakh, 7001.42 lakh (76.25 per cent) have the infrastructure to provide more than 40 litres per capita per day of safe drinking water.
- Under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), states are empowered to utilise up to 25 per cent of NRDWP funds to mitigate the drinking water crisis in areas in their states by taking water scarcity mitigation measures.
- In order to sustain drinking water sources, artificial recharge of groundwater and rain water harvesting are being implemented under various schemes like Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
INTERNATIONAL
- National Doctor’s Day: 1 July 2019
- National Doctor’s Day is celebrated on the 1st of July in India every year.
- This day honours doctors across the country for their relentless service throughout the year.
- In India, Doctor’s Day is celebrated to honour the legendary Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, who was also the second Chief Minister of West Bengal.
- 2019 theme: ‘Zero tolerance to violence against doctors and clinical establishment’
- India signs Rs 200 crore anti-tank missile deal with Russia
- India has signed a deal to acquire ‘Strum Ataka’ anti-tank missile from Russia for its fleet of Mi-35 attack choppers.
- The deal for the missiles is worth around Rs 200 crore and would give an added capability to the Mi-35 attack choppers.
- The Mi-35s are the existing attack choppers of the Indian Air Force and are set to be replaced with the Apache gunships being acquired from the US.
NATIONAL
- Saudi Arabia increased India’s Haj quota by 30,000
- Saudi Arabiaincreased India’s Haj quota by 30,000.
- It was like the third hike in 3 years. It is increased from 1,70,000 to 200,000.
- Indians get a chance to visit annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. It is a city in Hejazi region of Saudi Arabia.
- The issue discussed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- The Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman in the ongoing G20 Summit in Osaka Japan.
- In 2017, Saudi Arabia increased India’s Haj quota by 35,000.It was hiked by 5,000
- Haj subsidy provided by the government withdrawn following the Supreme Court order of 2012.
- It allowed women to go on Hajj without ‘Mahram’ or male companion.
- Bilateral meeting between India and Saudi Arabia regarding the cooperation in tradeand investment, energy security and counter-terrorism.Haj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca.
- Fund transfers via RTGS, NEFT to cost less from 1 July 2019
- The Reserve Bank of India will waive all charges on fund transfer through popular RTGS and NEFT systems from July 1 and asked banks to pass on the benefits to customers.
- The Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS) is meant for large-value instantaneous fund transfers while the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) System is used for fund transfers of up to Rs 2 lakh.
- Country’s largest bank SBI charges between Re 1 and Rs 5 for transactions through NEFT and between Rs 5 and Rs 50 for RTGS route.
- Nagaland occupies the top position in the unemployment rate: NSSO Survey
- According to the survey, “The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for 2017-18” which is conducted by National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO).
- The huge variations among the states in terms of the unemployment rate.
The overall unemployment rate is around 6.1. - Nagaland has the highest unemployment rate among the states with the percentage of 21.4%
- It is followed by Goa (1 3.9%) and Manipur(1 1.6%)
- Meghalaya has the lowest rate at 1.5%.Chhattisgarh and Sikkim have the lowest rates.
- Urban areas witnessed higher unemployment (7.8%) than rural areas (5.3%). Females have the lowest unemployment rate (5.7%) in comparison to males (6.2%).
Nagaland top in the list of union territories while Dadra and Nagar Haveli with a low rate of 0.6%. - Goa and Kerala are high in female unemployment at 26.0% and 23.3%respectively.
- UGC approves new initiative STRIDE to boost research culture
- The University Grants Commission (UGC) has approved a new initiative – Scheme for Trans-disciplinary Research for India’s Developing Economy (STRIDE) to boost research culture in the country.
- The scheme will strengthen research culture and innovation in colleges and Universities.
- STRIDE will help students and faculty to contribute towards India’s developing economy with the help of collaborative research.