National Current Affairs December 2015 (Part 2)

Cabinet Approved Changes in the Implementation Framework of NRLM

• The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval on December 2015 for changes in the rural welfare programmes.
• The Cabinet has also approved relaxation in the existing criteria for the allocation of funds to North-East States other than Asom to cover all vulnerable rural households by 2023-24
• Changes arc taken into consideration for a focussed and targeted intervention in poverty reduction, expanding the benefits of interest subvention under National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) to 100 more districts and flexibility in allocation to Himayat programme and Deen Dayai Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushal Yojana for skilling and placing more youth from poorer sections.

Introduction of ‘Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill, 2015’

• The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval on December 2, 2015 for introduction of a Bill for establishment of a Regional Centre for Biotechnology in Faridabad.
• The objective of the Bill is to provide a legal status to the Centre so as to function independently as an autonomous body and also an Institution of National Importance for education, training and research In the areas of biotechnology.
• The Centre has already been established by an executive order of the government of India in November, 2008 after the approval by the Union Cabinet. It is currently operational at the NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad.

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Revised Cost Estimates for Setting-up of Five IISERs

• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prune Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the revised cost estimates to the tune of Rs 4799 crore as against the originally approved cost of Rs 2500 crore. for setting-up of five Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) at Kolkata, Pune, Mohali Bhopal and Thiruvananthapuram.
• The revised cost estimates will enable the Ministry and the Boards of Governors of the Institutes to enhance the pace of work and expeditious completion of fully operational permanent campuses with 9275 students, 928 faculty and 1020 non-teaching staff by 2018-19.
• These Institutes will integrate Under-giaduate education. Post-graduate education and research under the same umbrella.
• These institutes would also contribute to highly competent and trained manpower that would be a major catalyst for technological human resource revolution that would inevitably have an impact on the economic growth of the country.

India Launched Initiative to Boost Higher Education

• The Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani launched the Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) scheme at IIT-Gandhinagar to boost the quality of India’s higher education through international collaboration on November 30, 2015.
• It is inter-connected with the Make in India’ campaign and the IMPRINT programme. It was also flagged-off parallelly at IFF-Kharagpur, which is the nodal institution and national coordinator for this flagship programme.

• The inaugural courses are 10-day courses i.c., ‘3D Digitisation for Cultural Heritage’ at HT-Gandhinagar and ‘Orthopaedic Biomechanics implants and Biomaterials’ at HT-Kharagpur which are among 201 courses approved to be conducted under GIAN so far from among 495 courses proposed by various higher education institutes in India.

Government Advanced Roll out of BS-V and BS-VI Norms for 4-wheelers

• The Ministry of Road Transport b Highways has issued a draft notification for implementation of Bharat Stage i.e., BS-V and BS-VT norms for the automobile sector four wheeler category on November 27, 2015 to reduce vehicular air pollution from road transport sector.
• According to the roadmap earlier laid down by the Auto Fuel Policy, BS-V norms were to implemented from April 1, 2022 and BS-VI norms from April 1, 2024. Now, the dates for BS-V norms will be rolled out from April l, 2019 and BS-VI norms from April I, 2021.
• Bharat Stage (BS) norms are emission standards decided by the government of India to regulate the amount of air pollutants from vehicles. They were adopted by government of India in line with European regulation standard ‘Euro norms’ in 2000.

Lok Sabha Adopted Resolution Committing to Uphold Constitution

• The Lok Sabha affirmed its commitment to the principles and ideals of the Constitution and resolved to uphold its sanctity and supremacy on November 27, 2015. In a resolution moved by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Lok Sabha sard that it respected the Constitutional institutions, their freedom and authority.
• The lower house vowed to protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of the country and the democratic, socialist and secular character. Besides, it pledged to maintain transparency, probity and accountability in public life and members dedicated ihcm&clves to. equality and social justice and contribute to the task of building a strong republic.

Read More>> International Current Affairs December 2015 (Part 1).

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