PM Narendra Modi launches Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched ‘Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan’ to strengthen Panchayati Raj in villages and ensure social harmony in villages. It was launched on the occasion of 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar at his birth place at Mhow, Madhya Pradesh.
Key facts:

The campaign aims to generate nation wide efforts to strengthen Panchayati Raj, increase social harmony across villages, promote rural development and foster farmers’ welfare & livelihoods of the poor. It is 11 days campaign (from 14th to 24th April 2016) will mainly focus on generating nationwide efforts on promoting above mentioned aim of the campaign. The campaign will be run jointly by the Union Ministries of Rural Development, Social Justice, Agriculture, Labour & Information and Broadcasting along with the States Governments.
Panchayat level programmes:

Between 14th April to 16th April 2016, a ‘Social Harmony Programme’ will be conducted in all Gram Panchayats. In this programme, villagers will resolve to strengthen social harmony. Information regarding the various schemes of the government will be provided to foster social justice. Gram Kisan Sabha: Between 17th April to 20th April, 2016 ‘Village Farmer Assemblies’ will be organized in Gram Panchayats to promote agriculture. In these assemblies, information regarding schemes regarding agriculture will be provided to farmers and their suggestions for bringing about improvements in agriculture will be solicited. Gram Sabha meetings: It will be held from 21th to 24th April, 2016 across the country. On these days, Prabhat Pheris , cultural programme as well as a sports programme will be organized in the village.
Panchayati Raj Day:

On 24th April 2016, the day will be celebrated at Jamshedpur, which will be attended by the selected Panchayat presentatives from the country. Prime Minister will address the gathering on this day.

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PM Narendra Modi launches Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan

Akash Missile System successfully test fired

Indigenously developed surface-to-air supersonic Akash missile System was successfully test fired from complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipuri in Odisha.
Test:

• 2 rounds of Akash missiles were fired against Pilot less target aircraft (PTA) Lakshya, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Banshee and Para-barrel.


• It successfully destroyed the targets coordinated by the user, demonstrating its ‘killing’ efficiency.

About Akash Missile:

• Akash (in English it means sky) is a mid-range surface-to-air missile (SAM).


• It is medium range nuclear capable supersonic missile.


• Indigenously developed by the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) under the Integrated Guided-Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).

Akash Missile Features:

• Akash missile has supersonic speeds ranging from Mach 2.8 to 3.5. It is multi target, multi directional, all weather air-defence system consisting of surveillance and tracking radars.


• It has capability to carry warhead of 60 kg. It can engage aerial targets up to a range of approximately 25 kms. It can reach a high altitude of 18 kms and as low as 30 meters.


• It is powered by the Ramjet-rocket propulsion system (RRPS) which renders thrust for the missile to intercept the target at supersonic speed without any retardation.


• It is capable of neutralising aerial targets like cruise missiles, fighter jets, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) & air-to surface missiles. The missile was formally inducted into the IAF in July 2015.

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Akash Missile System successfully test fired

Maharashtra becomes 1st state to pass law against social boycott

Maharashtra legislature has unanimously passed the Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill, 2016 to end the menace social boycott practiced by extra judicial institutions like caste & community panchayats. With this Maharashtra became 1st state in the country to adopt a comprehensive law to root out oppression carried out by parallel justice delivery system (kangaroo court) in the name of age old traditions, caste & religion.
Key Features of Bill:

• The Bill terms social boycott as a crime and says anybody indulging in it would face imprisonment maximum upto 3 years and a fine of One lakh rupees or both.


• It disallows social boycott of any individual or groups by caste panchayats or groups of individuals or gavki or by its members or by social or economically influential persons.


• Persons involved in practice of social boycott for reasons like rituals of worship, inter-caste marriage, any connection to lifestyle, dress or vocation will face stringent punishment.


• The offence registered under the act will be congnizable and bailable. It will be tried by a judicial magistrate of the first class.


• The victim of social boycott or any member of the victim’s family can file a complaint either to police or directly to the magistrate.


• The bill has indicated speedy trial within 6 months of filing chargesheet in such cases in order to ensure time bound results.


• Government will recruit social boycott prohibition officers to ensure monitoring and to detect offences and assist the magistrate and police officers in tackling such cases.

Background:

• In recent times, Maharashtra had witnessed an increasing number of incidents of social boycott and violence at the orders of caste panchayats.


• However, existing laws were found to be inadequate in dealing with such practices. For years, number of activists and academicians in the state were demanding stringent law to root out menace of social boycotts from the state.

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Maharashtra becomes 1st state to pass law against social boycott

PM Narendtra Modi inaugurates 3rd Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the third edition of Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi to save wild tigers. India is host of this edition of conference in which more than 700 tiger experts, scientists, managers, donors and other stakeholders are participating.

Key facts:

• The conference will discus`s issues related to tiger conservation and anti-poaching s`trategies. Ministers and government officials from all 13 tiger range countries (TRCs) participating in the conference.

These 13 TRCs are:

•  Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand,and Vietnam.


• In this edition of conferences participating TRCs will share their


• (i) Good practices and success stories in conserving tigers


• (ii) Success stories in conserving tigers. The conference will also bring desired momentum and cooperative will for tiger conservation at the global level.


• It will also have and have long term ramifications in the future for tiger conservation. The 1st edition of Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation was held in Hua Hin, Thailand in 2010 and second edition was held in Thimphu, Bhutan in 2013.

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PM Narendtra Modi inaugurates 3rd Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation

Dogri Poetess Padma Sachdev selected for 2015 Saraswati Samman

Dogri Poetess and novelist Padma Sachdev (76) has been chosen for the prestigious Saraswati Samman for the year 2015. Samman has been chosen for her autobiography ‘Chitt-Chete’ written in Dogri language and published in 2007. In her 662-page autobiography, Ms. Sachdev has included some historic photographs with dignitaries from her state, nation and the world. Her work was selected by the jury presided by former Chief Justice AS Anand from 22 works in as many languages published between the years 2005-2014.

About Padma Sachdev:  Padma Sachdev is 1st modern woman poet of Dogri language. She also writes in Hindi. She has published her several poetry collection and has 60 books to her credit. Some of her famous books are Tavi Te Chanhan (1976), Nheriyan Galiyan (1982), Pota Pota Nimbal (1987), Uttar Vahini (1992) and Tainthian (1992). Awards & Honours: Her poetry collection Meri Kavita Mere Geet (My Poems, My Songs) has won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1971. She also has been awarded Padma Shri (2001), India’s Fourth highest civilian award and the Kabir Samman for poetry (2007-08) by the Government of Madhya Pradesh.
About Saraswati Samman:

• Saraswati Samman is an annual award bestowed upon Indian citizen for his outstanding literary work written in any Indian language mentioned in Schedule VIII of Constitution & published during last Ten years.


• It has been named after an Indian goddess of learning and is considered to be among the highest literary awards in India.

Established:

1991 by the K. K. Birla Foundation. Award Carries: Monetary award of 15 lakh rupees, a citation and a plaque. Eminent Hindi author Harivansh Rai Bachchan was the 1st recipient of this award for his autobiography in 4 volumes

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Dogri Poetess Padma Sachdev selected for 2015 Saraswati Samman

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches inflatable room to ISS

Private SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket contracted by the NASA has successfully launched the 1st inflatable habitat room that will attach to the International Space Station (ISS). The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off on schedule from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, US. In another major success for SpaceX, the reusable main stage booster of Falcon 9 rocket for the 1st time successfully landed on an ocean (floating) platform, known as a drone ship, off the coast of Florida.
Key facts:

• The inflatable room has been named as Bigelow Expandable Actitvity Module (BEAM) and has been built by Nevada Company Bigelow Aerospace.


• It will be attached to the ISS for a 2 year test and is the first such habitat to hold humans in orbit. It is made up of aluminium & soft fabric.


• It expands in space and is light weight and also takes minimal space. It creates place for astronauts to live & work.


• Its test is intended to pave the way towards the use of such rooms for long space trips, including to Mars and this technology could also help to create homes on the Mars.


• It should be noted that this was also the 1st NASA cargo run for SpaceX since its June 2015 mishap, when an unmanned cargo rocket exploded soon after take off.

About SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket:

• Falcon 9 rocket is a 2 stage rocket designed & manufactured by Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX), a private space transport services company.


• It is basically used for the reliable and safe transport of satellites and the Dragon spacecraft into orbit. It is powered by the liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) propellants.


• In 2008, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 And Dragon capsule combination had won a Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract from NASA to resupply the ISS under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program.

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SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches inflatable room to ISS

The Union Government constitutes B B Tandon Committee to monitor Government Advertisements

The Union Information & Broadcasting Ministry has constituted a 3 member Committee to see that guidelines set for government advertisements by the Supreme Court are followed. The committee will be headed by the former Chief Election Commissioner B B Tandon. TV journalist Rajat Sharma and ad-man Piyush Pandey will be the other 2 members of the committee.
Background:

• The committee was constituted by I&B Ministry based on the recommendation of the 3 member selection committee comprising Press Council Chairman Justice (retd) C K Prasad, I&B Secretary Sunil Arora and advertising professional Prasoon Joshi..


• Supreme Court order on Govt Advertisements In May 2015, Supreme Court in its order had issued Guidelines on Regulating Government Advertisements based on recommendations of Prof NR Madhava Menon Committee.


• in its order, SC had barred publication of photos of leaders in government advertisements except those of the President, Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India.


• SC had also directed the Union Government to constitute a 3 member committee to regulate the issue of public advertisements.


• It had clearly mentioned that member of this committee should be consisting of persons with unimpeachable neutrality and impartiality.


• However, in March 2016 SC modified its earlier May 2015 order and allowed photographs of Chief Ministers, Governors & ministers to be carried in public advertisements.

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The Union Government constitutes B B Tandon Committee to monitor Government Advertisements