UTTAR PRADESH

 

• 2018 — a year of investments for UP

 

• the UP government changed the name of Allahabad to Prayagraj and of Faizabad district to Ayodhya. Holding of elaborate Deepawali festivities at Ayodhya and the visit of South Korean First Lady Kim Jung-Sook on the occasion was a grand event of the state. Besides, a Guinness world record was created by lighting over three lakh earthen lamps on the ghats of the Saryu river.
• The government also announced that a 151-metre statue of Lord Ram would be erected on the banks of river Saryu in Ayodhya. A statue of late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee would come up at the LokBhawan in Lucknow.

 

• The government during its two-day Investors’ Summit on February 21 and 22 garnered investments to the tune of around Rs 4.68 lakh crore when the state annual budget is just above Rs 4.28 lakh crore. Even the first groundbreaking for Rs 60,000 crore projects was performed on July 29 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

  The Prime Minister also launched the UP government’s ambitious 340-km Poorvanchal Expressway project at Azamgarh on July 14. The over Rs 23,000 crore project will connect Lucknow with Ghazipur.

  During the year, the government also commenced the process to acquire land for the proposed defence corridor in Bundelkhand and other regions. A Detailed Project Report for Bundelkhand Expressway, too, is under process.

 

• In a boost to the aviation sector, the Centre accorded its consent to the Jewar International Airport at Gautam Buddha Nagar district, for which the government has started acquiring the land. Several new airports, including at Prayagraj and Gorakhpur, were inaugurated during the year. A new airport in Ayodhya was also announced. 

  INTERNATIONAL

   

  ·         China’s navigation satellite system BeiDou starts providing global service

   

  • China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) has started offering global service. It is touted as a rival to America’s Global Positioning System (GPS). Pakistan has become the first foreign nation to use the BeiDou system ending its reliance on GPS.
  • China has named its navigation satellite system after the Chinese term which means ‘Big Dipper’. BeiDou-1 consisted of three satellites and was offering navigation services mainly in China and neighbouring regions.  It was decommissioned in 2012.
    The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) named NAVIC is a regional satellite navigation system that provides accurate real-time positioning and timing services covering India and a region extending 1,500 km around it.

   

  • Pakistan Cabinet approved to issue ‘Panda bond’ in Chinese currency

   

  The federal cabinet approved the issuance of Pakistan’s first renminbi-denominated bonds to raise loans from Chinese capital markets, as the country gradually moves towards giving the Chinese currency a status at par with that enjoyed by the US dollar.

  The interest rate may range above 5.5% but the final price can only be determined at the time of launching the bond.

  The Philippines has also raised RMB1.46 billion through renminbi-denominated bonds at an interest rate of 4.75%.

  In the Long-term Plan of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (2017-30) both countries had decided to use renminbi as the second international currency to lessen Pakistan’s reliance on dollar.

   

   

   

   

   

  NATIONAL

   

  • Cabinet approves Indian Human Spaceflight programme

   

  Union Cabinet has approved the Gaganyaan Programme with a demonstration of Indian Human Spaceflight capability to low earth orbit for a mission duration ranging from one orbital period to a maximum of seven days.

  A human-rated GSLV Mk-lll will be used to carry the orbital module which will have necessary provisions for sustaining a 3-member crew for the duration of the mission.

   

  ·         Government bans Khalistan Liberation Force

   

  • The government has banned Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for its involvement in several killing bombings and other terror activities during its violent campaign for the secession of Punjab.
  • KLF will be the 40th organisation to be proscribed under the UAPA Law.
    The Khalistan Liberation Force came into existence in 1986 with the objective of establishing an independent Khalistan by the secession of Punjab from India.
    Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) aims at effective prevention of unlawful activities associations in India, provides unrestricted powers to law enforcement agencies for dealing with activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India.

   

   

  • Cabinet approved the draft National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill

   

  • The Union Cabinet approved the draft National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2018. The NCIM will promote the availability of affordable healthcare services in all parts of the country.
  • The draft Bill will enable the constitution of a National Commission with four autonomous boards for the purpose of conducting overall education in Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and Sowarigpa. There are two common boards, namely the board of assessment and rating to assess and grant permission to educational institutions of Indian systems of medicine, and board of ethics and registration of practitioners of Indian systems of medicine to maintain a National Register and ethical issues relating to practice under the National Commission for Indian Medicine.
  • The Bill proposes an entrance and an exit exam that all graduates need to clear to get practising licenses. This is to assess the standard of teachers before appointment and promotions.

   

  ·         Cabinet approved relaxation for activities falling in CRZ

  • The Union Cabinet approved relaxation in various norms including the clearance of projects or activities falling in the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), allowing for greater use of coastal areas for tourism and industrial growth. This will enable redevelopment of these areas to meet the emerging needs.
  • The move for 2018 Notification comes after a series of representations received by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change from various Coastal States/UTs for a comprehensive review of the provisions of the CRZ Notification, 2011, particularly related to the management and conservation of marine and coastal ecosystems, development in coastal areas, eco-tourism, livelihood option and sustainable development of coastal communities etc.
  • The recommendations were further examined in consultation with Members of Parliament of Coastal States and Union Territories besides other concerned Ministries of Government of India. A draft notification was issued in April 2018 for inviting comments from the public at large.

   

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