All India Radio News Summary : 28 FEBRUARY 2018

All India Radio News Summary : 28 FEBRUARY 2018

1. Indian economy grows at five-quarter high of 7.2 per cent in October-December period; infrastructure sectors grow at faster pace of 6.7 per cent in January.

The Indian economy grew at five-quarter high of 7.2 per cent in the October-December period.

• This reflects overall recovery due to good show by agriculture, manufacturing, construction and certain services.
• As per the second advanced estimates of the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the economy is expected to grow at 6.6 per cent in the current fiscal ending March 31, compared to 7.1 per cent in 2016-17.
• The earlier estimate was 6.5 per cent.
• Infrastructure sectors grew at a faster pace of 6.7 per cent in January as against 3.4 per cent in the corresponding month last year.
• Petroleum refinery and cement output zoomed while steel power and coal production improved.
• The eight core sectors -coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity grew by 4.2 per cent in December and 7.4 per cent in November this financial year.

2. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approves continuation of Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme for three more years till 2020.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, CCEA, approved continuation of Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme for three more years till 2020.

• It will have a total outlay of Five Thousand Five Hundred crore rupees.
• The Scheme will create sustainable estimated employment opportunities for 15 lakh persons in three financial years.
• The CCEA also approved doubling of Government guarantee from 9,500 crore rupees to 19 thousand crore rupees for procurement of pulses and oilseeds at Minimum Support Price under price support scheme by NAFED.

Advantages:

• Provision of Government Guarantee will help in protecting farmers producing these commodities from making distress sales during the peak arrival period and provide remunerative prices to encourage higher investment and production.
• It will also safeguard the interest of consumers by making available supplies at reasonable price.

3. Cabinet approved Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2018 for introduction in Parliament

• The Bill broadly addresses the issue of trafficking from the point of view of prevention, rescue and rehabilitation.
• The bill has a provision for time-bound trial and repatriation of the victims within a period of one year from taking into cognizance.
• No law addresses the protection of victims after the rescue, this bill does so.
• It covers new forms of aggravated trafficking.
• It gives stringent punishment 7 to 10 years imprisonment.
• It creates an institutional mechanism from district to national level.
• It emphasizes on the non-disclosure of identity, a time bound trial and repatriation and the immediate protection and rehabilitation to victims.  

4. Prime Minister reviewed the progress in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Matri Vandana Yojana

Interaction through ICT-based, multi-modal platform PRAGATI,

• PM reviewed the progress in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Matri Vandana Yojana
• PM also reviewed the progress of the Kedarnath reconstruction work in Uttarakhand.

Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY):

• Aim is to provide social security during old age and to protect elderly persons aged 60 and above against a future fall in their interest income due to uncertain market conditions.
• The scheme enables old age income security for senior citizens through provision of assured pension/return linked to the subscription amount based on government guarantee to Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).
• Minimum purchase price under the scheme is Rs.1,50,000/- for a minimum pension of Rs. 1,000/- per month and the maximum purchase price is Rs.7,50,000/- for a maximum pension of Rs.5,000/- per month.
• The scheme is exempted from Goods and Services Tax (GST). 

5. Defence Acquisition Council has approved the Capital Acquisition Proposals of the Services and Coast Guard

• In a major boost to the Make in India initiative, the Defence Acquisition Council chaired by Defence Minister approved the procurement of 41 thousand Light Machine Guns and over 3.5 Lakh Close Quarter Battle Carbines under ‘Buy and Make (Indian)’ category.
• These weapons are an essential component of a soldier’s fighting equipment and will provide a major fillip to the fighting capability of the troops.
• Out of total quantities envisaged, 75 percent will be through Indian Industry under ‘Buy & Make (Indian)’ category and balance through Ordinance Factory Board.

6. The low-cost jute based sanitary napkin

The low-cost jute based sanitary napkin is developed by the Indian Jute Industries Research Association, IJIRA.

• Geo-textile is one of the major areas where the jute industry can benefit.
• Textiles Ministry particularly has a scheme for promoting the use of geo-textiles in north-east.

7. India will continue its commitment to an enhanced economic and development partnership with Afghanistan.

• The External Affairs Ministry conveyed Indian support for the efforts of the people and government of Afghanistan to build a  peaceful, stable, secure and prosperous nation free from the shadow of terrorism.
• New Delhi welcomed the Afghan Government’s call to armed groups to cease violence and join the national peace and reconciliation process.
• Earlier, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani offered peace talks without preconditions to the Taliban after 16 years of war.

8. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has restored Russian membership with immediate effect

• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has restored Russian membership with immediate effect following its suspension from the Winter Olympics at Pyeongchang in South Korea.
• Russia was banned from February’s Games by the Olympic Committee over state-sponsored doping.
• Before the closing ceremony of the Games, the IOC had said that the ban would be lifted, as long as there were no more anti-doping violations.