GUJARAT

Gujarat-Maharashtra water sharing talks in limbo

In the ambitious river-linking projects — the Damanganga-Pinjal and Par-Tapi-Narmada projects — the Gujarat and Maharashtra governments have failed to reach an agreement on sharing water.

The Gujarat government conditionally agreed to share Narmada waters with Maharashtra, provided Maharashtra reciprocates for rivers flowing from Maharashtra to Gujarat. However, Maharashtra is unwilling to accept the conditions of the Gujarat government. Gujarat has mandated that Maharashtra first agree to sharing more Tapi water, whose source is in the Sahyadris in Vidarbha. Only then will Gujarat sign on the dotted line to provide more water from the Damanganga-Pinjal link to quench Mumbai’s thirst.

The Damanganga-Pinjal link envisages transfer of surplus water from the Damanganga basin at the proposed Bhugad and Khargihill dam sites to the Pinjal reservoir, to augment the water supply of Greater Mumbai. All three reservoirs will be connected through tunnels. The Pinjal dam is across the Pinjal in the Vaitarnabasin, which supplies water to Mumbai.

The Par-Tapi-Narmada link will mainly benefit Gujarat, while the Damanganga-Pinjal link will help Maharashtra. The former envisages the transfer of surplus water from the west-flowing rivers north of the Damanganga to the Tapi in Gujarat. The scheme, though mainly located in southern Gujarat, will cover some areas north of Mumbai on the Western Ghats in Maharashtra.

INTERNATIONAL

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018 held in London

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018, also known as CHOGM 2018, was the 25th meeting of the heads of government of the Commonwealth of Nations.

It was held in the United Kingdom. Prime Minister attended the meeting for India.

The meeting had been planned to have been held by Vanuatu at the end of 2017, but was moved to the United Kingdom after the impact of Cyclone Pam on the infrastructure of Vanuatu.

The meeting was then postponed to April 2018 due to other international commitments.

Rwanda has been selected as host of the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), to be held in 2020.

Malaria Summit 2018 held in London

Malaria Summit 2018 was held recently in London.

Leaders from 15 Commonwealth counties, along with The Prince of Wales and Bill Gates, gathered in London to re-focus and reignite global efforts to beat malaria for good.

While significant progress has been made in recent years, a child under five still dies from malaria every two minutes and in 2016, for the first time in years, the number of malaria cases in the world went up.

· Prince Charles to Succeed His Mother Queen Elizabeth II As Head Of Commonwealth

Britain’s Prince Charles will succeed his mother Queen Elizabeth II as the Head of the Commonwealth after the heads of government agreed on his succession.
The Commonwealth leaders have reached an agreement on the succession of the 69-year-old heir to the British throne at a closed-door Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting retreat in Windsor Castle.

World Earth Day: 22 April

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22.

Worldwide, various events are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection.

First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day events in more than 193 countries are now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network.

On Earth Day 2016, the landmark Paris Agreement was signed by the United States, China, and some 120 other countries.

The theme for World Earth Day 2018 is ‘End Plastic Pollution’.

Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) – 2018

The 6th edition of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and Conclave of Chiefs is being hosted by Iran at Tehran from 23 to 25 April 2018.

The Chief of the Naval Staff is leading a four member Indian delegation for the event.

The IONS was conceived by the Indian Navy in 2008.

The forum seeks to enhance maritime cooperation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region by providing an open and inclusive forum for discussion on regionally relevant maritime issues that would lead to common understanding on the way ahead.

The inaugural edition of IONS was held in February 2008 at New Delhi, with Indian Navy as the Chair for two years.

This was followed by UAE from 2010 – 2012, South Africa from 2012 – 2014, Australia from 2014 – 2016 and Bangladesh from 2016 – 2018.

NATIONAL

Union Cabinet clears ordinance on death penalty to child rapists

In the wake of outrage over the brutal rape and murder of a minor in Kathua, Jammu & Kashmir, the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved an ordinance to allow courts to pronounce the death penalty to those convicted of raping children up to 12 years of age.

Ordinance approved by the Cabinet also prescribes the minimum punishment in case of rape of women to increase from rigorous imprisonment of 7 years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment.

In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to imprisonment for rest of life, which means imprisonment till that person’s natural life.

Cabinet approves the restructured Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi gave its approval for restructured Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA).

The Scheme will be implemented during the period from 01.04.2018 to 31.03.2022 at the total cost of Rs. 7255.50 crore with the Central Share of Rs. 4500 crore and that of State Share of Rs. 2755.50 crore.

This scheme will extend to all States and UTs of the Country and will also include institutions of rural local government in non-Part IX areas, where Panchayats do not exist,

The scheme will have both Central Component – National Level activities including “National Plan of Technical Assistance”, “Mission Mode project on e-Panchayat”, “Incentivization of Panchayats” and State component – Capacity Building of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).

· Union Cabinet Approves Promulgation of Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance

The Union Cabinet approved the promulgation of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance 2018, which would empower the government to seize the domestic assets of those deemed by a relevant court to be fugitive economic offenders.
The Ordinance has a provision for a ‘Special Court’ under the Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002 to declare a person as a Fugitive Economic Offender.

PM Modi awarded Manipur’s Karang – India’s first cashless island

Prime Minister Narendra Modi honoured bureaucrats for making Manipur’s Karang the first cashless island of the country, and implementing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and other priority initiatives of the Centre.

Modi awarded civil servants for smooth implementation of four priority programmes — Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban and Rural), Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana, and for promoting digital payments.

Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra and Madhya Pradesh’s Neemuch were awarded for the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin).

Puducherry and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Telangana, got the PM’s award for implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban).

West Tripura and Maharashtra’s Beed were awarded for the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

Bengal’s Digambarpur is India’s best Gram Panchayat

West Bengal’s Digambarpur Gram Panchayat has bagged the Centre’s award for the best Gram Panchayat in the country.

A survey was conducted to find out the best Gram Panchayat in the country and in a letter to the state government the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has stated that Digambarpur has come up as the best out of 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats in the country.

· Union Cabinet Nod To Restructured Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan Scheme

The Union Cabinet Committee onEconomic Affairs approved a restructured Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan scheme aimed at making rural local bodies self-sustainable, financially stable and more efficient.
According to the Union Panchayati Raj Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, PM Narendra Modi will launch Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan scheme in Mandla in Madhya Pradesh on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day.

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