Karnataka assembly OKs anti-conversion bill

TheKarnatakalegislativeassembly passed a controversial anti-conversion bill amid a din and day-long debate by the opposition parties. The bill is aimed at curbing illegal religious conversions.

The Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021, introduced in the assembly on Tuesday, was passed by voice vote even as Congress members protested from the well of theHousedemanding more time for debate on the legislation.

The government is likely to introduce the bill in the legislative council, where BJP does not have a majority, on Friday, the last day of the session. After assessing the chances of the bill passi-ng, sources said the party may table the bill or refrain from doing so for now.

Telangana govt opposes dividing SLBC

Thegovernment has raised objections to splitting Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) into two components instead of a single component in the gazette notification issued by the Union ministry of Resources“>Water Resources.

The State Government said in the notification it was mentioned that intake, tunnel, appurtenant structures (mean structures such as spillways) and Nakkalagandi reservoir as

one component and additional 10 tmcft intake and appurtenant works as another component. Telangana engineer-in-chief (ENC) C Muralidhar said in the letter that the united AP government had enhanced the ayacut under SLBC from three lakh acres to four lakh acres but the quantum of water utilisation was not enhanced accordingly from 30 tmcft to 40 tmcft.

National highways in Andhra Pradesh doubled in 7 years, says Nitin Gadkari

Andhra Pradesh has bagged several key projects particularly in the development ofnationalhighways in the last seven years as the Centre has doubled the total length ofNHsby spending a whopping Rs 35,000 crore.

This is considered to be

highest Growth rate theAPhas ever witnessed. The Centre is also readying plans to invest close to another Rs 88,000 crore to develop national highways in next few years. Responding to a query posed by BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao, Union road transport and highways minister NitinGadkarion Wednesday said the national highways in AP were doubled in the last seven years of Narendra Modis tenure.

He said the total length of national highways which were spread over 4,193 km in 2014, have now touched 8,183 km with almost 100 per cent increase. Gadkari said the Centre is willing to develop important stretches of highways inGunturdistrict soon after getting the feasibility reports.

Goa IPB clears 4 projects worth Rs 230 crore with potential to create 1,489 jobs

TheGoa Promotion and Facilitation Board(IPB) met on Thursday and cleared four investment proposals, which could bring in Rs 230 crore of investment to the state and also createjobsfor 1,489 people.

Chief ministerPramod Sawant, who chaired the meeting, said that the projects would benefit Goa immensely.

The investment proposals are for Light engineering firms, manufacturing, agro-Food Processing and an automotive service facility.

In the entire year, IPB has conducted just four board meetings and has approved projects with an investment of Rs 832.1 cr and which could create EMPLOYMENT for 3613 individuals. IPB said that 78% of these jobs will

go to locals.

IPB is also in the process of drafting new rules and regulations under the new Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation of Single Window Clearance Act, 2021. The board, which is headed by Sawant, has already approved a new methodology for land allotment, which uses a points-based system to evaluate project proposals. The investment score is then evaluated against the advertised land bank in the

state.

The board has already identified unused land across various industrial estates in Goa and has invited project proposals from potential investors.

Mumbai: Bills for OBC quota in local body polls passed

The Maharashtra Assembly on Thursday cleared two bills providing 27% reservation to the OBC in the local body polls. These bills were originally ordinances that were issued by the rural and urban development departments and have been challenged in the SC. While clearing the bills, the opposition and the government engaged into a verbal spat blaming each other for the loss of political reservation to the OBC. Cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal said the Centres decision to not share the empirical data has put the OBC reservation across the country in danger.

href="https://exam.pscnotes.com/national-international-days-notes-for-state-psc-exams/">National & International Days (128)

Haryana Chief Minister launches ‘drug-free society’ drive

Launching a drug-free Society campaign, the Haryana Chief Minister (CM), Manohar Lal Khattar, on Thursday administered oath to hundreds of students, teachers and other prominent people to say no to drugs. All should make efforts for restricting themselves from the drug menace, he added.

This step was initiated by Union Minister of State Kaushal Kishore, who fixed a goal to administer oath to say no to drugs to 75 lakh people by 75th Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav on August 15, 2022. So far, 10 lakh people have taken a pledge to de-addiction.

General Category Commission gets Punjab Cabinet approval

The Cabinet chaired by CM Charanjit Channi today approved setting up of Punjab State General Category Commission for unreserved classes.

The commission would go a long way in safeguarding the interests of the unreserved classes, besides

effective implementation of various welfare schemes for the benefit of the poor. The commission was a long-standing demand of employees belonging to general categories (unreserved classes) that their interests were not being protected and that the must constitute a commission on the pattern of Gujarat.

Besides, the Cabinet gave a go-ahead for exemption of the Motor Vehicle Tax for Stage carriage buses (Big & Mini Buses) and Contract Carriage vehicles less than 16-seater vehicles, relieving the transport sector from financial loss. Various representations were received from private transporters through which they highlighted that rising diesel prices had further deteriorated their condition.

Modi to lay foundation of Dhaula Sidh hydel power project

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of 66 Mega Watt Dhaula Sidh hydel power project on December 27. It is learnt that the PM will lay the foundation through virtual mode while he would come to Mandi on completion of four years of the Jai Ram government in the state.

Significantly, the project would be constructed on Beas river and the work on the approach roads and 253 m long diversion tunnel of 10.20 m diameter has been completed by the executing agency Satluj Jal Vidhut Vikas Nigam Limited (SJVNL).

Dhaula Sidh Hydroelectric Project will be a run-of-the-river power project to harness the hydel potential of the Beas. It will have a storage of 6.87 million cusec meter water to utilize it during lean season. Rajesh Chandel, project head, said here that the main dam would be 69.75 m high and 195.14 m long concrete gravity dam would be constructed with two 62 m long pen stokes of 4.3 m diameter to produce the

electric power.

Star cricketer Pant made brand ambassador of Ukhand

The Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has appointed wicket keeper of Indian cricketer team Rishabh Pant as the brand ambassador of the state for promoting Sports and general Health. Dhami took to Twitter and shared the news of appointing Pant as the ‘State Brand Ambassador’ with the aim of encouraging the youth of the state towards sports and public health.

Pant was born on October 4, 1997 in Roorkee, Uttarakhand. He is primarily known for his swashbuckling batting and wicket-keeping skills. Currently Pant is in South Africa for a three-match test series which will begin from December 26.

UP emerges as new investment hub

Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the new hub in India with some of the biggest businessmen, industrialists and entrepreneurs showing their interest in investing in the state.

In pursuit of creating an investor-friendly Environment, Uttar Pradesh has climbed up to the second rank in Ease of Doing Business (EODB) index. The State Government has also launched a single-window system named Nivesh Mitra Portal where there are over 70 Services of about 20 departments. Moreover, the state does not have any dearth of Resources or labour. With the kind of Population Uttar Pradesh has, the investors already have a gigantic consumer base to target.

The state government has been successful in facilitating investment in DEFENCE, Health, MSME, Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture, handloom, power and other sectors. Besides, the policy of the

government has been to pursue eco-friendly solar power. Also, Uttar Pradesh has been successful in implementing 186 out of 187 reforms suggested under BRAP 19 (Business Reform Action Plan) by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) of the Central government.

Many major investment plans have also come to the state

government for the next few years. The defence manufacturing corridor has an investment potential of Rs 50,000 crore. New and improved MSME policies are promoting industrial development at all levels across UP.

Defence, aerospace, Warehousing, data centre, electric vehicles and pharma are fast emerging as new investment sectors in Uttar Pradesh. Similarly, traditional sectors like electronics, information technology (IT), Food Processing, Dairy, textiles, tourism and film are also attracting investment. There is also investment potential in Solar Energy, bio-fuels and civil aviation. Most economists believe that the way to make India a five trillion dollar economy passes through Uttar Pradesh.