The ED functions under the Union Finance Ministry and apart from enforcing the anti- laundering law PMLA, it also enforces the civil sections of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and the criminal provisions of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act that was brought in 2018 by the Modi government.
14.08.21
On National Librarians’ Day, Smart Library System inaugurated at Assam University, Silchar
Officials and staff of Central Library at Assam University Silchar, also known as Rabindra Library observed National Librarians’ Day to commemorate 129th birth anniversary of Padma Shri Dr. S.R. Ranganathan.
The Assam University library is going to play a role model for the libraries especially in implementing the technological applications.
According to WSO, elephant landscape has changed dramatically in last two decades.
In Keonjhar district of Odisha, there were 112 elephants in 2002. Now, it has only 40 elephants due to large-scale mining.
Recently, in last 20 days of July-August, five elephants were found dead in Keonjhar forest division.
Dhenkanal district had 81 elephants in 2002 which has increased to 169. Many elephants are getting trapped in the Rengali Irrigation canals.
On the similar lines, 70 elephants from Chandaka sanctuary have abandoned the area and have migrated to Nayagarh, Ganjam and Cuttack districts. Many of them were killed by trains or due to electrocution in Ganjam.
Around 20 adult breeding male elephants die per year, mostly because of poaching and electrocution.
Instance of the distressed elephants in Odisha has gone up with time because their habitats and paths are continuously encroached upon for farming, mining, industries and Urbanisation. In the districts like Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda and Angul, elephants lost their habitats due to rampant mining.
State had 2,044 elephants in Odisha in the year 1979. But as per census 2017, their numbers have reduced to 1976 as they were compelled to leave native forests. Now, elephants are restricted to 26 districts out of 30 districts. 2017 census highlights that, 344 out of 1,976 elephant Population were male.
Most of the elephant corridors and reserve plans are only confined to paper. Traditional elephant corridors have been degraded that has restricted their Migration. In 2010, Fourteen elephant corridors were officially identified covering over 870 sq. km.
Tamil Nadu lost Rs 2,577crore central grants due to failure to hold local body polls, govt white paper says
The failure of the previous AIADMK regime to hold the local body in Tamil Nadu cost the exchequer badly. In all, the state lost Rs 2,577.29 crore of central grants in the financial years 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20, according to the white paper released by finance minister PalanivelThiagarajan.
The grants, even those recommended by the Finance Commission, were not released in time for a variety of reasons. The non-release of substantial portion of grants to local bodies recommended by the 14thFinance Commissionin the three fiscal years due to the failure to hold local body elections in time is a case in point.
State universities see a surge in foreign enrolments
With the release of the academic calendar for the 2021-22 session, many state universities have started the admission process for undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Though some of them are still waiting for the board and final-year results to be announced to start the admission.
The University of Kerala has got more than 24000 applications including from international students for various postgraduate courses, with high priority for Science, English and Commerce programmes.
Dharwad poised to be a major industrial cluster in Karnataka
The has embarked upon a new Industrial Policy which is focusing on development of the Bengaluru-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. This corridor passes through Dharwad. As the district has ample scope for major players to set up their Plants here, 5,200 acres of land is being acquired for the purpose.
With this, Dharwad will be redesigned as one of the biggest industrial clusters and would open abundant opportunities for youth to get EMPLOYMENT.
Meanwhile, AequsSEZPrivate Limited is developing a Consumer Electronics and Durable Goods (CEDG) cluster on 350 acres in Itigatti-Gamanagatti area between Hubballi and Dharwad, with an Investment of Rs 3,524 crore, and will create around 20,000 jobs.
The cluster has the status of a Special Economic Zone and provides plug-and-play Infrastructure to other companies, both domestic and foreign.
Apart from concessions and subsidies in the new industrial policy and SEZ norms, the state government has extended more benefits to Aequs, such as 25% capital investment subsidy and 20% for other companies investing there, besides deferring payment for land.
Rs 20,000 crore per year for Dalit Bandhu in Telangana, say sources
By quickly rolling out the Dalit Bandhu scheme, chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has not only caught the opposition parties unawares but also put them on the back foot. Sources said theCMintends to grant a hefty allocation of Rs 20,000 crore in the immediate financial year for the scheme.
Sources also said the CM was firm on implementing the scheme by BUDGETING Rs 20,000 crore on the scheme every year. Presently, support for farmers in the form of Rythu Bandhu scheme receives Rs 11,000 crore annually. At a time when Rythu Bandhu is being implemented successfully with regular funding, we foresee no problem in the implementation ofDalita Bandhu. This scheme will also receive substantial funding and will be implemented all over the state, official sources said.
Despite the opposition parties criticism that the scheme was primarily launched with an eye on the forthcomingHuzurabadby-election, the CM has reiterated that the scheme will be implemented in the entire state and will receive an overall allocation of Rs 1 lakh crore and in excess.
KRMB team inspects Rayalaseema scheme site in Andhra Pradesh
A team of officials from Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) inspectedRayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme(RLIS) site in Andhra Pradeshs Kurnool district.
Raipure said the panel had gone through the presentations made by AP irrigation officials. Kurnool chief engineer Muralidhar Reddy said they had explained to the team the need for taking up RLIS. He said they would start work only after getting all clearances. They have also carried out a survey and ground clearance work.
Only Rs 16 crore of Rs 608.4 crore plan spent by Panaji Smart City
Marred by delay in allocation of funds and faulty prioritisation of projects, the Centres ambitiousSmart City Missionappears to have floundered in Goa. Five years afterPanajiwas put on the fast track to smartness on the basis of a Rs 608.4 crore planned outlay, theUnion ministry of housing and urban affairs(MoHUA) said that just Rs 16.2 crore has been spent till date on 10 projects, most of them being beautification works.
The Centre also said that seven big ticket projects worth Rs 330 crore are about to be awarded to contractors while two projects worth Rs 40 crore are likely to be tendered in the coming weeks. The information was given by the minister of state Kaushal Kishore in a written reply inRajya Sabha.
As per the MoHUA website, Goa has transferred Rs 113 crore to IPSCDL till date as its share towards the Smart City Mission.
State to form task force to help rural farmers export agricultural products
State Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture minister Dada Bhuse said thestate governmentwas appointing atask forcein every district to boost export of agriculture produce.
The state was leading in production of agriculture produce, but farmers lack information in fetching good price and even exporting goods where there are opportunities.
The minister also added that the agriculture department would also take steps to provide guidance to the tribal community for selling their produce.
On the provision of providing urea to the farmers, Bhuse claimed there is a process in place for efficiently providing urea to the farmers.