Published on: December 10, 2024
Snippets :10 DECEMBER 2024
Snippets :10 DECEMBER 2024
- The government is exploring a new approach to minimize financial burdens for developing an integrated township in Bidadi, involving a 99-year land lease model for developers. The project, spread across 8,000–10,000 acres, focuses on land pooling as the primary method and reserves land acquisition for small parcels. Similar projects in states like Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh have been cited as references. The phased development plan for Bidadi includes government-led master development in Phase 1 (800–1,000 acres), land leasing to developers in Phase 2 (2,500–3,000 acres), and fully private development in Phase 3 (4,000–5,000 acres). Additional townships are proposed in Nandagudi, Solur, Ramanagara, and Sathnur. Challenges include securing farmer consent and addressing opposition from landowners to the proposed 50:50 or 60:40 development models, which would share developed land between government agencies and landowners.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched LIC’s Bima Sakhi Yojana in Panipat, Haryana, to promote insurance awareness in rural areas while empowering rural women by providing employment as insurance brokers (Bima Sakhis). The scheme aims to enhance financial literacy, increase insurance uptake in underserved regions, and support LIC’s social welfare and corporate growth goals. It offers specialized training on insurance and financial literacy, enabling women to work as LIC agents and apply for development officer roles upon graduation. Eligible participants must be women aged 18–70 years with at least a Class 10 education, excluding relatives of existing LIC agents or employees and retired LIC employees.
- Sanjay Malhotra has been appointed as the 26th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a three-year term starting December 11, 2024, succeeding Shaktikanta Das. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved his appointment, which comes amid critical challenges in the banking sector and preparations for the 2025 Union Budget. Malhotra, an IIT Kanpur graduate and a Princeton University alumnus, has held key positions, including Revenue Secretary and Financial Services Secretary. As RBI Governor, he will oversee banking regulation, fintech challenges, and monetary policy, chairing the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meetings from February. His appointment marks a significant step in tackling economic issues like GDP growth slowdown, persistent food inflation, and the evolving retail lending landscape. Established in 1935, the RBI has had 25 Governors, including notable figures like Dr. Manmohan Singh and Shaktikanta Das, and its Governor’s role is equivalent to that of a Cabinet Secretary.
- The Indian Navy exemplifies enhanced collaboration through its focus on areas like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, space exploration, and counter-terrorism, along with its efforts to strengthen partnerships with global allies. INS Tushil, a technologically advanced Krivak III-class frigate, highlights India’s collaboration with Russia, featuring “Made in India” components and capabilities designed for blue water operations in air, surface, underwater, and electromagnetic domains. Part of the 2016 India-Russia agreement for four stealth frigates, two are being built in Russia and two in India at Goa Shipyard Ltd under a technology transfer agreement. These frigates boast advanced weapon systems for multi-role effectiveness. Despite construction delays due to COVID-19 and the Ukraine war, INS Tushil represents India’s strides toward naval excellence. Additionally, the Indian Navy serves as a net security provider, ensuring safe maritime trade routes, combating piracy and smuggling, and offering humanitarian aid and disaster relief within the Indian Ocean Region, while promoting secure global commerce through strategic partnerships.
- Filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s “All We Imagine As Light”, a Mumbai-set story about three women and their friendship, on Monday received two nominations at the 82nd Golden Globes in Best Motion Picture Non-English Language and the Best Direction – Motion Picture categories
- Eminent filmmaker Shaji N. Karun has been selected for the J.C. Daniel Award for 2023, recognising his lifetime contribution to Malayalam cinema. The award, the highest honour in Malayalam cinema instituted by the Kerala government, includes a cash prize of ₹5 lakh, a citation, and a statuette. Mr. Karun has been able to infuse creative energy into the new wave cinema in Malayalam, a jury chaired by an earlier recipient of the award T.V. Chandran
- The Supreme Court has exercised its extraordinary powers to grant permanent commission to a woman Army officer who was wrongly excluded from consideration despite her distinguished service record. The court observed that it would be unfair to deny relief to similarly situated individuals just because they didn’t approach the court, with Justice Viswanathan noting that accepting such a stand would be “unreasonable”. The verdict came on an appeal filed by a woman officer challenging a 2022 order of the Armed Forces Tribunal, and the court directed the authorities to grant the officer permanent commission with effect from the same date as similarly situated officers, along with consequential benefits
- The Union Minister of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions has launched the “Amrit Gyaan Kosh” Portal, a joint initiative by the Capacity Building Commission and Karmayogi Bharat. The portal is a comprehensive repository of best practices in governance and policy implementation, developed on the iGOT platform, and aligns with 15 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), covering critical themes such as health, education, and digital governance.
- The central government recently revised the prices of food items provided under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) Scheme, previously known as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme. Renamed in 2021, this centrally sponsored program aims to improve the nutritional status of students and enhance school attendance, particularly among disadvantaged children. It provides one hot cooked meal daily to students in Balvatika (pre-primary) and Classes I–VIII in government and government-aided schools. The scheme addresses hunger and education by improving child nutrition, encouraging regular attendance, and offering nutritional support during summer vacations in drought-affected areas. The Labour Bureau calculates inflation for PM POSHAN items using the Consumer Price Index for Rural Labourers (CPI-RL), based on monthly data from 600 villages across 20 states. Recently, material costs for the scheme’s food items were increased by 13.70% based on CPI-RL.
