The Daily Brief – 10th November 2018

India has been elected as a member of the International Telecommunications Union Council (ITU) for another 4-year term from 2019 to 2022. The elections to the Council were held during the ongoing ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2018 at Dubai. The ITU has 193 member states, which elect representatives to the council. India has been an active member of the ITU since 1869, earnestly supporting the development and propagation of telecom in the global community of nations.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate several projects in Varanasi on November 12, 2018 including the newly constructed Multi-Modal Terminal on River Ganga. The terminal has been built as a part of the Union Government’s Jal Marg Vikas project that aims at developing the stretch of River Ganga between Varanasi to Haldia for navigation of large vessels. The Prime Minister will also receive India’s first container vessel that sailed from Kolkata on October 30, 2018. On the same day, Prime Minister will also inaugurate two National Highways projects and three sewage infrastructure projects.

Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved Agreement between India and Morocco on Mutual Legal Assistance in Civil and Commercial Matters. It will enhance co-operation in the service of summons, judicial documents, letters of request and the execution of judgments decrees and arbitral awards.

Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved setting up of Central Tribal University in Andhra Pradesh. The proposed university will come up after necessary amendment in the Central Universities Act, 2009. It will be established under Thirteenth Schedule to Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 (No. 6 of 2014). Cabinet has also approved provision of funds of Rs. 420 crore for first phase expenditure towards establishment of Central Tribal University.

The Defence Ministry has enhanced financial powers of Vice Chiefs of the three Services. The move is aimed at expediting the decision-making process involved in the procurements for the Armed Forces. With this, the Vice Chiefs will be able to exercise financial powers up to five times more than the existing powers with an enhanced ceiling of Rs 500 crore. The decision has been taken to augment the arms and ammunition reserves of the Armed Forces to enhance their operational preparedness.

The state cabinet of Bihar on November 8, 2018 approved a proposal to pay Rs 25000 to every girl graduating in 2018 and onwards. As per the decision, the one-time payment will be made to every girl who graduated from the colleges of the state on or after April 25, 2018, irrespective of the pass division, community or region. The state cabinet has allotted Rs 300 crore towards the disbursal of the payment.

India plans to resume exporting raw sugar to China beginning 2019, almost after a decade. The move is a part of a larger goal of shifting focus to the overseas markets to shed surplus stocks that have muted prices and created financial distress in the Indian sugar mills. India is the largest producer of sugar in the world. India produces sugar of all three grades- raw, refined and white. Indian sugar is also of a high quality and is Dextran free because of the minimum time taken from cut to crush.