The Daily Brief – 11th August 2018

World Bio-fuel Day (The International Biodiesel Day) is observed every year on August 10 to create awareness about the importance of non-fossil fuels i.e. Green Fuels or Bio-fuels an alternative to conventional fossil fuels. Bio-fuels are renewable, bio-degradable, sustainable and environment friendly fuel. It can be seen as alternative to conventional fossil fuels. Sir Rudalph Diesel (inventor of the diesel engine) on this day in 1893 for the first time successfully ran mechanical engine with Peanut Oil.

Rekha Sharma (54) was appointed as chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW). Prior to this appointment, she was member of the Commission and was holding the additional charge of chairperson after Lalitha Kumaramangalam had demitted office in September 2017. NCW is a statutory body established in January 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990. It is apex national level organization of India the mandate of protecting and promoting the interests of women.

Parliament has passed Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2018 to replace Ordinance promulgated by President in May 2018. It amends Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973 which sets up Central Council of Homoeopathy and regulates homoeopathic education and practice. Central Council will consist of up to seven members including persons of eminence in field of homoeopathy education, eminent administrators, appointed by Union Government.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved reappointment of Ram Sewak Sharma as chairperson of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for further period beyond August 2018 upto September 2020, i.e. date on which he attains age of 65 years. He was named as TRAI chief for three-year period in July 2015. Sharma is 1982 batch (retired) IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre. Prior to his appointment as TRAI chairman, he had worked in various government departments particularly dealing with IT-enabled programmes. He has also worked as Director General and Mission Director of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) or Aadhaar.

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved continuation of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) beyond 12th Five Year Plan period (2012–2017). It will help in connecting 38,412 habitations at estimated cost of Rs. 84,934 crore. For this, fund sharing pattern between centre and states will be same. The scheme was launched on 25 December 2000. Union Ministry of Rural Development is nodal ministry for implementation of Scheme.

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved continuation and revision of Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Post Matric Scholarship for Other Backward Classes Students for studying in India (PMS-OBC) till 2020. PMS-OBC is flagship scheme of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, in operation since 1998-99. It is fully centrally sponsored scheme that aims to provide financial assistance to OBC students studying at post-matriculation or post-secondary stage to enable them to complete their education.

Union Cabinet has given approval for rising of four additional battalions of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to strengthen the India’s disaster response set up. These battalions will be placed in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi National Capital Region based on their disaster vulnerability profile. These four battalions will initially be raised as two battalions in Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and one battalion each in Assam Rifles (ARs) and Border Security Force (BSF). Later these four battalions will be converted into NDRF battalions. NDRF is India’s elite disaster mitigation combat force established in 2006 under The Disaster Management Act, 2005.