The Daily Brief – 18th August 2019

Days after suspending the Samjhauta Express, India suspended weekly the Jodhpur-Munabao Thar Link Express amid the ongoing tensions with Pakistan over the Kashmir issue. Pakistan had already announced suspension of all train services to India. Passengers from Munabao (Rajastan) after clearing customs are transported across border to the Zero Point station where the Thar Express takes passengers to Karachi, Pakistan via Munabao (India)-Khokhrapar (Pakistan’s Sindh province) border crossing. The agreement to link two countries by rail service through Munabao-Khokhrapar link was signed in 2006.

The 54^th Edition of Know India (KIP) Programme, scheduled from 1st August to 25th August, 2019, was attended by 40 Indian Origin youth from different countries. The partner states for this edition are Punjab and Haryana. Launched on 8^th January, 2004, KIP is a government initiative by the Ministry of External Affairs for the Indian diaspora (excluding NRIs) between the age group of 18 to 30 years.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the setting up of a Committee under the Chairmanship of Director General (Acquisition) to review the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2016 and Defence Procurement Manual (DPM) 2009. Apart from the DG (Acq), eleven other members are part of this high-level committee. The Committee will revise and align the procedures with the aim of ensuring seamless flow from asset acquisition to life cycle support.

Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ inaugurated an international conference on teacher education in New Delhi on 17^th August, 2019. The two-day event is being organized by the National Council of Teacher Education as part of the silver jubilee celebration of its establishment in 1995.

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has amended the provisions relating to the issue of shares with Differential Voting Rights (DVRs) provisions under the Companies Act to enable promoters of Indian companies to retain control of their companies in their pursuit for growth and creation of long-term value for shareholders. The key change is the enhancement in the previously existing cap of 26 per cent of the total post-issue paid-up equity share capital to a revised cap of 74 per cent of the total voting power.

President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated an underground Bunker Museum at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai on 18^th August, 2019. The thematic underground bunker museum is spread over an area of 15,000 sq.ft. The Bunker Museum has Virtual Reality Booths in which visitors can time-travel to the 19th century when the bunker was constructed to fire cannons at approaching enemy ships.