July 3 -Tidbits

National :

Industrial license validity extended to three years 

Seeking to improve ease of doing business in India, the government decided to extend the validity period of industrial licence to three years with a provision for further extension of two years. 

However, the commerce and industry ministry's press note said that the licence will lapse automatically after five years in absence of commencement of commercial production. 

Government to set up 'kisan mandis' in food inflation fight 

The government has drawn up plans to to set up "kisan mandis" (farmer's markets) which will sell directly to consumers and shut out middlemen, a move aimed at taming stubborn food inflation.

The Small Farmers' Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC), an agency of the agriculture ministry, will set up these "mandis" and the first such market will come up in the national capital. It is expected to be in place by September.

To begin with, these mandis will sell potato, onions and tomatoes -three vegetables which are used across the country by consumers and prices of which have firmed up recently, prompting the government to act.

660 Nirbhaya Centres for women violence victims 

At least 660 rape crisis centres will be established across the country and named as Nirbhaya centres, as a tribute to the victim of December 16, 2012 Delhi gang-rape case. 

The centres will be set up in all the 640 districts and 20 additional locations in the country and the project will cost 477 crores approximately.

These Nirbhaya Centres will act as one stop centre for women victims of molestation, rape, sexual assault, domestic violence and provide them medical assistance, police assistance, psycho-social support and counselling, legal aid and temporary shelter. 

The Centre will be open 24 hours with referral services. For administrative and functional autonomy, the Centre will be registered as a Society under the Societies Registration Act 1860. 

Government asks PSU banks to issue RuPay debit cards to customers, install POS terminals 

For the first time in their 30-year existence, Visa and MasterCard, the world's largest payment companies, are facing the heat in India. Lending its weight behind the local card scheme, RuPay, the government has asked state-owned banks to issue RuPay debit cards to customers. 

Gurdial Singh Sandhu, secretary at the finance ministry's department of financial services, "urged" CEOs of public sector banks to issue RuPay cards to all existing customers who do not have debit cards as well as to new clients. 
While banks have not been instructed to refrain from issuing cards where transactions are processed by Visa or MasterCard, there is a clear direction to promote RuPay. 

Taxpayers to share their email-id, cell phone in Income-Tax returns 

Taxpayers filing their I-T (Income Tax) returns this year will now have to share their email-id and mobile phone number with the tax department.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the administrative authority of the Income Tax department, has introduced a new column in the I-T returns Forms asking for the tax filers personal email-id and mobile number. The new step has been taken in order to communicate directly with the taxpayer with regard to any issues arising after the returns are filed.

International:

Asian Development Bank clears $350 million funding for 2 projects in India 

Asian Development Bank has made financial commitment of USD 350 million in loan and equity investment for two energy projects in India. 

The ADB has approved a multi-tranche loan facility of USD 300 million to help India's Assam state continue its drive to eliminate power sector inefficiencies that are hurting consumers and the economy and  it  has made an equity investment of USD 50 million in a leading Indian renewable energy company ReNew Power Ventures Private Limited 
It will finance new energy efficient generating equipment at existing plants, new distribution lines and substations, and financial management training and other support for staff of the state power companies, Assam Power Generation Corporation and Assam Power Distribution Company. 

Google reverses decision to delete British newspaper links 

Google reversed its decision to remove several links to stories in Britain's Guardian newspaper, underscoring the difficulty the search engine is having implementing Europe's "right to be forgotten" ruling.

China's second biggest hydro plant completed 

China's Xiluodu hydropower station, the country's second largest in terms of capacity, went into full operation this week after its 18th and final generating unit was completed. The Xiluodu facility, built by the state-owned China Three Gorges Project Corporation (CTGPC) on the upstream segment of the Yangtze river in the southwestern Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan, has a total generating capacity of 13.86 gigawatts (GW), second only to the Three Gorges Project itself.

China's third biggest plant, the Xiangjiaba, also built by CTGPC, is expected to be completed this month, while the fourth largest, the Nuozhadu, went into full operation last week.

China’s Largest dams:

1. Three gorges dam

2. Xiluodu

3. Xiangjiaba

4. Nuozhadu

PIN:

Narendra Modi becomes third most followed world leader on Twitter

Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi is now the third most followed world leader on Twitter overtaking Indonesian President SB Yudhoyono.

Narendra Modi has around 5,090,546 followers (at the time of filing this story) compared to S B Yudhoyono's- 5,088,156 followers. Only the President of the United States Barack Obama and the Pope have more followers on Twitter.

This shows how Narendra Modi has been actively using Twitter to connect with the masses reinforcing the tool of digital diplomacy in a larger context making the social media platform a powerful channel for communicating and engaging with all Indians across the country.

PM Narendra Modi seeks Facebook  COO Sheryl Sandberg's help on awareness about cleanliness 

The Prime Minister discussed with Ms. Sandberg, ways through which a platform such as Facebook can be used for governance and better interaction between the people and governments. He also talked about how Facebook can be used to bring more tourists to India. Shri Narendra Modi also spoke to Ms. Sandberg on how Facebook can assist us in commemorating Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary year with a special focus on cleanliness. 

Dr D Y Patil appointed West Bengal's acting Governor 

The President  asked Bihar Governor D.Y. Patil to hold additional charge as Governor after  the resignation of M.K. Narayanan as West Bengal Governor.

Mr. Narayanan resigned on June 30, becoming the fourth Governor appointed during UPA rule to put in his papers since the NDA government prodded some of them to quit.

RBI re-appoints HR Khan as deputy governor for two years 

The Government on Thursday re-appointed Harun Rashid Khan as the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. The appointment has been made for two years with effect from July 4, 2014 or until further orders. Khan was appointed deputy governor in July 2011 for a three-year term, which was set to expire on July 3. As deputy governor, Khan looks after the foreign exchange department and internal debt management, among others.

Professor M K Sanu choosen for Basheer award 

Renowned writer Prof M K Sanu has been chosen for the 20th Basheer award, instituted jointly by Pravasi Doha, an organisation of Malayali's based in Qatar and Kochi-based Pravasi Trust, in memory of Malayalam novelist and short story writer late Vaikkom Muhammed Basheer for his contributions.

The award which carries a purse of Rs. 50,000 and a sculputre designed by artist Namboothiri would be given to Sanu at a function in Doha in November. Among the other awards won by Sanu includes Kerala Sahitya Academy Award, Kendra Sahitya Academy award and Ezhuthachan award of Kerala Government.

Sardar Singh retained captain for CWG

India may have finished a poor ninth at the World Cup, but Hockey India continued to repose faith in Sardar Singh, retaining him as captain of the national men`s team for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.

Goalkeeper P R Sreejesh will be the vice-captain of the 16-member squad at the July 23-August 3 event in Glasgow.