Public Awareness & General Administration ‘Bharat Dal’ brand Union Food Minister Piyush Goyal launched the sale of ‘subsidised’ chana dal under the brand name ‘Bharat Dal’ at the rate of Rs.60 per kg for one kg pack and Rs.55 per kg for 30 kg pack. The Centre’s move to launch chana dal at a ‘subsidised’ rate comes at a time when retail prices of tur (arhar) have risen sharply.
POLITICAL SCIENCE
India’s Foreign Policy PM Modi begins 2-day France visit PM Modi will be on a two-day visit to France, where he will attend the Bastille Day Parade On July 14 as the guest of honour. He will also engage in discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron, focusing on defence, space, trade and investment. India, an important customer for French arms, including Dassault's Rafale fighter jets, is likely to extend its defence procurement from France during this visit. According to reports, PM Modi is expected to announce the purchase of an additional 26 Rafale jets for use on the INS Vikrant aircraft carrier. Further, three Scorpene-class submarines, built in collaboration with France, are also slated to augment India's naval capabilities. About France President - Emmanuel Macron Prime minister - Elisabeth Borne Capital - Paris Currency - (French) Franc Public Awareness & General Administration Stalin to inaugurate new government hostel Chief Minister M. K. Stalin is going to inaugurate a new government hostel in Chennai for the convenience of women who come to Chennai for various reasons like education and work. This is how women from different districts stay and work or study in Chennai. To benefit them, Tamil Nadu Government is setting up women’s hostels in various districts for economically backward and low income groups. Through the organization ‘Tamil Nadu Working Women’s Hostels Institute’, the government is carrying out works like building new hostels for working women in Tamil Nadu and renovating the existing hostels. In this situation, a women’s hostel was newly built by the government at Adyar, Chennai. The hotel has free Wi-Fi, fingerprint registration facility, purified drinking water facility, 24-hour security, recreation room etc. Charges here are lower than private hotels. This 98-bed hostel has room facilities for single, double, quadruple and 6-bed accommodation. A facility has been…
POLITICAL SCIENCE
Public Awareness & General Administration Compulsory 5 years work in Govt hospitals for doctors after PG completion Currently, there are 2100 MD and MS post graduate or master degrees courses present across various medical colleges in TN. Out of the total 2100 seats 1050 seats are reserved for the All India Quota. It must be noted that out of the remaining 1050 seats 50% seats are reserved for the students working in the primary health centres or PHCs and the government hospitals present in the remote places. In this scenario, the TN govt has passed an order mentioning that those who join PG medical seats based on the quota for the govt doctors must compulsorily work in the govt hospitals for 5 years. Govt. welfare schemes Guidelines issued for “Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai”scheme The operational guidelines released by the State government for the implementation of “Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai”. Women’s Would be eligible to avail themselves of a monthly aid of Rs.1,000 under the scheme. Eligibility Condition: Women, who have completed 21 years of age (born before September 15, 2002) are eligible to apply for the scheme. Only one women member in a ration card is eligible to apply. Families headed by unmarried single women, destitute and transpersons will also be considered woman head of the family. Women with an annual family income of less than Rs.2.5 lakh Family land holding not exceeding 5 acres (wetland) and 10 acres (dryland) And annual household electricity consumption below 3, 600 units Note: The scheme has been touted as the first-of-its-kind programme in the country, and named after former Chief Minister Karunanidhi. It is to be launched on September 15, the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister Annadurai. Exception Families that receive maintenance allowance, provided by the Department for the Welfare of Differently-Abled…
POLITICAL SCIENCE
Public Awareness & General Administration New ART regulations The Health Ministry had notified the Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulations (ART), 2023. It is aimed at providing donors and patients with better medical care and security. The new ART provisions impose restrictions on the number of times a donor, male or female, can donate (sperm/oocyte) in their lifetime, and specifies age limits for donors. The provision states that an oocyte donor should be a person who have been married at least once in their lives and have at least one living child of her own (minimum three years of age). She can donate oocyte only once in her lifetime and not more that seven oocytes can be retrieved. An ART bank cannot supply gamete (reproductive cell) of a single donor to more than one commissioning couple (couple seeking services). Parties seeking ART services will be required to provide insurance coverage in the favour of the oocyte donor (for any loss, damage, or death of the donor). A clinic is prohibited from offering to provide a child of pre-determined sex. Checking for genetic diseases before the embryo implanatation is needed. Note: India, much like the rest of the world, is facing a dip in fertility rates.
POLITICAL SCIENCE – Public Awareness & General Administration
Public Awareness & General Administration Women outnumber men in revised voters’ list of Chennai Women voters outnumber men in the 16 constituent assemblies in Chennai district as per the draft electoral rolls released. Of the total 38,92,547 voters, 19,75,778 are women, 19,15,611 are men and 1,058 are others. Level of groundwater extraction lowest in 18 years, finds study According to an assessment made by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) it was found that groundwater extraction in India saw an 18year decline. Key Highlights of the report The total annual groundwater recharge for the entire country is 437.6 billion cubic metres (bcm) and annual groundwater extraction for the entire country is 239.16 bcm. Out of the total 7,089 assessment units in the country, 1,006 units have been categorised as “overexploited” in the report. The 2022 assessment suggests that groundwater extraction is the lowest since 2004, when it was 231 bcm. Such joint exercises between the CGWB and States/Union Territories were carried out earlier in 1980, 1995, 2004, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2017 and 2020.
