RAJASTHAN

• No developer wants to build houses for the poor

• The Rajasthan Housing Board’s (RHB) idea to achieve target of constructing houses for economic weaker section (EWS) and lower income group (LIG) on public private partnership (PPP) model failed even before taking off. Reason: No developer has shown interest in the scheme.
• As slump in the real estate market continues to prevail, private developers have not shown interest to construct multi-storeyed apartments.

• To construct nearly 4,000 flats under EWS and LIG category, the RHB had recently invited the proposal.

• There are more than 22,000 flats in all districts which were built by the RHB

INTERNATIONAL

• Netherlands joins Solar Alliance
• The Netherlands has become the 64th signatory member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA).

• The joint statement issued hailed the Netherlands as India’s “Gateway to Europe”.

• India also welcomed the Netherlands as the Partner Country for the TechSummit in 2019.

• Barbados elects Mia Mottley as first woman PM

• The Caribbean island of Barbados has elected its first woman prime minister since gaining independence from Britain in 1966.

• Mia Mottley led her Barbados Labour Party (BLP) to a crushing victory over the Democratic Labour Party (DLP).

• The BLP won all 30 seats up for grabs in the House of Assembly.

• 4th International Yoga Day Celebrations Main Event to be Organized in Dehradun

• The main  event of 4^thInternational Yoga Day celebrations (IDY-2018)  will be held on 21^st June 2018 at Dehradun in Uttrakhand.

• Shri Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha,  Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH announced that Dehradun (Uttarakhand) has been selected as the venue for Main Event of 4th International Day of Yoga on 21st June, 2018.

• Ramdev’s Patanjali ties up with BSNL

• After becoming India’s most trusted Fast Moving Consumer Goods brand, Ramdev’s Patanjali entered the telecom sector.

• Ramdev launched Swadeshi Samriddhi SIM cards, in alliance with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL).

• Initially, only the employees and office bearers of Patanjali will be able to avail the benefits of the SIM card.

• After its full-fledged launch, people will get discount of 10 per cent on Patanjali products with this card.

NATIONAL

• India launches 2nd IT corridor in China

• India has launched its second IT corridor in China to cash in on the burgeoning Chinese software market.

• The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) has established one more Digital Collaborative Opportunities Plaza (SIDCOP) platform in China in an effort to provide market access to Indian IT firms in the huge Chinese market.
• Himachal Pradesh launches three welfare schemes
• Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has launched three welfare schemes to mark completion of four years of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

These schemes are:

• “Jan Manch” for redressal of public grievances.

• “Mukhya Mantri Swavlamban Yojana” aimed at providing assistance to the unemployed youth.

• “Himachal Grihini Suvidha Yojana” for offering gas cylinder security and gas stoves to those not covered under the Ujjwala Yojana.

• 9th edition of ‘Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav’ inaugurated in Tehri , Uttarakhand

• Ministry of Culture has organised 3 day long diversified cultural festival ‘Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav’ festival which was inaugurated by Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat Near Tehri Lake, Uttrakhand.

• The North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC), Patiala has been entrusted with the responsibility as the nodal agency to carry forward the execution of the National Cultural Festival under the banner of the slogan “EK BHARAT SHRESHTHA BHARAT”.

·        UP-Mumbai freight corridor open from August 15

• The first phase of India’s longest freight corridor connecting Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai is set to be inaugurated on Independence Day this year.

• There are six stations and two junctions—Ateli (in Haryana’s Mahendargarh ) and Phulera (Rajasthan)—in the section.

• It is part of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor between Dadri, which falls in NCR, and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Mumbai.

• India’s Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) will run freight trains at a maximum speed of 100km per hour against the current maximum speed of 75kmph on these tracks The average speed of freight trains will also be increased from 26 kmph to 70 kmph.

• DFCCIL, a special purpose vehicle, is engaged in planning, construction, operation and maintenance of the dedicated freight corridors. In the first phase, two corridors—Eastern Corridor from Ludhiana to Dankuni (1,856km) and Western Corridor from Dadri to Jawahar Lal Nehru Port (1,504km) — are being constructed.