RAJASTHAN
ADB approves Rs 2,200 crore loan to develop Rajasthan’s secondary towns
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a 300 million dollar (about Rs 2,200 crore) loan to finance inclusive water supply and sanitation infrastructure and services in secondary towns of Rajasthan.
The project is expected to build citywide access for improved water supply services for about 5.7 lakh people and enhanced sanitation services for about 7.2 lakh people in at least 14 secondary towns.
These localities have 20,000 to one lakh residents.
Through the project, water supply systems in at least eight project towns are expected to improve by 2027 with about one lakh households including all urban poor households benefiting from five new or rehabilitated water treatment plants and 1,350 km of distribution networks.
Citywide sanitation systems based on the most cost-effective solutions will also be developed.
The project will build on three earlier related projects and sector reforms funded by ADB in Rajasthan.
INTERNATIONAL
World Pharmacist Day: 25 September
World Pharmacist Day is observed globally on 25th September every year.
This day is celebrated to create awareness about the role of a pharmacist in improving health.
The day was designated in 2009 by the FIP Council (International Pharmaceutical Federation or Federation Internationale Pharmaceutique) at the World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Istanbul, Turkey.
The 2020 theme: “Transforming global health”.
Alexander Lukashenko sworn in as President of Belarus for 6th term
President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus was sworn in for a sixth term.
After being sworn in, he was handed an official ID card showing he is the Belarusian president by the head of the country’s central election commission.
The 66 year-old authoritarian leader won 80% of the vote in the presidential election to gain another 5 year term.
Lukashenko has served as the President of Belarus since the establishment of the office 26 years ago, on 20 July 1994.
NATIONAL
Govt raises limit for use of SDRF funds by states from 35 per cent to 50 percent to tackle COVID situation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that the limit of using the State Disaster Response Fund for COVID specific infrastructure has been increased from 35 per cent to 50 per cent.
The decision will help States have more finances at their disposal to fight the virus.
He interacted with the Chief Ministers of six states and one Union Territory through video conference.
These States and UTs are Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.
More than 63 per cent of the active cases of the country are concentrated in these six States and a Union Territory.
MeitY and NITI Aayog to organize mega virtual summit on AI-RAISE 2020
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and NITI Aayog will organize a Mega Virtual Summit on Artificial Intelligence (AI), RAISE 2020- ‘Responsible AI for Social Empowerment 2020,’.
The summit will be organised from October 5-9, 2020.
RAISE 2020 will be a global meeting of minds to exchange ideas and chart a course for using AI for social transformation, inclusion and empowerment in areas like Healthcare, Agriculture, Education and Smart Mobility, among other sectors.
At the RAISE 2020 Summit, delegates and experts in research, policy and innovation on Artificial Intelligence will join from across the globe.
The RAISE 2020 Summit will also feature some of the most exciting startups working in Artificial Intelligence-related fields.
President Ram Nath Kovind confers NSS Awards for 2018-19
President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the National Service Scheme Awards for the year 2018-19 through virtual mode.
The NSS Award for the year 2018-19 was presented to 42 awardees in three different categories like University, NSS Units and their Programme Officers and NSS Volunteers.
The Department of Youth Affairs confers the National Service Scheme Award every year to recognize and reward outstanding contributions towards voluntary community service.
The National Service Scheme (NSS) is an Indian government-sponsored public service program conducted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of the Government of India.
It was launched in the year 1969 with the primary objective of developing the personality and character of the student youth through voluntary community service.
The ideological orientation of the NSS is inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi.
The NSS volunteers work on issues of social relevance, which keep evolving in response to the needs of the community, through regular and special camping activities.
Such issues include literacy and education, health, family welfare and nutrition, environment conservation, social service programmes, rescue and relief during calamities.
A book titled “Voices of Dissent” authored by Romila Thapar
Noted Indian Historian and author Romila Thapar has written a new book titled “Voices of Dissent”
The book is a historical essay that explores dissent, including its articulation and public response to its forms, with a focus on the recent protest in India against the citizenship law and the National Register of Citizens.
Thapar received the Kluge Prize in December 2008.
She was honoured with Padma Bhushan in 2005 which she declined stating that she made a resolve not to accept any “State Award”.
