Important News that Media missed this week

Four Important News that media should have specially covered this week, but were not at all mentioned by Press. Along with Congress, the media was busy in terrorizing people with news of intolerance, creating situations of suicide and such gimmicks in misusing student community.

The loan, from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a maturity of 18 years including a grace period of 5 years.

The FOUR IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS ARE:

1. World Bank has appreciated our Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s favorite Project ‘CLEAN INDIA’ and announced support of 1.5 Billion Dollars for the project.

The World Bank on December 15 approved a US$1.5 billion loan for the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) Support Operation Project to support the Government of India in its efforts to improvise sanitation, especially in rural areas. The mission, with a focus on changing behaviors – in ending the practice of open defecation by 2019, will ensure that all citizens in rural areas have access to improved sanitation – such as a toilet or latrine.

The SBM-Gramin program focuses on ensuring usage of toilets along with their construction. Incentives will be given to the States and their implementing agencies for meeting performance standards. The performance will be measured on the basis of :

• states’ ability to reduce open defecation
• sustaining their open defecation free (ODF) status
• improving solid and liquid waste management in rural areas

The financing mechanism promotes the leadership of the states, the flexibility in innovating and adopting their own delivery models.

The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) will play the role of overseeing and coordinating the program and supporting the participating states. Funds will also be used to develop the capacity of MDWS in program management, advocacy, monitoring, and evaluation.

Parallelly, US$25 million technical assistance will be provided by the world bank to build the capacity of select state governments in implementing community-led behavioral change programs. These programs target social norms to help ensure widespread usage of toilets by rural households.

Progress towards the key indicators will form the basis for releasing incentive grants to states. The progress will be measured through independent verification assessments and a third party will conduct the National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey annually.

The project will also finance specific activities to strengthen the current monitoring and evaluation system to capture timely, relevant, and reliable information on the program’s progress. Support will be provided for systematic knowledge sharing and innovation, as well as capacity building and partnership.

The loan, from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a maturity of 18 years including a grace period of 5 years[1].

The two prime ministers affirmed their commitment to work toward India becoming a full member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

2. The ‘Nuclear Energy Agreement‘ between India & Japan has been applauded by ‘IEA- Inventions for Energy Alternatives’ supporting Solar Energy Exploration and announced that with this collaboration India will achieve a GREAT MILESTONE in the use of solar energy that will be exemplary to the whole world.

India and Japan have signed a memorandum on cooperating in nuclear energy after many years of negotiations. However, before signing a final agreement, certain technical and legal issues must be resolved.

The memorandum – outlining broad areas for cooperation – was signed on 12 December in Delhi by Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking at a press conference after the signing, Modi said: “The memorandum we signed on civil nuclear energy cooperation is more than just an agreement for commerce and clean energy.” He said, “It is a shining symbol of a new level of mutual confidence and strategic partnership in the cause of a peaceful and secure world.”

Modi added, “I know the significance of this decision for Japan. And I assure you that India deeply respects that decision and will honor our shared commitments.”

In a statement, Abe noted that the final agreement on cooperation “will be signed after the technical details are finalized, including those related to the necessary internal procedures”.

The signing of such an accord would enable India to import Japanese nuclear technology and services.

The two prime ministers also affirmed their commitment to work toward India becoming a full member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group[2].

The web giant has partnered with Internet service provider RailTel and Indian Railways to provide high-speed public Wi-Fi in train stations across India.

3. Within the next one year, GOOGLE is going to provide Free Wifi Service in 100 Railway Stations and are going to train 20 Lakh Android Developers which means that 20 Lakh Youth will get the JOB OPPORTUNITY.

The initiative’s goal is to provide Internet access to the nearly 1 billion people in India who aren’t online.

The web giant has partnered with Internet service provider RailTel and Indian Railways to provide high-speed public Wi-Fi in train stations across India. The service will be free to start with, with a long-term goal of making it self-sustainable.

Modi has larger plans to bolster India’s economy, particularly through the Internet. One key aspect will be to link India’s 600,000 villages through fiber-optic networks, which PM believes are the 21st-century highways[3].

All CBSE books and learning material will be made available online for free as part of the Centre’s good governance efforts.

4. Henceforth CBSE Books will be available online for FREE. Central Minister Smriti Irani has planned this special project.

At a function organized at a Kendriya Vidyalaya in east Delhi, HRD Minister Smriti Irani announced that  All CBSE books and learning material will be made available online for free as part of the Centre’s good governance efforts.

She also said that initiatives would be undertaken to ensure holistic nurturing and improve learning outcomes at these schools.

Irani asked her ministry’s officials to organize ‘Baal Sabha’ (Child Conventions) responding to the call by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia at the function that endeavors be made to ensure that children not only excel professionally but also become good human beings[4].

She also reiterated that the Centre will launch Shaala Darpan and Saransh services (for Class I to Class XII students) in Kendriya Vidyalayas in the next academic year.

The Shaala Darpan service is aimed at using SMSes to keep parents informed about their wards’ attendance, timetable, and marks in exams while Saransh will help parents compare the subject-wise learning outcomes of their children, with others at the district, State and national levels[5].

While Media and Newspapers have lost their CONSCIOUS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, the citizens of India need to act responsibly to ensure that the real good work done by the NAMO GOVERNMENT reach the masses rather than believing what is shown by Media.

References:

[1] World Bank Approves US$1.5 Billion to Support India’s Universal Sanitation Initiatives

[2] India, Japan reach agreement on nuclear cooperation

[3] Google to install free Wi-Fi at 400 railway stations in India

[4] CBSE books to be made available online for free: Smriti Irani

[5] CBSE books to be made available online for free

Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.