The 8th India-China joint training exercise 'HAND-IN-HAND 2019' with the theme counter terrorism under United Nations mandate is scheduled to be conduct at Umroi, Meghalaya from 07 to 20 December 2019. The Chinese contingent from the Tibet Military command comprising of 130 personal and the Indian Contingent of similar strength will participate in the 14 day long training exercise. The exercise is planned at the company level with respective Battalion Headquarters controlling the training.

The aim of the exercise is to practice joint planning and conduct of counter terrorist operations in semi urban terrain. The exercise schedule is focused upon training on various lectures & drills associated with counter terrorist handling & firing with each others weapons, special heliborne operations and case studies of various operations carried out in counter terrorist environment. Two tactical exercises are scheduled during the training; one on counter terrorism scenario and the other on Humanitarian and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs, with the objective of strengthening the institution of Independent Directors under the Companies Act, launched today the Independent Director’s Databank in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 and the rules made thereunder.

The Databank, which was launched by Shri Injeti Srinivas, Secretary Ministry of Corporate Affairs, can be accessed at www.mca.gov.in or www.independentdirectorsdatabank.in, is a pioneering initiative of the Ministry to provide an easy to access & navigate platform for the registration of existing Independent Directors as well as individuals aspiring to become independent directors.

Powered by an Integrated Learning Management System, the various e-learning capsules and videos available in the system will enable Individual users to easily acquire knowledge from diverse resources, develop distinct skills and assess their understanding on company operations, regulations and compliances. Companies also may register themselves with the databank to search, select and connect with individuals who possess the right skills and attitude for being considered for appointment as Independent Directors as the Databank is expected to become a comprehensive repository of both existing independent directors as well as individuals eligible and willing to be appointed as Independent Directors.

The Databank portal which has been developed and will be maintained by the Indian Institute for Corporate Affairs (IICA), is a first of its kind initiative from the Ministry. It provides for a wide array of e-learning courses on various topics including the Companies Act, Securities laws, basic accountancy, board practices, board ethics and board effectiveness. A number of value added services are expected to be rolled out through the portal for capacity building of Independent Directors.

As per the notified rules, all existing Independent Directors are required to register themselves in the databank within 3 months from 01 December 2019. They are also required to pass a basic online proficiency self-assessment test which will available from March 2020 onwards within 12 months thereafter.

In order to provide sufficient practice to individuals, a number of online mock Tests have also been made available in the system. The real test can be taken online through a simple scheduling process. The real test would be remotely proctored.

The registration process has been specifically designed to be quick and simple and has been divided into three simple steps:

Log in through the useraccount on the Website of the Ministry Upon log in the user will be directed to the Databank Choose one of the Subscription Plans to access the e-learning and the e-proficiency assessment modules

On the occasion, a publication named “Independent Directors Databank-Handbook covering key objectives, empanelment/registration process of individual or corporate and the knowledge resources available on the portal was also released.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs provides financial assistance for upgradation/ modernisation of already sanctioned Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) on need basis with unit cost subject to a maximum of Rs. 5 crores per school. The components for upgradation include construction of new/ expansion of existing academic blocks, renovation of classrooms, additional classrooms etc., provision of requisite furniture (school, hostel, dining hall), well-equipped labs (computer, science etc.), renovation of existing hostels, construction of additional hostel rooms, better sanitation facilities (new toilets, bathrooms, etc.), improvement in common facilities like library, reading rooms, playground etc.

Government of India has notified 50 items in the list of Minor Forest Produce. The Minimum Support Price notified by Government of India was enhanced on 26/12/2018 and 11/01/2019 on the basis of the recommendation of the pricing cell which is set-up from time to time in Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd. (TRIFED). The cell includes experts/ knowledgeable person from the fields of price fixation economic analysis, trade and market of Miner Forest Produce and is based on the cost collection, cost of cleaning and primary processing, packaging, transportation etc.

The Government of India has introduced Van Dhan Vikas Karykram under which the Minor Forest Produce gatherers will be given training in scientific method of collection of Minor Forest Produces, their processing, value addition etc. The trainees will also be provided with tool kit suitable for the type of Miner Forest Produce collected at that Kendra.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has urged people of the country to contribute generously to the Armed Forces Flag Day (AFFD) Fund for the welfare of the Ex-Servicemen who have selflessly served the nation. Addressing the AFFD Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Conclave 2019 in New Delhi today, Raksha Mantri spoke extempore exhorting the nation to perform its solemn duty of ensuring welfare of the Ex-Servicemen, differently-abled soldiers and the families of the ones who lost their lives defending the nation.

Quoting his experience of ‘Bharat Ke Veer’ campaign while he was Home Minister, Raksha Mantri expressed confidence that when it comes to national self-respect, people donate generously and it will be no different in the case of AFFD Fund. ‘Bharat ke Veer’ Fund was established with the help of the corporate sector that assisted the families of martyred Central Armed Police Forces personnel. Shri Rajnath Singh informed the gathering that he was satisfied when he left the Ministry of Home Affairs as there was corpus of Rs 300 crore in ‘Bharat ke Veer’ Fund. He asked all concerned to come up with a similar mechanism to help the families of jawans in addition to the AFFD Fund.

Raksha Mantri termed it as a sense of responsibility and pride on the part of the citizens of the country, including industry leaders to provide all-round assistance to veterans and the dependents of the martyred soldiers. He said, there is a great virtue in standing with these families in difficult times.

Shri Rajnath Singh recalled the great sacrifices made by revolutionaries such as Ashfaqulla Khan and Chandrasekhar Azad during freedom struggle. He also spoke about his own efforts to join the Army through Short Services Commission which could not materialise due to family reasons. He said, when someone joins the Armed Forces, it’s not just for a career but also to serve and sacrifice for the country.

The CSR Conclave was a unique initiative of the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defence to create awareness about the challenges faced by the Ex-Servicemen and how the corporate sector can play an important part in their resettlement and rehabilitation. The CSR Conclave was a first-of-its-kind event where Corporate and CSR heads were invited.

Raksha Mantri also felicitated representatives of 13 corporates who made major contributions last year for their gracious support to the AFFD Fund. A few participants also made on-the-spot contributions for the welfare of Ex-Servicemen.

Secretary, Ministry of Environment Forest &Climate Change (MoEFCC), Shri C.K. Mishra inaugurated the India Pavilion at the 25th session of Conference of Partiesunder the UN framework convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC COP25), in Madrid, Spain today. Mr. OwaisSarmad, Deputy Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC Secretariat, Bonn also graced the occasion. The event was also attended by delegates of UNFCCC COP25and partner Ministries among others.

In his address, Secretary, MoEFCC said that this year India is celebrating 150 years of the birth anniversary of Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. The India Pavilion has been designed to depict this theme, in particular Mahatma Gandhi’s life and messages around sustainable living.

The Pavilion has a conceptual model of Gandhi Ji’s Ashram, where Mahatma’s philosophy of minimizing wants and living with simplicity is espoused. The pavilion also depicts the present and traces the arc into the future of the country, where Government of India is implementing ambitious solutions to deal with the issue of climate change, inspired by the teachings of the Mahatma, and our cultural underpinnings based on the principles of sustainable consumption and production. As such, the pavilion has a special focus on ‘sustainable lifestyles’ as a solution to climate change.

Shri C.K. Mishra said that Gandhi ji was ahead of his times when he spoke of sustainable development and need to care for our earth and its resources. To mark the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Pavilion features the humble ‘Charkha’ or the spinning wheel which is the physical embodiment of the Gandhian principles of perseverance, self-sufficiency and sustainability. The Secretary invited delegates and participants representing 197 countries to try their hand at spinning the ‘fabric of sustainability’ at the India Pavilion.

The Secretary further mentioned that over the next 10 days, India will be organizing 20 side events in the pavilion on important issues for climate change adaptation and mitigation. He added that presentations and panel discussions involving experts from both public and private spheres will be organized. The India Pavilion will provide a platform for exchange of innovative ideas for the world to come together and take action to combat climate change.

In his closing remarks, Shri C.K. Mishra said that it is crucial that we find ways to combat climate change not just through modern technologies but with the wisdom of our collective cultural tradition and hoping that concrete steps are taken to promote sustainable lifestyles and climate justice globally.

The India Pavilion at COP 25, Madrid displays India’s climate action across a range of sectors, covering both activities for mitigation and adaptation. India has formulated ambitious contributions to combat climate change that have been nationally determined, keeping in view India’s development imperatives and sustainable growth. India Pavilion provides an opportunity for the world to see India’s policies and programmes for combating climate change, across sectors like industry, renewable energy, transportation, agriculture, forestry etc. Various reports indicate that India’s climate actions are ambitious and the Country is on track to achieve its nationally determined contributions by 2030, under the Paris agreement.

Following the three successful rounds of bidding, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched the 4th round of Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)- UdeDeshKaAamNagrik( UDAN) to further enhance the connectivity to remote and regional areas of the country. Focus of this round would be the priority areas like NER, Hilly States, J&K, Ladakh and Islands. Some of the key features of the Scheme are:

Revision of (Viability Gap Funding) VGF cap – The provision of VGF for Category 2 / 3 aircraft (more than 20 seater) has been enhanced for operation of RCS flights in Priority Area(s) (Union Territories [UT] of Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir; the States of Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand, North Eastern State; UT of Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar). The VGF cap applicable for various stage lengths for operation through category 1 / 1 A aircraft (below 20 seater) has also been revised to further incentivize the operation of small aircraft under the Scheme.

Promoting short-haul routes – The provision of VGF would be restricted for routes with stage length up to 600 kms, for operation of Category 2 / 3 aircraft, beyond it no monetary support would be provided. The table for provision of VGF for various stage lengths would be available for stage length up to 500 kms.

Well defined Prioritization framework – Airports that has already been developed by AAI would be given higher priority for award of VGF under the Scheme, followed by airports not part of the above list but located Priority Area(s) would be given a priority, followed by airports located in areas other than Priority Area(s).

Flexibility to change the frequency of flight operation - The Selected Airline Operator (SAO) would be allowed to change the frequency of flight operation, during the tenure of flight operation of the given route, provided that the total scheduled flight operation submitted as part of the Technical Proposal, is conformed and adhered to within a period of one year.

Inclusion of helicopter and sea plane operation under NSOP license – The operation of helicopter and sea plane would be allowed under this round.

Government has implemented schemes for the promotion of local tourism in the country. Government is raising awareness regarding local tourism and to promote local religious and non-religious spots to the tourists coming from both outside and within the State.

The Ministry of Tourism, under its Domestic Promotion and Publicity including Hospitality (DPPH) scheme for promotion of Domestic Tourism implements various measures for the promotion of tourism in the country. The main objective of DPPH Scheme is to create a general awareness among the domestic population about the potential tourist destinations in the country, which will help to increase the local / domestic tourism market.

Under the scheme, the Ministry undertakes promotions through advertising in print and electronic media, participation in fairs and exhibitions, organising seminars, workshops for stakeholders and service providers, as well as printing of brochures, collaterals etc. The various tourism products are also promoted on the Social Media accounts and website of the Ministry.

The Ministry through its 20 domestic India Tourism Offices located across the country, which also act as information centers, undertakes the promotional activities to promote India in a holistic manner which includes promotion of domestic/local tourism by raising awareness about local tourism products which include local religious and non-religious spots for the tourists coming from both outside and within the State.

The Government have taken, inter alia, following steps to increase solar energy generation in the country:

(i) Announcement of a target of installing 100 GW of solar energy capacity by December, 2022. (ii) Waiver of Inter State Transmission System (ISTS) charges and losses for inter-state sale of solar power for projects to be commissioned up to December, 2022.

(iii) Permitting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) up to 100 percent under the automatic route. (iv) Notification of standard bidding guidelines to enable distribution licensees to procure solar and wind power at competitive rates in cost effective and transparent manner.

(v) Declaration of trajectory for Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) up to year 2022. (vi) Implementation of Green Energy Corridor project to facilitate grid integration of large scale renewable energy capacity addition.

Notification of Quality Standards for deployment of solar photovoltaic system/devices. Launch of various schemes including. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan Yojana (PM-KUSUM), CPSU (Government Producers) Scheme -Phase II and Solar Rooftop Phase II program.

SPG focused on Prime Minister's security and not that of a family; Security of 130 crore Indians is Government’s Responsibility: Union Home Minister

Earlier 4 Amendments in SPG Act were done focusing on One Family: Shri Amit Shah Gandhi family's security cover not removed, but changed; Z+ cover of CRPF with ASL and Ambulance provision maintained

Each Citizen is Equal in eyes of Law in a Democracy: Shri Amit Shah On Security breach at Priyanka Gandhi’s Residence, the visitors were Congress Workers; High Level Enquiry Ordered: Union Home Minister Posted On: 03 DEC 2019 6:33PM by PIB Delhi

Parliament today passed the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019. Replying to the debate on the Bill in the house, Union Minister for Home Affairs, Shri Amit Shah said that as per the intent of the original law, SPG focusses on Prime Minister's security, as the PM is constitutionally the Head of the Government. It looks after the Prime Minister's personal security, health, communication and secures the PMO and Prime Minister's residence. It must not be made a status symbol and its mandate must not be diluted in deploying the specialized force for the security of a particular family. Shri Shah also stressed that the Government is responsible for the security of 130 crore Indian citizens, which includes the said family.

The Home Minister noted that there is a perception that the amendment in SPG Act is being brought only for the purpose to remove the SPG security cover for the Gandhi family. Opposed to that, the Gandhi family's security level was not being removed but was changed from SPG to Z+ with ASL (Advance Security Liaison) and 24X7 Ambulance provision. This has been done on the basis of threat perception as per the original version of the law and the family’s security cover is at par with that of the HM, Defence Minister etc. He stressed that therefore, the there is no question of vendetta politics against one family and they have been assigned security personnel who have undergone SPG training at some point of time in their career.

A function was organized in Ministry of Railways today to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The Ministry of Tourism is focussing on development and promotion of tourism in the North Eastern Region. For development Ministry under the Swadesh Drashan and PRASHAD Schemes has sanctioned 18 projects covering all the North Eastern States for Rs.1456 crore.

The Ministry of Tourism undertakes various activities for the promotion of North Eastern region of the country as a tourist destination. These activities include: (i) Release of television campaigns on Doordarshan and private channels in the country.

(ii) Production of publicity material, creatives and television commercials/promotional films on the region. (iii) The North East region is the theme of the India Pavilion set up by the Ministry at the South Asia Travel and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) in which the Ministry participates annually.

(iv) Complimentary space is provided to the North Eastern States for their participation in the India Pavilion set up by the Ministry at major international travel fairs and exhibitions. (v) The Ministry organizes an annual International Tourism Mart in the North Eastern region with the objective of highlighting the tourism potential of the region.

Encouraged by ‘Accessible India Campaign’ launched in 2015 by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, Indian Railways have been providing facilities/services to Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) so as to enable them a barrier free transportation across the Railway network. To make its services more convenient and accessible to differently-abled passengers (Divyangjans) at railway stations, Indian Railways offers the following facilities for the Divyangjans.

Specially designed coaches known as SLRD coaches with wider entrance doors to allow a wheel chair to enter, wider aisles, modified toilet and with 4 berths, the lower two for persons with disability and upper berths for attendants have been attached in almost all Mail/express trains except Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Jan shatabdi Express trains and Duranto Express trains.

Instructions have been issued that in all mail/express trains, the SLRD coaches should be treated as unreserved coaches earmarked for exclusive use of persons with disability. In case of Garib Rath express trains which are fully reserved trains, these coaches are treated as reserved for booking by persons with disability (Divyangjans) travelling on the prescribed certificate on payment of full fare of 3 AC class of Garib Rath Express on first come first served basis.

Separate counters are earmarked at various Passenger Reservation System(PRS) centres for dealing with the reservation requisitions received from Persons with Disability and Senior Citizens, if the average demand per shift is not less than 120 tickets wherever feasible. ln case there is no justification for earmarking of an exclusive counter for any of these categories of persons including handicapped persons, one or two counters depending upon the total demand are earmarked for dealing with the reservation requests for all these categories of persons.

A reservation quota of four sleeper class berths and two berths in 3 AC has been earmarked in all trains running on non-suburban sections for persons with disability performing their journey on concessional ticket. The person accompanying the person with disability as escort is also allotted the berth out of this quota.

Instructions have also been issued that in the tickets issued through PRS, to extent feasible, one lower berth should be allotted to person with disability and the person accompanying the person with disability as escort should be allotted middle/upper berth near the person with disability subject to availability of accommodation.

After departure of train, if there are vacant lower berths available in the train and if any person with disability booked on the authority of concessional ticket, who has been allotted upper/middle berth, approaches for allotment of vacant lower berths, the Conductor/Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) has been authorized to allot the vacant lower berth to them after making necessary entries in the chart.

The facility to book concessional e-tickets online using the photo-identity card issued by Railways has also been introduced to facilitate persons with disability.

The National Power Grid comprises of large number of assets established across the country. Interconnectedness is a key feature of networked world and cyber opportunity and threat are part of it.

For curbing the cyber threats over national power grid, multiple steps have been taken. For securing transmission assets of POWERGRID, communication from equipment of Substations to control centers are done over dedicated optical fiber network owned by POWERGRID without any connectivity to external networks. They are further protected through multiple Firewalls.

These systems are kept isolated from office networks, to prevent any malicious online attack because of Internet connectivity. Also, POWERGRID is certified for ISO27001 Information Security Management System as laid down in Information Technology Act, 2000.

Further, Ministry of Power has formed Sectoral CERT-Transmission housed in POWERGRID, which works in close coordination with Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and which has laid down detail procedures for Protected Systems, alerts and advisories, regular cyber audit, Crisis Management Plan (CMP), mock drills and exercises.