- Inauguration of QAZIGUND TO BANIHAL section of NH-44 including 8.45 km long tunnel worth Rs 2027 crores by PM Modi on the eve of National Panchayati Raj Day which falls on April 24 every year.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Tunnel would reduce the road distance between Banihal and Qazigund by 16km, reducing journey time by one hour.
- People of Jammu and Kashmir will be specially benefitted.
- It will give big boost to all round development of the entire region.
- Twin Tube Tunnel – one for each direction of travel. The twin tubes of tunnel are interconnected by a cross passage every 500 meter for maintenance and emergency evacuation.
- First four lane highway tunnel to connect Jammu and Kashmir using the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) sequential excavation and support system considered most advance technology in the world.
- Along with this PM laid Foundation Stones for 3 projects:
- 850 MW Ratle Hydroelectric Project.
- 540 MW Kwar Hydroelectric Project.
- 4/6 lane access-controlled Delhi-Katra-Amritsar Expressway.
SOURCE: Indian Express
- CHINA SIGNS SECURITY PACT WITH SOLOMON ISLANDS
HIGHLIGHTS:
- The agreement is first of its kind that China has signed with any country and underlines its ambitions to play a security role in the pacific.
- According to a draft that was leaked last month, it will pave the way for China to deploy its security forces in Solomon Islands.
- The Solomon Islands can request police and military personnel to assist in maintaining social order, while China can make ship visits and use its ports for logistics.
- This will give China’s vessels a strategic foothold in the Pacific, in a region close to Australia and Guam, where the U.S has a naval base.
- The pact does, however, relate to a second key pillar of China’s avowed “peaceful rise” doctrine, which was, as popularised by “Panchsheel” or the “five principles of peaceful co-existence” — the “non-interference” in the internal affairs of other countries.
SOURCE: THE HINDU
- MALDIVES BANS ‘INDIA OUT’ CAMPAIGN
- The Maldives president Mohammad Solih issued such a decree banning protests against the country citing a threat to national security.
- The decree titled “Stopping Campaigns that Incite Hatred Against Various Countries Under Different Slogans”, makes specific mention of the India Out protests as an organised campaign that aims to disrupt relations between th etwo countries.
- The decree issued in Dhivehi language, says the state has a duty to ensure security of diplomats posted to the country.
- The presidential order said that the campaign against India exploited the freedom given to the citizens by the constitution.
- The campaign accused Maldivian government of allowing Indian military presence in the Island nation and of being a puppet of India.
India-Maldives recent pacts:
- Delhi and Male have signed a security cooperation pact with a credit line of $50 million from India for capacity building in the maritime domain.
- India is also helping to develop a coast guard base at the Uthuru Thilafalhu atoll. The pact includes cooperation in fighting Terrorism and Extremism.
- Maldives is part of New Delhi driven Colombo Security Conclave, which also includes Sri Lanka and Mauritius. The minilateral envisages cooperation on “shared security objectives” in a part of Indian Ocean where India sees itself as first responder and net security provider.
SOURCE: THE HINDU, THE INDIAN EXPRESS
- VISION 2047; MAKING INDIA FUTURE READY:
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is working on a blueprint for India@2047, a vision plan to make the country one of the world’s top three economies and bring it closer to developed nation status by the 100th year of its independence.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Vision 2047 will set specific targets for different economic sectors.
- It is a vision to shift India from the ranks of merely being an emerging developing economy to a developed one where all its citizens have purchasing power that is among best in the world.
- The Sectoral Group of Secretaries (SGoS) have to identify achievable targets within stipulated time and set realistic targets, timelines, and milestones.
- The key identified areas are: Agriculture, Commerce, Industry, Urban Landscape, Security and Defence, Technology and Governance.
- Within this decade, all ministries have been asked to identify focus areas to position India as a leader in these sectors such as restructuring and merger of public sector banks to create 3-4 megabanks, developing 3-4 global champions in every sector by merger or restructuring, developing the semiconductor industry and showcasing India as a hub of green technology.
- On the social sector side, some of the proposals include balanced development, ease of living, universal access to basic healthcare, enabling growth of MSMEs, eliminating the digital divide and exploring how technology can be used to help India achieve its true growth and welfare potential.
- Revamping energy mix to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and scaling up renewable and new clean fuels.
- To transform health, education, security and governance.
- Recalibrate policy priorities according to the needs of vulnerable populace.
- Achieve SDGs for eliminating poverty and hunger and achieve gender equality.
