ODISHA

· State to set up 45 spl courts to try rape cases

ð The Centre has allowed the State Government to establish as many as 45 Fast Track Special Courts (FSTCs) for expeditious trial and disposal of rape and other sexual offences against children in a time-bound manner.

ð The Union Ministry of Law and Justice has given the permission in view of the very large number of pending rape and POCSO cases, said a senior official here.

ð While more than 1.60 lakh POCSO cases are pending for trial in the country, the number of such cases in the State is 8,731.

ð A total of 1,023 FSTCs, including 45 in Odisha, would be set up in the country. Out of these 45 FSTCs in Odisha, 22 courts would be exclusively designated as POCSO Courts and the rest 23 courts would deal with both rape and POCSO cases, said the official.

ð As per the direction of the Supreme Court, a district having more than 100 POCSO cases would have a designated special court to trial sexual offences against children.

ð This special scheme, under which the FSTCs will be established, will operate for one year and spread over two financial years (2019-20 to 2020-21).

ð While a total of Rs 33.75 crore per annum will spent for operation of 45 FCSCs in the State, the Union Government and the State Government would bear the spending at 60 per cent (Rs 20.25 crore) and 40 per cent (Rs 13.50 crore), respectively.

INTERNATIONAL

World Bank to provide Rs 3,000 crore aid for food parks

Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Rameswar Teli has said that the World Bank will provide three thousand crore rupees assistance to finance, mini and mega food parks across the country.

He was addressing the 15th Indo-US Economic Summit organized by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce-North India Council (IACC-NIC) in New Delhi.

The government is trying its best to double the income of farmers and is laying lot of focus on mega and mini food parks.

· Water discovered for the first time in atmosphere of habitable exoplanets K2-18b

The first time discovered water in the atmosphere of a planet orbitingwithin the habitable zone of a distant star.The finding makes the world is called K2-18b – a plausible candidate in the search for alien life.
The new space telescopes might be able to determine whether K2-18b’s atmosphere contains gases that could be produced by living organisms.
The details were published in the scientific journal Nature Astronomy.The lead scientist, Prof Giovanna Tinetti of University College London (UCL), described the discovery as mind blowing.This is the first time that we have detected water on a planet in the habitable zone around a star where the temperature is potentially compatible with the presence of life.
The habitable zone is the region around a star where temperatures are considered sufficiently benign for water to exist in liquid form on the surface of a planet.
The new planet is just over twice the size of Earth – in a planet category known as a super Earth and has a temperature cool enough to have liquid water, between zero and 40C.

World Ozone Day: 16 September
World Ozone Day is observed on 16 September every year to spread awareness among people about the depletion of the Ozone Layer.

In 1994, the UN General Assembly proclaimed this day as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, commemorating the date of the signing, in 1987, of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

The theme of World Ozone Day 2019 is ’32 years and Healing’.

NATIONAL

Engineers Day: 15 September

Engineers Day in India is observed every year on 15 September.

It is celebrated as a tribute to the greatest Indian engineer and Bharat Ratna Sir Mokshagundam Vishweshvaraya.

He was an engineering pioneer of India whose genius reflected in harnessing of water resources and building and consolidation of dams across the country.

Visvesvaraya was also the chief engineer responsible for the construction of the Krishna Raja Sagara Dam in Mysore, the biggest in Asia at that time.

However, the Telangana state celebrates Engineers day on July 11th on the birthday of Ali Nawaz Jung Bahadur.

14th Conference of Parties to UNCCD adopts Delhi Declaration

The 14th Conference of Parties (COP-14) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) came to a close with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration.

During the extensive deliberations that lasted for 12 days, COP-14 witnessed widespread participation from over 9,000 participants from across the globe at Greater Noida.

In Delhi Declaration, the parties expressed support for new initiatives aiming to improve human health and well-being, the health of ecosystems and to advance peace and security.

India beat Bangladesh by five runs, clinch U-19 Asia Cup title

India clinched the Under-19 Asia Cup title, with a thrilling five-run win over Bangladesh in a low-scoring final at Colombo.

Defending a paltry total of 106, India dismissed Bangladesh for 101 in 33 overs.

Left-arm spinner 18-year-old Atharva Ankolekar, emerged as the star of the Indian team, with figures of 5 for 28 from 8 overs.

NCST recommends ‘tribal area’ status for Ladakh under Sixth Schedule

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah and Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda, recommending that Ladakh be declared a tribal area under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

The Sixth Schedule provides for the administration of tribal areas after setting up the autonomous district and regional councils.

The Home Ministry is the central authority for declaring an area as a “tribal area”.

The Scheduled Tribes that inhabit the region include Balti, Beda, Boto, Brokpa/Drokpa, Changpa, Garra, Mon and Purigpa.

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