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Govt. gives major push to rural road connectivity as Cabinet approves PMGSY-III

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Govt. gives major push to rural road connectivity as Cabinet approves PMGSY-III

In a major boost to rural road connectivity across the country, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its approval for the launch of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-lll (PMGSY-III). Under the PMGSY-III Scheme, it is proposed to consolidate 1,25,000 Km road length in the states. The Scheme will also include Through Routes and Major Rural Links that connect habitations to Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs), Higher Secondary Schools and Hospitals.

This would facilitate easy and faster movement to and from Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs), Higher Secondary Schools and Hospitals. Roads constructed under PMGSY would also be maintained properly.

It will entail an estimated cost of Rs 80,250 crore (Central Share-Rs. 53,800 crore, State Share- Rs 26,450 crore). The funds would be shared in the ratio of 60:40 between the Centre and State for all States except for 8 North Eastern and 3 Himalayan States (Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand) for which it is 90:10.

Project period would be 2019-20 to 2024-25. Selection of candidate roads will be done based on the sum total of the marks obtained by particular road on the basis of parameters of population served, market, educational and medical facilities, etc. Under the scheme, construction of bridges upto 150 m in plain areas and 200 m in Himalayan and NE States proposed, as against the existing provisions of 75 m and 100 m in plain areas and Himalayan and NE States respectively. The States shall be asked to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) before launching of PMGSY-III in the concerned State for providing adequate funds for maintenance of roads constructed under PMGSY post 5-year construction maintenance period.

Under PMGSY, a total of 5,99,090 Km road length has been constructed under the scheme since inception till April, 2019 (inclusive of PMGSY-I, PMGSY-II and RCPLWEA Scheme.

PMGSY-III scheme was announced by the Finance Minister in Budget Speech for the year 2018-19. The CCEA in its meeting held on 9th August, 2018 approved continuation of PMGSY-I & II beyond 12th Five Year Plan and covering of balance eligible habitations under PMGSY-I by March 2019, PMGSY-II, and habitations under identified LWE blocks (100-249 population) by March 2020.

PMGSY was launched in December, 2000 with an objective to provide single all-weather road connectivity to eligible unconnected habitation of designated population size (500+ in plain areas and 250+ in North-East, hill, tribal and desert areas as per Census, 2001) for overall socio-economic development of the areas. 97% of the eligible and feasible habitations have already been connected by all-weather road.

PM approves provision of stringent punishment for sexual crimes against children

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PM approves provision of stringent punishment for sexual crimes against children

In a historic decision to protect the children from sexual offences, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Amendments in the Protection of Children from Sexual   Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. It will make punishment more stringent for committing sexual crimes against children including death penalty. The amendments also provide for levy of fines and imprisonment to curb child pornography.

The amendment is expected to discourage the trend of child sexual abuse by acting as a deterrent due to strong penal provisions incorporated in the Act. It intends to protect the interest of vulnerable children in times of distress and ensures their safety and dignity. The amendment is aimed to establish clarity regarding the aspects of child abuse and punishment thereof.

The POCSO Act, 2012 was enacted to Protect the Children from Offences of Sexual Assault, Sexual harassment and pornography with due regard for safeguarding the interest and well-being of children. The Act defines a child as any person below eighteen years of age, and regards the best interests and welfare of the child as matter of paramount importance at every stage, to ensure the healthy physical, emotional, intellectual and social development of the child. The act is gender neutral.

Ideas Beyond Borders and Wikipedia Arabic Educational Outreach

Scott Douglas Jacobsen
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Ideas Beyond Borders and Wikipedia Arabic Educational Outreach

Faisal Saeed Al Mutar is the founder of Ideas Beyond Borders and Bayt Al-Hikma 2.0, Global Secular Humanist Movement, and a columnist for Free Inquiry

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What are some other milestones?

Faisal Saeed Al Mutar: There have been some pretty amazing milestones since our last conversation. Over the last few months, we have Wiki groups in the Levant mainly.

We have a number of translators and people focused on different subjects emphasizing the Arabic language. Unfortunately, the Wikipedia Arabic used to be the 18th language.

But, fortunately, we were able to translate more than a 1,000 articles as we speak. These articles never existed before in Arabic. This would be the Civil Rights movement figures.

Today, I was reading a story about how Saudi women’s rights activist for driving was inspired by Rosa Parks. That has been translated into Arabic by our group.

Also, the library of evolution has been translation. It is a banned subject in many education systems across the Arabic world. I have been focusing over the past few months until now on the building of a full library of evolution.

It would be from the beginning to the end. It is already gaining us a lot of momentum with partnering with groups in the Middle East. We are really definitely creating and institutionalizing a movement that is very helpful for new ideas.

The Wikipedia Arabic project has been working really well. We have expanded our translation efforts to expand to Kurdish too. We have expanded beyond just the Arabic language.

Now, we have included articles in Kurdish and about 15 or so in Farsi. These have been in subjects including freedom of the press, pluralism, John Stuart Mill and the concept of liberty, progressive values, and also the values of the Enlightenment.

Many of these articles did not exist in these languages before. We are happy to be a part of this movement. We are expecting other countries in the Middle East, including Iran and the Northern part of Iraq and Kurdistan.

It has been going perfectly. We are releasing our books very slowly as we are trying to make sure that the reach and the partnerships that we are building in the region will help distribute them, to make sure it is a success and the quality of the translation is the highest possible in the organization.

We are very happy to work with experts in translation.

Jacobsen: Thank you for the opportunity and your time, Faisal.

Photo by mostafa meraji on Unsplash

Big B and Aamir Khan endorse PM Modi’s ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’

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Big B and Aamir Khan endorse PM Modi’s ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the recent episode of his second series of radio programme “Mann Ki Baat” had expressed concern about the water problem in the country and shared the importance of the new Jal Shakti Ministry. He had urged the people to make water conservation a national movement. In response to PM’s call Bollywood superstars Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan have asked people to take steps towards water conservation.

The two superstars recently shot special videos urging the citizens to use water judiciously, save rainwater, clean water bodies, in the country’s battle against drought and water scarcity. They also informed the details of the movement, which involves top authorities of the government visiting the affected villages and discussing with the people the possible efforts to resolve the crisis so that we can succeed in saving the ‘valuable treasure.’

In a video posted by the official Twitter page of ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’, Aamir, who is involved with water conservation efforts in Maharashtra through his Paani Foundation, can be heard saying, “Jal hai to kal hai. That is the reason we have to save a valuable treasure like water. Use it judiciously and protect it. Not just for today, but for the upcoming generations and our children. To battle water scarcity and drought, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, through the ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’, the top authorities of the government are working in the villages suffering from the crisis. This team will discuss with you the efforts that can be taken over the issue, so that water is easily available for all villages in every season. Let us all, in this monsoon, save rainwater, clean our water bodies and make ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’ a successful mission.”

“It is critical that we save water today for a better tomorrow, for our future generations and nation.” – Mr. @aamir_khan urges everyone to take a step forward and do their bit in conserving water to secure our future. #JanShakti4JalShakti @narendramodi @PMOIndia @gssjodhpur

Amitabh Bachchan, echoing Aamir’s comments, said that Indian government’s ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’ means ‘Sanchay Jal, Behtar kal’ (save water for better tomorrow). The veteran actor added, “Water is our Earth and our life’s valuable asset. To battle water scarcity and drought, we need to do ‘Jal Sanchay’ which means to collect and ‘Jal Sanrakshan’, to protect it, save it and make this a true water movement.”

.@SrBachchan urges everyone to take a step towards conserving water at their own level during this upcoming monsoon and contribute to a better future. #JanShakti4JalShakti @narendramodi @PMOIndia @gssjodhpur

PM Modi replied to the two, terming their comments as ‘wise words’, ‘valid points’. The PM said, “Extremely valid points by @aamir_khan on the need to conserve water and create awareness at the grassroots level. #JanShakti4JalShakti.” He also said, “Wise words from @SrBachchan, which will surely inspire you towards conserving water and urging others to do so as well!”

Zambian wildlife adventure for Bollywood actor Kriti Sanon

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Zambian wildlife adventure for Bollywood actor Kriti Sanon

Bollywood star Kriti Sanon is currently enjoying her vacations in Zambia and her pictures on Instagram have attracted millions of followers. Zambia is considered the land of the legendary African walking safari, Victoria Falls, the wild Zambezi River, abundant wildlife and raw wilderness.

Sanon, who is on an adventurous holiday, interacted with cheetahs and giraffes. The actor shared selfies and videos of her time in Lusaka, Zambia on Instagram. Kriti shared a picture of herself, sharing the frame with a cheetah and captioned it, “He wanted a selfie!! Couldn’t say no.. #Zambia.” While a few celebrities and fans liked the picture, there were many who criticised the actor for posing with wild animals. The actor also shared a video of a cheetah drinking water from her hand on her Instagram stories. Another picture shared by her shows her walking the cheetah with a leash.

She also visited the Victoria Falls with her friends and shared stunning pictures with the waterfall in the background. Besides acting, Kriti also writes poetry and often shares her work on Instagram. She recently shared a picture from her flight along with a small poem.

Zambia, in southern Africa, is a landlocked country of rugged terrain and diverse wildlife, with many parks and safari areas. On its border with Zimbabwe is famed Victoria Falls, plunging a misty 108m into narrow Batoka Gorge. Spanning the Zambezi River just below the falls is Victoria Falls Bridge, a spectacular viewpoint. Blessed with awe-inspiring natural wonders, an abundance of wildlife, huge water bodies and vast open spaces, Zambia offers unforgettable holidays exploring the real Africa.

Commemorating 50 years of partnership with UNWFP towards food and nutrition security in India

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Commemorating 50 years of partnership with UNWFP towards food and nutrition security in India

Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar launched a Coffee Table Book today, along with Dr. Hameed Nuru, Representative and Country Director, UN World Food Programme in India, to commemorate five decades of partnership between the Ministry and the agency towards addressing food and nutritional security in India.

Speaking at the event, Tomar said “Given the importance of rural India and linkages of agriculture with multiple targets of Sustainable Development Goal 2 -the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare continues to play a critical role in achieving the collective target of ‘ending hunger, achieving food security, improving nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture’. Organisations like UN World Food Programme are prime partners of the Ministry in this endeavor”.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Nuru said “WFP’s journey in India has been a long and successful one. It has been fortunate to witness significant positive changes in the food and nutritional security status of people, and substantial efforts made by the Government to address malnutrition. The successes achieved have been, in large part, due to the strong relationshipbetween Government of India and WFP, and the commitment of the Government and people of India towardsuplifting the nation — towards a better and brighter future”.

The Coffee Table Book – 50 years of Partnership for Change- showcases key milestones achieved by the Government of India in its efforts to make the nation free from hunger and malnutrition and WFP’s role in this endeavour. Some of the major turning points in India’s journey towards food and nutrition security captured in the book include the Green Revolution, the White revolution, improvements in livestock and dairy development and digitization of food safety nets.

Ranveer Singh unveils first look as Kapil Dev in ’83’

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Ranveer Singh unveils first look as Kapil Dev in ’83’

Actor Ranveer Singh recently shared his first look as Indian cricket legend Kapil Dev from upcoming film 83. “On my special day, here’s presenting the Haryana Hurricane Kapil Dev,” Ranveer wrote on Instagram along side his photo as the cricketer, on the occasion of his birthday.

In the picture, the actor donning a white jersey looks convincing with his wavy hair and moustache as he recreates the all-rounder’s bowling action. The actor, who has impressed the audiences with his transformation as Peshwa Bajirao and Alauddin Khilji in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opuses, has once again impressed the audience with his version of the former Indian-skipper.

Directed by Kabir Khan, the film will chronicle India’s win under Kapil’s captainship, when the team defeated West Indies in the final to clinch their first-ever World Cup trophy in 1983.

Produced by Madhu Mantena, Vishnu Induri and Kabir, and presented by Reliance Entertainment, the film is scheduled to be released on April 10, 2020. Deepika Padukone will essay the role of Kapil’s spouse Romi Dev in the film. The movie marks Deepika and Ranveer’s first on-screen collaboration post their wedding in November 2018.

GoAir to fly on 7 new international routes

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GoAir to fly on 7 new international routes

Budget carrier GoAir is on an expansion mode. The airline has announced the launch of flight services on seven new international routes, including three new destinations Bangkok, Dubai and Kuwait, as part of its overseas expansion plans, starting July 19. The services on the new routes are subject to regulatory approval, GoAir said in a release Sunday.

GoAir will be starting seven new international routes with daily flights to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Muscat, Bangkok from stations such as Mumbai New Delhi and Kannur, the airline said, adding of the seven new routes, Bangkok, Dubai and Kuwait are new ‘markets’ for GoAir, whereas the other routes are already on the airline’s network albeit from different domestic cities.

GoAir already flies to Abu Dhabi and Muscat from Kannur, and it flies to Phuket and Maldives from Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai.The services to Maldives are, however, currently on hold, it added.

“These planned launches will strengthen GoAir’s presence in the Middle East and South East Asian countries. The network expansion is in sync with our vision to expand out footprint in strategic markets and to grow our business profitably,” said Jeh Wadia, managing director and acting chief executive officer, GoAir.

The Wadia group-promoted non-listed carrier GoAir at present flies to Ahmedabad, Bagdogra, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Kochi, Kolkata, Kannur, Leh, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, Port Blair, Pune, Ranchi and Srinagar.

Pink City Jaipur is now 38th UNESCO World Heritage Site in India

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Pink City Jaipur is now 38th UNESCO World Heritage Site in India

In a landmark achievement, India’s nomination of the Jaipur City, has got inscribed on the World Heritage List of UNESCO during the 43rd Session of the World Heritage Committee held at Baku, Azerbaijan.  The nomination of Jaipur City has successfully been done by complying with the various UNESCO guidelines of 2017. With Successful inscription of Jaipur City, India has 38 world heritage sites, that include 30 Cultural properties, 7 Natural properties and 1 mixed site.

India’s nomination was initially recommended by the ICOMOS (advisory body of World Heritage (WH) Centre for cultural sites) as Deferral, but the 21 nation World Heritage Committee debated it and after discussion decided to inscribe it on the World Heritage  list.

Union Minister for Culture (IC) Prahlad Singh Patel expressed his happiness for inclusion of Pink City Jaipur in world heritage list and congratulated people of Jaipur for this prestigious tag. The Minister thanked to global community for recognizing the historic and cultural importance of Jaipur.

The countries that supported India’s nomination were Brazil, Bahrain, Cuba, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Kuwait, Kyrghystan, Zimbabwe, China, Guatemala, Uganda, Tunisia, Burkina Faso, Bosnia and Hezegovina, Angola, St. Kitts and Nevis. Australia and Norway initially proposed referral but after the debate they agreed for Inscription of Jaipur city.

Chat with Faisal Saeed Al Mutar on Translation and Its Contents

Scott Douglas Jacobsen
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Chat with Faisal Saeed Al Mutar on Translation and Its Contents

Faisal Saeed Al Mutar is the founder of Ideas Beyond Borders and Bayt Al-Hikma 2.0, Global Secular Humanist Movement, and a columnist for Free Inquiry

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What should a North American audience, global audience, or Indian audience, know about Bay Al-Hikma 2.0? How can they replicate its efforts in advocating for science, humanism, and enlightenment values through translation projects – Arabic, Kurdish, etc.?

Faisal Saeed Al Mutar: One of the things that we function as is a bridge. One of my friends is a Princeton professor in South Asian Studies. He has helped to identify progressive voices there.

Many people in the Arab world do not know that they exist. When people look at the stuff that we translate from English writings of authors coming from South East Asia and Asia.

People, generally, the main thing that we always need to do to continue our translation project is funding and donations to keep the translation going. Also, if people have skills that we need, there are many people who help connect us to many people, e.g., graphic designers, audiovisual editing, video editing, and so on.

If people have skills in social media marketing, all of these things; we need these to help expand our project. When it comes to South Asia, as we expand more and more, and build more successful programs across the Arab world, and we focus on there because I am from there, we have the translators and all of that.

We plan to expand to Urdu. I heard of many of my friends from Pakistan. Many Pakistanis speak English and are educated, but much is coming from the British.

At the same time, there are many people in Bangladesh that do not speak English in a professional way or in an advanced way. So, that way, the knowledge that we care about in terms of Enlightenment values and others are not available for these people who speak only one language.

So, we have had a very successful program so far, with the Arab world. I hope it will be successful as we expand to Bengali and Urdu.

Jacobsen: Thank you for the opportunity and your time, Faisal.

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

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