[PDF] 17 Feb 2015

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News Bits - 17 Feb 2015

   

1. India, Sri Lanka sign three pacts on agricultural cooperation, a memorandum of understanding on Nalanda University and an agreement on cultural cooperation.
2. Pre-empting China, India inks nuclear pact with Sri Lanka.
3. A four-decade-old aircraft, Dakota-3, used during the Bangladesh Liberation War was handed over to Bangladesh on Monday.
4. SC grants bail to Rasheed Masood.
5. The Centre is trying to build consensus with State governments on implementing 50 per cent reservation for women in

The Hindu News - 17 Feb 2015

India, Sri Lanka sign three pactsCalling his visit to New Delhi a “remarkable milestone” in taking India-Sri Lanka relations to a “greater height,” President Maithripala Sirisena on Monday expressed satisfaction that the visit had “borne very fruitful results.”
Mr. Sirisena and Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnessed the signing of three agreements on agricultural cooperation, a memorandum of understanding on Nalanda University and an agreement on cultural cooperation. On the conflict between

[Ed] Needed, real inclusion

The scope of the banking ombudsman system needs to be expanded to provide easier redress to small banking customers
India’s poor as well as the middle class are quite happy with the banking system. If they have any complaints, these are resolved quickly and efficiently. This is the impression one gets from reading the Reserve Bank of India’s latest annual report on the banking ombudsman scheme. The report states that the scheme — a free grievance redressal mechanism for small banking clients — handled as many as 82,052 complaints in 2013-14 and disposed of 96 per cent of

[Ed] All you wanted to know about NITI Aayog

The winds of change sweeping across the corridors of power since Narendra Modi took charge at the Centre have dislodged not just bureaucrats, but also institutions once regarded as key pillars of governance in the country. Among the big moves of the government was to consign to history the more than six decades old Planning Commission, and to usher in its place a brand new NITI Aayog. Earlier this month, the NITI Aayog’s governing council held its first meeting.

What is it?For starters, NITI Aayog is a catchy acronym in keeping with the Centre’s penchant for alphabet soups pregnant with symbolism. NITI is short for

[Ed] The menace of plastic waste

If there is one type of municipal solid waste that has become ubiquitous in India and most developing countries, and largely seen along the shores and waterways of many developed countries, it is plastic waste. Much of it is not recycled, and ends up in landfills or as litter on land, in waterways and the ocean. For the first time, researchers have estimated the amount of plastic that makes its way into the oceans. While the estimate of eight million tonnes of plastic being dumped into the oceans by

[Ed] A social role for NITI Aayog

The NITI Aayog could throw light on long-term issues, with solutions that are not just economic or technological but also social and political — of strengthening democracy, building institutions and regaining policy space
NITI Aayog has had its first meeting with the economic experts. This was crucial since the government is trying to revive economic growth. The economy has experienced slow growth in spite of the revised national income data that has indicated faster growth. Industry, exports and