NATIONAL

Cabinet renames Mid-day meal scheme

• The centre has renamed the mid day meal scheme as PM-POSHAN(Poshan Shakthi Nirman), which provides free one hot cooked meal for school students for classes 1 to 8.
• It is also planned to include another 24 lakh children studying in the pre primary government schools from the next financial year.
• The budget allocated for the mid day meal scheme is Rs 54061.73 crores from the Central Government and Rs 31,733.17 crore from State Governments & UT administrations for the financial year 2021to26.
• Now the centre is planning to add another Rs 226 crore as its share to provide food for the pre primary students from the next financial year (2022-23), as recommended by the New Education Policy.
•  The total scheme budget will amount to Rs 1,30`,794 crore which will cover 11.80 crore students studying in 11.20 lakh schools.

Two railway line doubling projects approved by Cabinet

• The cabinet committee on Economic Affairs approved the doubling of Nimach-Ratlam railway line in Madhya Pradesh and Rajkot-Kanalus railway line in Gujarat.
• The Rajkot-Kanalus railway line is part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad-Viramgam-Okha section.
• Total length of Nimach-Ratlam railway line is 132.92 km with an estimated project cost of Rs 1,095.88 crore.
• Total length of Rajkot-Kanalus railway line is 111.2 km with an estimated project cost of Rs 1,080.58 crore.

Defence Acquistition Council proposes to include helicopters and ammunitions

• The Defence Acquistition Council (DAC) approved the capital acquisition proposals of services which include helicopters, guided munitions and rocket amunitions.
• The estimated cost for the acquistitions is projected to be approximately Rs13,165 crore.
• The DAC approved the procurement of 25 advanced light helicopters (ALH)- Mark-III helicopters from Hindusthan Aeronautics Limited(HAL) under buy indian-IDDM at an estimated cost of Rs 3,850 crore.
• It also approved terminally guided munitions and Rocket ammunition under buy Indian-IDDM at an estimated cost of Rs 4,962 crore.

“Ru-Pay On the Go” contactless payment is set to launch

• The National payments corporation of India NPCI tie up with the YES bank, a private sector lender to launch “Ru-Pay On the Go” to make wearable payments contactless.
• The Customer can pay upto Rs 5000 by simple Tap, pay , Go mechanism without the need of PIN in any contactless enabled Pos.

‘Terms of Reference’ signed between India and Australia

• Indian Navy and Australian Navy signed ‘Terms of Reference’ to conduct ‘Joint Guidance for the India-Australia Navy to Navy Relationship document.
• This ToR was signed between the Navy Chiefs of both countries, and this talks will help to guide the bilateral cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region for promoting peace, security, five
• It is the India’s first ever such document signed by the Indian Navy with any country.

INTERNATIONAL

Adani Group to sign deal for Colombo Port deal

• The Adani Group is set to sign deal with Sri Lanka Port Authority(SLPA) and John keells Holdings to jointly develop the West Container Terminal (WTC).
• It is to sign under the build operate and transfer agreement.
• Over 70% of the transhipment buisness at the Colombo Port is linked to Indian market.

‘Hwasong-8’  super sonic misssile tested

• North Korea successfully tested one among its five most important weapons named Hwasong-8
• Hwasong-8 is Super sonic missile capable of attaining speed upto Mach 5 and can fly at lower altitudes compared to ballistic missiles.