Railway Budget 2015
(i) Missed the presentation of this year's Railway Budget? Here's a quick recap of all major announcements made by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.
(ii) The key themes of the Budget were in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiatives - Swachch Bharat Mission, Make in India and Digital India.
- The most-expected part about this year's Railway Budget - there is no increase in passsenger rail fares.
- Rs.8.5 lakh crore will be invested in Railways in next 5 years.
- 'Operation 5 mins', wherein passengers travellling unreserved can purchase a ticket in 5 minutes.
- Bio toilets and airplane-type vaccum toilets in trains.
- Surveillance cameras in select coaches and ladies compartments for women's safety without compromising on privacy.
- Rail tickets can now be booked 120 days in advance.
- Speed on nine railway corridors to go up to 200 km per hour.
- Wi-Fi in more stations, mobile phone charging facilities in all train compartments.
- Facility of online booking of wheelchair for senior citizens.
- Satellite railway terminals in major cities.
- Centrally managed Rail Display Network is expected to be introduced in over 2K stations over the next 2 years.
- All india 24/7 helpline - 138 from March 2015 ; Toll free No.182 for security.
- 917 road under-bridges and over-bridges to be constructed to replace 3,438 railway crossings; at a cost of Rs. 6,581 crore.
- Four Railway Research Centres to start in four universities.
- Details about new trains and increased frequency will be announced later in this session of Parliament after review.
Union Cabinet approved creation of two additional benches of the Authority for Advance Rulings
(i) Union Cabinet on 25 February 2015 approved the creation of two additional benches of the Authority for Advance Rulings (AAR).
(ii) Two additional benches of the AAR will be established in New Delhi and Mumbai.
(iii) For these two benches, there will be a creation of two posts of Vice-Chairmen in the Apex scale and four posts of Members (two posts of Revenue Members and two posts of Law Members) in the Higher Administrative Grade (HAG+).
(iv) Moreover, two posts of Secretary at the level of Commissioner of Income Tax or Joint Secretary will also be created.
(v) The cabinet also approved one time expenditure of 7.48 crore rupees for establishment of the two additional benches and additional annual recurring expenditure of 6.61 crore rupees for running these two additional benches.
(i) EU sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis have neither proved effective, nor met the expectations of those who imposed them, but brought huge losses, said Cyprus President Nikos Anastasiadis ahead of a visit to Moscow.
(ii) The sanctions have not only complicated the economic situation in many European countries, but brought no prospects of peace for the Ukrainian people, said Anastasiadis in an interview to TASS.
(iii) EU sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis have neither proved effective, nor met the expectations of those who imposed them, but brought huge losses, said Cyprus President Nikos Anastasiadis ahead of a visit to Moscow.
(iv) The sanctions have not only complicated the economic situation in many European countries, but brought no prospects of peace for the Ukrainian people, said Anastasiadis in an interview to TASS.
(v) The heads of other EU countries such as Greece, and Hungary have repeatedly said the sanctions primarily hurt the ones who impose them.
Government Approves NTPC's 15,000 MW Solar Power Projects
(i) The union cabinet on Wednesday approved state-run power producer NTPC Ltd's plans to set up 15,000 megawatt of grid-connected solar projects, which would be completed in three tranches.
(ii) The rapidly falling cost of solar power has ignited interest in its potential in Asia's third-largest economy, which relies on coal for three-fifths of its energy needs while solar supplies less than 1 per cent.
(iii) Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims to make India one of the world's largest renewable energy markets, targeting 100,000 MW of output by 2022 from just 3,000 MW currently.
India bans Islamic State terror group
(i) Dreaded terror group IS and all its affiliate organisations responsible for a series of savage attacks and killings in Iraq and Syria, have been banned in India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
(ii) Recruitment of youths to the outfit from India and their radicalisation is a matter of serious concern for the country, especially with regard to its likely impact on national security when such youth return to India, the Home Ministry said while banning the terrorist group.
(iii) The Islamic State/Islamic State of Iraq and Levant/ Islamic State of Iraq and Syria/Daish and all its manifestations have been declared as outlawed in India under UAPA, a notification issued by the Ministry said.
Iranian wins award for ‘giving voice to the voiceless’
(i) An Iranian journalist has received a human rights award in Geneva for creating a Facebook page inviting women in Iran to post pictures of themselves without their headscarves in defiance of rules requiring them to wear a hijab.
(ii) Masih Alinejad (38) launched Stealthy Freedoms of Iranian Women last year, attracting more than half a million likes on Facebook in a matter of weeks.
(iii) Thousands of women took off their veils in public and sent in their photos to be published.
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