1) PM Modi Launched 'Saubhagya Scheme'
•Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana or ‘Saubhagya’, to supply 24/7 electricity supply to poor households. The scheme will cover all rural families after electrification of all villages by December 2017.
•The government stated that states will be required to complete the household electrification by March 31, 2019. The total outlay for the Saubhagya scheme will be Rs 16,320 crore. The rural household outlay is estimated to be Rs 14025cr, with Rs 2295cr being for urban households. The scheme will be funded by a 60 percent grant from the government, with the states contributing 10 percent and the remaining amount will be covered by loans. The gross budgetary support for the scheme will be Rs 12,320 cr.
2) Odisha Government Launched ‘Sampurna Yojana’
•Odisha Government launched ‘Sampurna (Sishu Abond Matru Mrityuhara Purna Nirakaran Abhijan) Yojna’scheme for pregnant women, in Odisha. Under the scheme, Odisha government will provide Rs.1,000 as transport cost for pregnant women to travel to the hospital from inaccessible areas arranging their own vehicles.
•The main objective of this scheme is to reduce the death ration of the newborn child and mother mortality rate. Around 7853 villages will be covered from 30 districts of Odisha, under this scheme.
3) Karnataka Government Launches Vision-2025 Project
•The Karnataka Government Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has launched 'Vision-2025' project across the state. It aimed at evolving a draft policy for development of the state in next seven years by seeking the opinion of the public.
•Under the project, the government would seek public opinion on how they want their dream state to be in the next seven years. The CM has also launched the website 'www.navakarnataka2025.in'.
4) ISRO’s Mars Orbiter Mission Completes 3 Years in Orbit
•The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) stated that its Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) which has completed three years in its Martian orbit is in good health and continues to work as expected. On the occasion of completion of three years in its Martian orbit released MOM second-year science data from September 24, 2014, to September 23, 2016.
•The 450-crore rupees MOM mission aims at studying the Martian surface and mineral composition. It will also scan its atmosphere for methane which is an indicator of life on Mars.
5) New Underground Water Treatment Plant in Agartala
•In Tripura, a new underground water treatment plant has been commissioned at Sadhutilla in the southern part of Agartala. The plant has fulfilled the need for drinking water free from iron and other contamination.
•The plant has started functioning with supply of quality treated water initially to 565 households through pipeline. It hastreatment capacity of 4 point 8 million litre per day. It has two Over Head Storage Reservoirs with capacities of 1,130 Kilo Liter and 450 Kilo Liter.
6) SBI Eases Minimum Balance Rules On Savings Accounts
•State Bank of India lowered the Minimum Average Monthly Balance (MAB) requirement in a savings account to Rs 3,000 from Rs 5,000 and also revised downwards penalties for not maintaining such a balance.
•The public sector lender also decided to exempt pensioners, beneficiaries of social benefits from government and minors from the requirement of minimum balance in savings account.
7) Shashi Shankar appointed CMD of ONGC
•Shashi Shankar was appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of India's biggest oil and gas producer ONGC. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his appointment to the post of CMD.
•Shankar, at present director (technical and field services), ONGC, will take over the charge as CMD from October 1. He will replace Dinesh K Sarraf. Mr Shankar will have a nearly four-year term until March 2021.
8) Lakshmanan Wins 5,000m gold in Athletics Nationals
•Reigning Asian champion Govindan Lakshmanan of Services cruised to victory in the men’s 5000-metre race on the opening day of the 57th National Open Athletics Championships at the Nehru Stadium in Chennai.
•Lakshmanan has recently won gold in the 3,000m event at the Asian Indoor Games in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
