1) India To Host International Union Of Food Science And Technology 2018
•The five-day event will bring together researchers, academicians, professionals, policymakers and industry leaders from across the globe to showcase innovation, exchange breakthrough ideas and drive policy issues. The focal theme for this edition of the prestigious congress is 25 Billion Meals a Day by 2025 with Healthy, Nutritious, Safe and Diverse Foods.
2) Delhi Government Launches ‘Happiness Curriculum’ For School Students
•The 'Happiness Curriculum' was termed as the third stage of reforms in the education sector initiated by his government after infrastructure development and motivation of teachers at the government schools.
3) Agriculture Minister Chairs Inter-Session Meeting On 'Marine Fisheries-Mariculture In India'
•The Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Radha Mohan Singh has notified the "National Policy on Marine Fisheries, 2017", which will guide the development of marine fisheries sector for the next 10 years. It was announced at the inter-session meeting of the consultative committee of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare on “Marine Fisheries-Mariculture in India” in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.
•The government has also included a sub-component namely, 'Assistance for Deep-Sea Fishing' under 'Blue-Revolution'. Under this scheme, traditional fishermen, their associations/organizations or self-help groups are provided with central financial assistance upto 50% of the cost of the vessels i.e. Rs 40 lakh for 'Deep-Sea Fishing Vessels'.
4) Sashakt: 5 Pronged Strategy To Deal With NPAs
•The Sunil Mehta Committee, set up to look into the faster resolution of stressed assets, has recommended the creation of an asset management company for the resolution of stressed loans worth more than Rs500 crore. Finance minister Piyush Goyal announced that government has accepted a report submitted by a committee of bankers led by Punjab National Bank chairman Sunil Mehta.
•Sunil Mehta committee on bad loans resolution has recommended a five-pronged strategy Project 'SASHAKT' to deal with Non-performing Assets in the country's banking system. The five-pronged strategy includes:
1. SME resolution approach,
2. Bank-led resolution approach,
3. AMC/AIF led resolution approach,
4. NCLT/IBC approach, and
5. Asset-trading platform.
•The Mehta Committee has further proposed a Bank Led Resolution Approach (BLRA) for loans between Rs 50 and Rs 500 crore. Under the BLRA approach, financial institutions will enter into an inter-creditor agreement to authorise the lead bank to implement a resolution plan in 180 days.
5) P K Shrivastava Appointed DG Of Ordnance Factory Board
•P K Shrivastava took over the reins of the Ordnance Factory Board as its new Director General and Chairman. Shrivastava was earlier the additional director general of ordnance factories and member at OFB.
•He was also in-charge of OFB's Armoured Vehicles headquarters at Avadi in Chennai. Shrivastava joined Indian Ordnance Factories' Service in 1982.
6) Saraswati Prasad Assumes Charge As SAIL CMD
•Senior bureaucrat Saraswati Prasad has taken over the additional charge as chairman and managing director of steel PSU Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).
•Mr Prasad succeeds P K Singh who retired recently.
7) Artist Anjolie Ela Menon Conferred Kalidas Award
•Noted artist Anjolie Ela Menon had received the National Kalidas Samman in Delhi for visual arts from the Madhya Pradesh government. The award was conferred in recognition of her insightful and sensitive portrayal of the identity and spirit of women through her meaningful paintings in a variety of media.
•With her first solo exhibition being held in Delhi in 1958, Menon is counted among India’s most accomplished artists and is the recipient of numerous national and international awards including the Padma Shri. Artist A. Ramachandran was also conferred with the Kalidas Award.
