Agnipath Scheme: Indian Air Force releases details of new recruitment plan

• The policy, which comes into immediate effect, will hereafter govern the enrolment for the three services. Under the AGNIPATH scheme, the Agniveers will be enrolled in the Forces under respective Service Acts for a period of four years.
• They would form a distinct rank in the Armed Forces, different from any other existing ranks.
• During this period of service to the nation, the Agniveers will be imparted with various military skills and experience, discipline, physical fitness, leadership qualities, courage and patriotism.
• Post this stint of four years, the Agniveers will be infused into the civil society where they can contribute immensely towards the nation building process.
• Upon the completion of four years of service, Agniveers will be offered an opportunity to apply for permanent enrolment in the Armed Forces.
• Enrolment will be based on ‘All India All Class’ basis and the eligible age will be in range from 17.5 to 21 years.
• Agniveers will be given an attractive customised monthly package along with Risk and Hardship allowances as applicable in the three services.
• On completion of the engagement period of four years, Agniveers will be paid one time ‘Seva Nidhi’ package which shall comprise their contribution including accrued interest thereon and matching contribution from the Government. The ‘Seva Nidhi’ will be exempt from Income Tax.
• Agniveers will be provided non-contributory Life Insurance Cover of Rs 48 lakhs for the duration of their engagement period in the Indian Armed Forces.

Health Ministry Launches Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight-2022

• The Intensive Diarrhoea Control Fortnight (IDCF) is being organized since 2014 with an objective to ''bringing the number of deaths due to diarrhoea in childhood to zero''.
• This fortnight is organized especially during summer/monsoon so that preventive measures can be taken such as awareness generation and establishment of ORS-Zinc corners.
• According to the latest report of SRS-2019, child mortality rate in the country has come down from 45 per 1000 live births in 2014 to 35 per 1000 live births in 2019. But even today, diseases related to diarrhoea continue to be a major cause of death in children under the age of five.
• According to NFHS-5, only 60.6% children under the age of five with diarrhoea were given ORS and only 30.5% were given zinc. This means that there is lack of awareness among mothers.

Cabinet approves MoA for establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Centre in Colombo

• This MoA was signed by the BIMSTEC member countries at the 5th BIMSTEC Summit held at Colombo, Sri Lanka on 30th March, 2022.
• The TTF shall have a Governing Board and the overall control of activities of the TTF shall be vested in the Governing Board. The Governing Board shall consist of one nominee from each Member State.

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is celebrating Elimination of Child Labour Week in the honour of World Day Against Child Labour

• NCPCR is also under the process of creating a separate link for child labour for their rescue and rehabilitation process in the Balswaraj Portal of the NCPCR.
• The International Labour Organization (ILO) launched World Day Against Child Labour in 2002 to focus attention on the global extent of child labour and the action needed to eliminate it.
• It is celebrated each year on 12 June. Theme for 2022 is "Universal Social Protection to End Child Labour"
• Target 8.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) calls on the global community to end child labour in all its forms by 2025.
• Guided by the principles enshrined in ILO''s Minimum Age Convention No. 138 and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention No. 182, the ILO Programme on Child Labour (IPEC) works to achieve the effective abolition of child labour.

Government Launches ''Startups For Railways.

• Grant up to Rs. 1.5 Crore to innovator on equal sharing basis with provision of milestone-wise payment.
• Complete process from floating of problem statement to development of prototype is online with defined time line to make it transparent and objective.
• Trials of prototypes will be done in Railways. Enhanced funding will be provided to scale up deployment on successful performance of prototypes.
• Developed Intellectual property rights (IPR) will remain with innovator only.
• Assured developmental order to innovator.
• De-centralization of complete product development process at divisional level to avoid delays.

Govt asks media to refrain from carrying ads on online betting

• Betting and gambling, illegal in most parts of the country, pose significant financial and socio-economic risk for the consumers, especially youth and children, the advisory states.
• It has further added that these advertisements on online betting are misleading and have the effect of promoting this largely prohibited activity.
• These advertisements of online betting and do not appear to be in strict conformity with the Consumer Protection Act 2019, Advertising Code under the Cable Television Networks Regulation Act, 1995, and advertisement norms under the Norms of Journalistic Conduct laid down by the Press Council of India under the Press Council Act, 1978.
• In December, 2020, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting had issued an advisory to Private Satellite TV channels to adhere to the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) guidelines on advertisements of online gaming which contained specific Do’s and Dont’s for print and audio-visual advertisements of online gaming.

PM National Apprenticeship Mela to be held at over 200 locations across India

• The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship will be organising the Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Mela every month now on.
• It''s objective is to connect the youth with more opportunities of on-ground training within corporates and further a chance to get employment.
• Individuals having a 5th–12th grade pass certificate, a skill training certificate, an ITI Diploma, or a graduate degree can apply for an interview across these trades/opportunities.
• The candidates will be given a choice of 500+ trades, including welders, electricians, housekeepers, beauticians, mechanics, and others.
• Candidates will also receive Apprenticeship certificates recognised by the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) at the end of their training period, which will give them industry recognition.
• A credit bank concept will also be introduced soon, with a depositary of various credits accumulated by learners that can be used for future academic pathways.

Union Aviation Minister awards the first Type of Certificate to Gurugram-based IoTechWorld

• IoTech has received the Type Certificate in barely 34 days after submission of its online application on the DGCA’s DigitalSky Platform on 11 May 2022.
• This is despite the fact that the Drone Rules, 2021, allow 60 days to Quality Council of India (QCI) or the Certification Bodies (CB) and 15 days to DGCA for issuing the Type Certificate (i.e 75 days in total).
• The Drone Rules, 2021 were notified on 25 Aug 2021 and the ‘Certification Scheme for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (CSUAS)’ for obtaining Type Certificate (TC) for drones was notified on 26 Jan 2022. The drone certification scheme of January 2022 was developed by the Quality Council of India (QCI).

Cabinet nod for development of new greenfield airport in Dholera

• The project is being implemented by Dholera International Airport Company Limited (DIACL), which is a Joint Venture Company comprising Airports Authority of India (AAI), Government of Gujarat (GoG) and National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) holding equity in the ratio of 51:33:16.
• Dholera Airport is to get Passenger and Cargo traffic from Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR) and is expected to become a major cargo hub to serve the industrial region.
• This Airport will also cater to the nearby region and serve as a second airport to Ahmedabad.
• The New Greenfield Airport at Dholera is situated at an aerial distance of 80 Km from Ahmedabad, Airport.
• The Airport is planned for operationalization from the year 2025-26.