April 26, 2018 World Intellectual Property Day April 26, 2018 Every April 26, we celebrate World Intellectual Property Day to learn about the role that intellectual property rights (patents, trademarks, industrial designs, copyright) play in encouraging innovation and creativity. This year s World Intellectual Property Day campaign celebrates the brilliance, ingenuity, curiosity and courage of the women who are driving change in our world and shaping our common future with theme for 2018 as Powering change: Women in innovation and creativity. WIPO Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland Cabinet approves restructured National Bamboo Mission The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi on 25th April has approved Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National Bamboo Mission (NBM) under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) during remaining period of Fourteenth Finance Commission (2018-19 & 2019-20). An outlay of Rs.1290 crore (with Rs. 950 crore as Central share) is provisioned for implementation of the Mission during the remaining period of 14th Finance Commission (2018-19 and 2019-20). www.talentsprint.com 1
Human Resource Development Ministry Launches Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0 Human Resource Development Ministry on 25th April launched Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0 in New Delhi. Addressing the launching ceremony at AICTE headquarters through video message, Minister of Human Resource Development Shri Prakash Javadekar said that the students are the real agents of change who can develop, empower and brighten the future of the country. Shri Javadekar said that Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0 is in line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision to transform India, in which students from colleges and universities will go to nearby villages to get acquainted with the life of the village people and the problems faced by them in day to day life. Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Radha Mohan Singh s addresses the National Kharif Conference 2018 in New Delhi The agriculture and food security of the nation will continue to be sustainable in the coming years and we will be successful in doubling farmers income in the stipulated time frame. This was stated by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Radha Mohan Singh at the National Kharif Conference 2018 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on 25th April. Shri Singh asserted that the credit for ensuring the nation s food security goes to the farmers. Today, India is not only selfdependent but also an exporter of many agricultural products. www.talentsprint.com 2
India signs loan agreement with World Bank for US$ 125 million for Innovate in India for Inclusiveness Project A Loan Agreement for IBRD credit of US$ 125 (equivalent) for the Innovate in India for Inclusiveness Project was signed with the World Bank on 24th April, 2018 in New Delhi. The Loan Agreement was signed by Mr. Sameer Kumar Khare, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs on behalf of Government of India and Mr. Hisham Abdo, Acting Country Director, World Bank (India) on behalf of the World Bank. The Objectives of the project is to nurture indigenous innovation, foster local product development and accelerate commercialization process by bridging critical skill and infrastructure gaps to promote affordable and innovative healthcare products generation for inclusive development and increasing competitiveness in India. Indo-Malaysian joint exercise HARIMAU SHAKTI 2018 As part of ongoing Indo-Malaysian defence cooperation, a joint training exercise HARIMAU SHAKTI will be conducted in the dense forests of Sengai Perdik, Hulu Langat, Malaysia from 30 April 18 to 13 May 18. The exercise is aimed at bolstering cooperation & coordination between armed forces of both the nations and to share the expertise of both the contingents in conduct of counter insurgency operations in jungle terrain. www.talentsprint.com 3
Rahul Dravid brand ambassador of Karnataka Assembly Elections The Election Commission has roped in Rahul Dravid as the brand ambassador of Karnataka Assembly Elections. The former India cricketer and the coach of India U-19 cricket team, known for his sense of fair-play and true sportsmanship spirit, will help raise awareness about the upcoming polls in Karnataka and ensure best possible turnout on the Election Day. Rahul Dravid will be the State election icon, Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar told the media, while also mentioning that the Karnataka Election Anthem is being written by film and music director Yograj Bhat. Western Ghats reveal world s smallest land fern Indian researchers have discovered the world s smallest land fern hiding in the Ahwa forests of the Western Ghats in Gujarat s Dang district. According to a recent study in Scientific Reports, an international journal that publishes multidisciplinary research, the fingernail-sized fern belongs to a group known as the adder s-tongue ferns, named after their resemblance to a snake s tongue. The size of the new Malvi s adder s-tongue fern Ophioglossum malviae just one centimetre is probably the reason why it remained hidden all along, said researcher Mitesh Patel of the Department of Biosciences at Surat s Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, who stumbled across the plant during a botanical expedition in 2016. www.talentsprint.com 4
Mario Abdo Benitez wins Paraguay's presidential election Conservative former senator Mario Abdo Benitez has been elected president of Paraguay. He beat his closest rival, Efraín Alegre from the liberal opposition alliance, by four percentage points. The result means the right-wing Colorado Party, which has dominated Paraguayan politics for decades, will maintain its hold on power. Mr. Abdo Benitez, 46, has promised to retain low tax policies and boost agricultural exports. Capital: Asuncion Currency: Paraguayan Guarani Learn Two a Day: Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport: Guwahati, Assam Swami Vivekananda Airport: Raipur, Chhattisgarh www.talentsprint.com 5