Major News and Events of 11 March 2016

While Saudi Arabia has reduced the Haj quota for all countries by 20%, India has been successful in grabbing a quote of 136,020 pilgrims who are planning to visit the Haj. A total of 100,020 pilgrims would be coming through the Haj Committee of India with the remaining ones arriving via private tour operators. The agreement on India’s Haj quote was signed during top-level Indian delegation’s visit to Jeddah yesterday.

Today, the RSS strongly condemned the raising of anti-national slogans in JNU campus. During a three-day brainstorming session in Nagpur, the Sangh fountainhead voiced the concern over frequent instances of violence and attempts to create an ‘atmosphere of fear’. Asking the political parties to give up their ‘policy of appeasement’, the Sangh representatives also expected the central and state governments to deal strictly with anti-national forces prevalent in reputed institutions.

Today, the Lok Sabha passed the Aadhar Bill amid opposition’s demand for referring the bill to a standing committee. Previously, the House had taken up discussion on the Aadhar Bill with Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, insisting that the bill’s focus was thoroughly on the usage of government capital for the targeted subsidy. Jaitley has informed Lok Sabha that the targeted subsidy through the Aadhar cards of LPG consumers has resulted in Rs. 15000 crore plus savings at the Centre.

After successful launch of the radio station named Radio YCP at the Yerawada Jail, state Prison Department is planning to replicate the initiative across the other eight central prisons in Pune. This internal radio station is basically a public address system, which airs pre-recorded programmes designed, scripted and performed by the inmates of the jail. Programmes are usually recorded in the morning and aired during the afternoon.

Hyderabad-based motorists are likely to receive a jail term if found parking their vehicles in wrong areas. The Hyderabad traffic police has decided to prosecute repeat offenders and a motorist found parking “dangerously” or “obstructively” anywhere in Hyderabad” more than three times at a stretch, would be dragged to the court. Additionally, the offender might even land behind the bars.

In order to offer relief to the flyers, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has decided to stop ‘standalone’ X-ray of tablets or iPads that lack detachable batteries. The decision has been conveyed to the CISF and the paramilitary force has been asked to take a call on the issue. Currently, India is among a handful of countries that require the travelers to take out tablets from hand bag, followed by getting them X-rayed separately.

BSE Sensex and Nifty are likely to open on a flat note, basis the subdued trading of Nifty futures on the Singapore Stock Exchange amid unimpressive global cues. With the Asian markets trading on a subdued note, foreign institutional investors purchased shares worth Rs. 1,063.11 crore with the domestic institutional investors selling the shares worth Rs. 598 crore yesterday.

With the World Culture Festival starting from today, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has informed the Delhi Police that the stage of the festival organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living is entirely unsafe. The opening function is scheduled for the evening with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a group of foreign dignitaries marking their attendance.   

The Indian Air Force has advised the three women trainees to put off motherhood for at least four years after they get commissioned into the IAF in the month of June this year. The IAF vice chief Air Marshal BS Dhanoa informed the media about an advisory to avoid pregnancy that was been issued to the women trainees at the IAF facility near Hyderabad. The three women trainees are preparing for the last leg of their combat training in June.