Ministry of Communication recently launched Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana scheme.
SPARSH - Scholarship for Promotion of Aptitude & Research in Stamps as a Hobby.
It is a pan India Scholarship programme to children of Standard VI to IX having good academic record and also pursuing Philately as a hobby.
The selection would be based on the evaluation of Project work on Philately & performance in Philately Quiz conducted by the Circles.
World Congress of Mental Health
21st world congress of mental health was recently inaugurated by the President of India.
It is being organized by the World Federation for Mental Health in partnership with Caring Foundation in New Delhi.
It is taking place in India for the first time.
It will have sessions on yoga, meditation and traditional approaches to mental health.
FASTags
An amendment has been made recently to Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 to make FASTags compulsory on vehicles sold on or after December 1, 2017.
FASTag is a device that employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid account linked to it.
It is affixed on the windscreen of the vehicle and enables to drive through toll plazas.
MyFASTag is a consumer app where one can purchase or recharge FASTags, FASTag Partner is a merchant app.
These apps will facilitate the availability of FASTags for electronic toll collection making it possible to buy or recharge FASTags.
Smart Anti Airfield Weapon
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have successfully tested Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW).
It is an indigenously developed light weight glide bomb, capable of targeting large enemy infrastructure, like airfields.
It is a long range precision-guided anti-airfield weapon.
It is guided through precision navigation system.
It can reach the targets at greater than 70 km range with high accuracies.
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)
PMKSY has been formulated by the Ministry of Agriculture with the vision of extending the coverage of irrigation ‘Har Khet ko pani’ and improving water use efficiency ‘More crop per drop'.
It also aims to provide end to end solution on source creation, distribution, management, field application and extension activities.
It was formulated by amalgamating ongoing schemes
Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) - Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR,RD&GR).
Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) - Department of Land Resources (DoLR), Ministry of Rural Developement.
on Farm Water Management (OFWM) - Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC).
It is implemented in a decentralized manner through State Irrigation Plan and District Irrigation Plan.
Phasing out of Haj Subsidy
Haj subsidy is a given to Muslim pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia.
It is borne by the government and it is given in the form of discounted air fares on government owned Air India.
A Haj Committee had recommended for the phasing out of Haj subsidy with 2022 as deadline, as directed by the Supreme Court in 2012.
Now, the Ministry of Minority affairs has decided to phase out the subsidy by 2018 with immediate effect.
